Some Facts About the Golden State’s Constitution

According to the State Archives:

At 65,000 words, California’s current constitution is one of the longest in the world. 

One reason is that the constitution has been amended 503 times from 1880 to 2000.

By contrast, the state’s first constitution — approved by the delegates of California’s first constitutional convention on October 13, 1849 after 37 days of debate in Monterey — was amended only three times in 30 years: 1856, 1862 and 1871. 

The current constitution, enacted by voters on May 7, 1879 was the product of a constitutional convention that convened in Sacramento on September 28, 1878. It was amended 52 times in its first 30 years. 

 

-30-