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The western and southern states generally, by elaborate constitutional provisions, have deprived their legislatures, except to a very limited extent, of the power of local, special and private legislation. Hence their statute books present a marked contrast to Michigan's in respect to that kind of legislation. The following table shows how such legislation has increased in this state:

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These figures, however, do not include such local, special and private legislation as it has been customary to enact in the form of joint and concurrent resolutions, nor local fish and game laws and local exceptions inserted in general laws, which are classified with the public acts.

To save repetition the various subjects of special legislation prohibited have been grouped and tabulated below. Some of the prohibitions would undoubtedly be unnecessary in Michigan, but it has been deemed best to include them, to show the extent to which special legislation has been abolished in other states. The granting of divorces, which is generally prohibited, is not included, however, as that is prohibited sometimes among other objects of special legislation and sometimes in a special provision by itself.

PROHIBITED SUBJECTS OF LEGISLATION.

The legislature is prohibited from passing any local, special or private act on any of the following subjects, by the constitutions of the states indicated after each topic:

ELECTIONS.

Opening and conducting elections, or designating the places of voting-Alabama, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming. Except on the organization of new counties-California.

Opening and conducting elections, or fixing or changing the places of voting-Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Opening and conducting elections for state and county officers, and desig

nating the places of voting-Florida, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon. Also for township officers-Indiana, Nevada, Oregon.

Providing for election of members of boards of supervisors-New York. Election or appointment of supervisors-Oregon. In townships, incorporated towns or cities-Illinois, North Dakota.

Regulating the election of county and township officers—-California, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada.

Providing for the election of officers in townships, incorporated towns or cities-Nebraska.

Relating to the mode of election or appointment of county, city, village, township, ward or school district officers-Minnesota.

TAXES AND TAXATION.

'Exempting property from taxation--California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wyoming.

Exempting property from taxation or from levy or sale-Alabama, Mississippi.

For assessment or collection of taxes-California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming. For state and county purposes-Florida. For state, county and township purposes-Nevada. For state, county or road purposes-Iowa. For state, county, township or road purposes-Indiana, Oregon.

For assessment and collection of taxes, except as to animals which the general assembly may deem dangerous to the farming interests--Virginia. Regulating either the assessment or collection of taxes, except in connection with the readjustment, renewal or extension of existing municipal indebtedness created prior to the ratification of the constitution of 1875Alabama.

Extending the time for the collection of taxes-California, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Or otherwise relieving any assessor or collector of taxes from the due performance of his official duties, or his securities from liability-Louisiana, Missouri, Texas. Nor shall any such law or ordinance be passed by any political corporation of this state-Louisiana.

Authorizing or regulating the levy, assessment or collection of taxes, or giving any indulgence or discharge to any assessor or collector of taxes, or to his sureties-Kentucky.

Releasing taxes-West Virginia.

Authorizing deeds to be made for land sold for taxes-West Virginia. Authorizing public taxation for a private purpose-Minnesota.

SCHOOLS.

Regulating the management of public schools-California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. Also the building or repairing of schoolhouses and the raising of money for such purposes-Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Providing for the management or support of any public or private school, incorporating the same or granting such school any privileges-Mississippi. Providing for supporting common schools, and for the preservation of school funds-Indiana, Oregon.

Incorporating school districts-South Carolina. Establishing separate school districts-Alabama.

Authorizing the apportionment of any part of the school fund-Washington, Wisconsin.

HIGHWAYS, STREETS, CEMETERIES, PUBLIC GROUNDS, ETC.

Laying out, opening and working roads or highways-Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon. And for the election or appointment of road supervisors—Indiana.

Laying out, opening, altering or working roads or highways-Colorado, Illinois, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia. Laying out, opening, altering or maintaining roads, highways, streets, or alleys-Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas. Or closing-Louisiana. Laying out, opening, altering, vacating or maintaining roads, highways, streets or alleys-Minnesota.

Laying out, opening, altering, working or discontinuing roads, highways or alleys New York.

Laying out, opening, vacating or altering town plats, streets, wards, alleys, and public grounds-South Dakota, Utah. Or highways-Utah.

Laying out, opening, altering, maintaining or vacating roads, highways, streets, alleys, town plats, parks, cemeteries, gravé yards or public grounds not owned by the state-California, Idaho, Kentucky.

Laying out, opening or altering highways, except in cases of state roads. extending into more than one county and military roads to aid in the construction of which lands shall have been or may be granted by congressWashington, Wisconsin.

Relating to cemeteries, graveyards or public grounds not of the stateMissouri, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Vacating roads-Florida. Vacating roads, town plats, streets, or alleysMissouri, Pennsylvania, Texas. Vacating roads, town plats, streets, alleys and public grounds-Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, West Virginia, Wyoming.

