What Is A Citizen Petition?

A citizen petition is a way of asking for changes on an issue that concerns you. Under the First Amendment of the Constitution, citizens have this right to make their views known and to request that government agencies or departments as well as private businesses and enterprises take a second look at laws and regulations that affect them in a detrimental way. Citizens can also make a petition to request that changes not be made, such as to the environment, when changes are proposed for the use of land.

It is possible for citizens to have laws enacted in some of the states of the United States by means of a citizen petition. Although it is the job of the legislature to enact laws for the citizens of a state, when a group of citizens feels that their needs are being overlooked, they do have the right under the First Amendment to initiate a petition asking that a law be enacted.

If they can collect enough signatures for the petition, when they present it to the state government it has to be voted on by all citizens of the state. If a majority of citizens are in favor of this law, then it is put in place. A citizen petition can also be initiated to ask that a law passed by the legislature be repealed. Those initiating this petition must go through the same process and have a certain number of signatures.

However, the following states do not allow for this procedure in a citizen petition at the state government level:

• Arkansas

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Kansas

• Louisiana

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Carolina

• Rhode Island

• South Carolina

• Vermont

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin

Citizens who are concerned about issues affecting the general population, such as preservation of wetlands, can petition specific government agencies. One example of this is a petition letter against cruelty to animals used in testing centers for businesses that develop cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Such petitions have collected record numbers of signatures from people who do not approve of some of the unethical practices and the petitions have resulted in stricter regulations being put in place for these industries.

Even if you think that you as a person cannot do very much in the way of making changes to the government or big business, everything you do can make a difference when you have enough people that support your cause.

If you do a search on the background of some of the laws of your state, you will find that although the government was ultimately the body that passed the law but it was written by an ordinary citizen like yourself who saw a need for change.

Nothing is written in stone and there can be changes made to all rules and regulations so that they benefit all concerned. Instead of thinking that your opinion doesn’t matter, if you feel strongly enough about an issue, you can incite action by starting the petition process of a citizen petition.

Then even if nothing happens, at least you know in your heart that you tried and that you did at least bring the issue to the attention of those in authority. It is possible that years down the road someone else may take up the cause and the changes will take place.

By: Sarah Martin

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Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in society, leadership, motivation, and the petition process. For more information on how to file a citizen petition, please visit www.thepetitionsite.com/.