                   CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
                           (as amended to 1974)

                                 PREAMBLE

   We,  the  people of the state of Minnesota,  grateful to God for our civil 
and  religious liberty,  and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and  secure 
the  same  to  ourselves  and our posterity,  do ordain  and  establish  this 
Constitution.

                                 ARTICLE I

                              BILL OF RIGHTS

Section  1.    Government  is  instituted  for  the  security,   benefit  and 
protection of the people,  in whom all political power is inherent,  together 
with the right to alter, modify or reform government whenever required by the 
public good.

Section  2.    No member of this state shall be disfranchised or deprived  of 
any of the rights or privileges secured to any citizen thereof, unless by the 
law of the land or the judgement of his peers. There shall be neither slavery 
nor  involuntary  servitude in the state otherwise than as punishment  for  a 
crime of which the party has been convicted.

Section 3.   The liberty of the press shall forever remain inviolate, and all 
persons may freely speak, write and publish their sentiments on all subjects, 
being responsible for the abuse of that right.

Section  4.    The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate,  and  shall 
extend  to  all cases at law without regard to the amount in  controversy.  A 
jury trial may be waived by the parties in all cases in the manner prescribed 
by  law.  The legislature may provide that the agreement of five-sixths of  a 
jury  in  a  civil  action or proceeding,  after not  less  than  six  hours' 
deliberation, is a sufficient verdict.

Section  5.    Excessive  bail  shall not be required,  nor  excessive  fines 
imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted. 

Section  6.    In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right 
to  a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the county or  district 
wherein  the crime shall have been committed,  which county or district shall 
have been previously ascertained by law. The accused shall enjoy the right to 
be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation,  to be confronted with 
the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses 
in his favor and to have the assistance of counsel in his defense.

Section 7.   No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without 
due  process  of  law,  and  no  person shall be put  twice  in  jeopardy  of 
punishment for the same offense,  nor be compelled in any criminal case to be 
a  witness  against himself,  nor be deprive of life,  liberty,  or  property 
without  due process of law.  All persons before conviction shall be bailable 
by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses when the proof is evident 
or presumption great. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be 
suspended  unless  the public safety may require it in case of  rebellion  or 
invasion.

Section 8.   Every person is entitled to a certain remedy in the laws for all 
injuries or wrongs which he may receive to his person, property or character, 
and  to  obtain justice freely and without purchase,  completely and  without 
denial, promptly and without delay, comformably to the laws.

Section  9.    Treason  against the State shall consist only in  levying  war 
against  it,  or  adhering to its enemies,  giving them aid and  comfort.  No 
person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses 
to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

Section 10.   The right of the people to be secure in their persons,  houses, 
papers  and effects,  against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be 
violated;  and  no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause,  supported by 
oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and 
the person or things to be seized.

Section 11.   No bill of attainder,  ex post facto law,  or any law impairing 
the  obligation  of contracts shall be passed,  and no conviction shall  work 
corruption of blood or forfeiture of estate.

Section 12.   No person shall be imprisoned for debt in this state,  but this 
shall not prevent the legislature from providing for imprisonment, or holding 
to  bail,  persons charged with fraud in contracting such debt.  A reasonable 
amount  of  property shall be exempt from seizure or sale for the payment  of 
any  debt or liability.  The amount of such exemption shall be determined  by 
law.  Provided,  however,  that  all property so exempted shall be liable  to 
seizure  and  sale  for  any debts incurred to any person for  work  done  or 
materials  furnished in the construction,  repair or improvement of the same, 
and  provided  further,  that such liability to seizure and sale  shall  also 
extend  to all real property for any debt to any laborer or servant for labor 
or service performed.

Section  13.   Private property shall not be taken,  destroyed or damaged for 
public use without just compensation therefor, first paid or secured.

Section  14.   The  military shall be subordinate to the civil power  and  no 
standing army shall be maintained in this state in times of peace.

Section  15.   All lands within the state are allodial and feudal tenures  of 
every description with all their incidents are prohibited.  Leases and grants 
of  agricultural  lands for a longer period than 21 years reserving  rent  or 
service of any kind shall be void.

Section 16.  The enumeration of rights in this Constitution shall not deny or 
impair others retained by and inherent in the people.  The right of every man 
to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience shall never be 
infringed;  nor  shall any man be compelled to attend,  erect or support  any 
place  of worship,  or to maintain any religious or ecclesiastical  ministry, 
against his consent; nor shall any control of or interference with the rights 
of  conscience  be  permitted,  or  any preference be given  by  law  to  any 
religious  establishment  or mode of worship;  but the liberty of  conscience 
hereby  secured shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness 
or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the state, nor 
shall  any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of any  religious 
societies or religious or theological seminaries.

Section  17.   No religious test or amount of property shall be required as a 
qualification for any office of public trust in the state.  No religious test 
or  amount  of property shall be required as a qualification of any voter  at 
any  election in this state;  nor shall any person be rendered incompetent to 
give  evidence  in any court of law or equity in consequence of  his  opinion 
upon the subject of religion.