FENCES, BOUNDARIES, STREAMS, STOCK LAWS.

Affecting or regulating fencing or the running at large of stock-Kentucky, Virginia. Or the boundaries of land-Virginia.

Relating to stock laws, water courses and fences-Mississippi.
Establishing separate stock districts-Alabama.

Declaring streams navigable, or authorizing the construction of booms. or dams therein, or the removal of obstructions therefrom-Kentucky, Virginia.

FERRIES, TOLL BRIDGES, TOLL ROADS.

Affecting toll gates or regulating tolls-Kentucky. Establishment of ferries-Florida. Chartering or licensing ferries or toll bridges-Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, West Virginia. Chartering or licensing ferries, bridges or roads-Alabama, California, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming. Licensing companies or persons to own or operate ferries, bridges, roads or turnpikes-Kentucky. Authorizing persons to keep ferries across streams wholly within the state-South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, Utah.

Relating to ferries or bridges, or incorporating ferry or bridge companies, except for the erection of bridges crossing streams which form boundaries

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between this and any other state-Louisiana, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Providing for building bridges and chartering companies for such purposes, except on the Hudson river below Waterford, and on the East river, or over the waters forming a part of the boundaries of the state-New York.

DRAINAGE.

Draining swamps or other low lands-New York.

STATE LANDS.

Donating any lands owned by or under control of the state to any person or corporation-Alabama, Mississippi.

PENSIONS.

Granting any pension or pensions-Virginia,

INTEREST.

Regulating the rate of interest-Alabama, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.

REGULATION OF LABOR, TRADE, ETC.

Regulating labor, trade, manufacturing or agriculture-Louisiana. Regulating labor, trade, mining or manufacturing—Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia.

CHURCH OR CHARITABLE PROPERTY.

Providing for the sale of church property, or property held for charitable uses-West Virginia.

FISH AND GAME.

Protection of game-South Carolina. Protection of fish or game-Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota. Granting to any person, corporation or association the right to have any fish trap-Mississippi. the legislature may provide for the division of the state into fish and game districts, and may enact such laws for the protection of fish and game therein as it may deem appropriate to the respective districts-California. And nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit the legislature from passing special laws for the preservation of the fish and game of this state in certain localities-Texas.

LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Providing a means of taking the sense of the people of any city, town, district, precinct or county, whether they wish to authorize, regulate or prohibit therein the sale of vinous, spirituous or malt liquors, or alter the liquor laws-Kentucky. Nothing in the section prohibiting special legislation shall affect the right of the legislature to enact local laws regulating or prohibiting the liquor traffic, after due notice given-Alabama.

DESCENT, SUCCESSION, DISTRIBUTION.

Establishing rules of descent or distribution-Alabama. Changing the law of descent-Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming. Changing the law of descent or succession-California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah. Changing the law of descent and distribution-Mississippi. Changing the law of descent, distribution or succession-Kentucky.

REFUNDING MONEY.

Refunding money legally paid into the state treasury-California, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wyoming. Or into the treasury of any county— Nevada. Or into the treasury of any political subdivision of the state-Virginia.

INDEBTEDNESS, OBLIGATIONS, LIABILITY.

Releasing or extinguishing, in whole or in part, the indebtedness, liability or obligation of any corporation or person to this state, or to any municipal corporation therein-California, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming.

Remitting, releasing, postponing or diminishing any obligation or liability of any person, corporation or association to the state or to any political subdivision thereof-Virginia.

Releasing persons from their obligations to the state, unless recommended by the governor or officers of the treasury department-Maryland.

FINES, PENALTIES AND FORFEITURES.

Remitting fines, penalties or forfeitures-Alabama, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Releasing title to forfeited lands-West Virginia.

Remitting the forfeiture of the charter of any private corporation, except upon the condition that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions of this constitution and the laws passed in pursuance thereof Virginia.

INFORMALITIES AND INVALIDITY.

Giving effect to informal or invalid deeds-Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming. To invalid deeds, leases or other instruments-Idaho. To informal or invalid deeds or wills-Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas. To invalid deeds, wills or other instruments-Alabama, California, Kentucky, Nevada, Washington. To informal or invalid wills or deeds, or to any illegal disposition of property-Louisiana.

Legalizing as against the state the unauthorized or invalid act of any officer -Idaho. Legalizing, except as against the state, the unauthorized or invalid act of any officer-California, North Dakota, Washington. Legalizing the unauthorized or invalid acts of any officer or agent of the state or of any county or municipality thereof-Louisiana, Missouri. Legalizing, except as against the commonwealth, the unauthorized or invalid act of any officer or public agent of the commonwealth, or of any city, county or municipality thereof Kentucky.

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