Procedures are established under this Act was the establishment of a process for National Advisory Referenda.
(a) Statement of Purpose. Congress finds that:
(1) citizens are becoming increasingly disenchanted with and alienated from our Government and our democratic processes;
(2) there should be greater opportunities for citizens to participate in the process of governing in order to increase the responsiveness of Government and the quality of governance;
(3) the availability of non-binding National Advisory Referenda, allowing citizens to place vital questions on the ballot at the time of federal elections, would spur citizen participation in the democratic process and make elected representatives more responsive to the will of the people.
(b) Procedures:
(1) Citizens of the various states may circulate petitions to place a question of national importance on the ballot at the time of the biennial federal elections. The question must be one that is to be answered “yes” or “no.”
(2) Whenever citizens of a State obtain on their petitions the signatures of two percent or more of the registered voters in that state, they may transmit the petitions and supporting documentation to the Governor of the State, who in turn shall transmit the petitions to the Speaker of the House.
(3) Whenever, in the period from January 1 in the year of a new Congress through Sept. 1 in the following year, citizens of twenty_five States submit to the Speaker of the House petitions in support of an identical question, the President of the United States shall direct that the question shall be placed on all ballots in all States and territories in the next federal election as a National Advisory Referendum. Any question that satisfies the petition requirements of this Act shall be placed on the ballots; there shall be no numerical or any other limitation on petitions.
(4) The states and territories shall tabulate the results of the National Advisory Referendum or Referenda as soon as practicable and transmit such results to the Speaker of the House no later than 7 days after Election Day. The Speaker shall, within 10 days after Election Day, compile, total and publish the results.
(5) The National Advisory Referenda shall not be binding on any branch or agency of government or any other person or entity. However, they shall stand as a statement of the will of the people, and Government officials and elected representatives should consider the National Advisory Referenda results in exercising their duties.
(6) Any state receiving any federal funds shall participate in any and all National Advisory Referenda as a condition for the continued receipt of federal monies.