ARTICLE XI — Conservation ARTICLE XII — Future Changes
Section 1. Natural resources and historical sites of Section 1. Amendments.
the Commonwealth. Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, may be proposed in the Senate or House of Delegates, and and the use and enjoyment for recreation of adequate if the same shall be agreed to by a majority of the members public lands, waters, and other natural resources, it shall elected to each of the two houses, such proposed amend- be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, ment or amendments shall be entered on their journals, and utilize its natural resources, its public lands, and its the name of each member and how he voted to be re- historical sites and buildings. Further, it shall be the corded, and referred to the General Assembly at its first Commonwealth’s policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, regular session held after the next general election of and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, members of the House of Delegates. If at such regular for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the session or any subsequent special session of that General people of the Commonwealth. Assembly the proposed amendment or amendments shall be agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to Section 2. Conservation and development of natu- each house, then it shall be the duty of the General ral resources and historical sites. Assembly to submit such proposed amendment or amend- ments to the voters qualified to vote in elections by the In the furtherance of such policy, the General Assem- people, in such manner as it shall prescribe and not bly may undertake the conservation, development, or sooner than ninety days after final passage by the General utilization of lands or natural resources of the Common- Assembly. If a majority of those voting vote in favor of wealth, the acquisition and protection of historical sites any amendment, it shall become part of the Constitution and buildings, and the protection of its atmosphere, on the date prescribed by the General Assembly in sub- lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or de- mitting the amendment to the voters. struction, by agencies of the Commonwealth or by the creation of public authorities, or by leases or other con- Section 2. Constitutional convention. tracts with agencies of the United States, with other states, with units of government in the Commonwealth, The General Assembly may, by a vote of two-thirds or with private persons or corporations. Notwithstand- of the members elected to each house, call a convention to ing the time limitations of the provisions of Article X, propose a general revision of, or specific amendments to, Section 7, of this Constitution, the Commonwealth may this Constitution, as the General Assembly in its call may participate for any period of years in the cost of projects stipulate. which shall be the subject of a joint undertaking between the Commonwealth and any agency of the United States The General Assembly shall provide by law for the or of other states. election of delegates to such a convention, and shall also provide for the submission, in such manner as it shall Section 3. Natural oyster beds. prescribe and not sooner than ninety days after final adjournment of the convention, of the proposals of the The natural oyster beds, rocks, and shoals in the convention to the voters qualified to vote in elections by waters of the Commonwealth shall not be leased, rented, the people. If a majority of those voting vote in favor of or sold but shall be held in trust for the benefit of the any proposal, it shall become effective on the date pre- people of the Commonwealth, subject to such regulations scribed by the General Assembly in providing for the and restriction as the General Assembly may prescribe, submission of the convention proposals to the voters. but the General Assembly may, from time to time, define and determine such natural beds, rocks, or shoals by surveys or otherwise.