ARTICLE I.
DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS
§ 1. [All persons born free; their natural rights; slavery prohibited]
That all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights, among which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; therefore neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist, nor shall slavery or involuntary servitude be adjudged as a criminal penalty. However, this section shall not be construed as to limit or prohibit prison labor, provided that prisoners be remunerated no less than twenty five percent of the Federal minimum wage for all hours worked and that no prisoner be compelled to labor more than forty hours in a week.
§ 2. [Private property subject to public use; owner to be paid]
That private property should never be taken except for unavoidable public purposes and the owner shall be compensated the full market value for any property taken. The owner shall have the right to contest in court whether alternatives exist that make the taking of their property avoidable as a public purpose, in which case the property shall not be taken, and to contest in court the fair market value of their property.
§ 3. [Freedom in religion; right and duty of religious worship]
That all persons have a natural and unalienable right, to worship the deity or deities of their choice, according to the dictates of their own consciences and understandings, as in their opinion shall be regulated by the teachings of their faith; and that no person ought to, or of right can be compelled to attend any religious worship, or erect or support any place of worship, or maintain any minister, contrary to the dictates of conscience, nor can any person be justly deprived or abridged of any civil right as a citizen, on account of religious sentiments, or peculiar mode of religious worship; and that no authority can, or ought to be vested in, or assumed by, any power whatever, that shall in any case interfere with, or in any manner control the rights of conscience, in the free exercise of religious worship. Neither shall any person, skeptical or non-believing in religion or deity, be discriminated against in any way, on account of their skepticism or non-belief.
§ 4. [Remedy at law secured to all]
Every person within this State ought to find a certain remedy, by having recourse to the laws or common law principles of equity, for all injuries or wrongs which one may receive in person, property or character; every person ought to obtain right and justice, freely, and without being obliged to purchase it; completely and without any denial; promptly and without delay; comformably to the laws or the common law principles of equity.
§ 5. [Officers servants of the people]
That all power being originally inherent in and consequently derived from the people, therefore, all officers of government, whether legislative or executive, are their trustees and servants; and at all times, in a legal way, accountable to them.
§ 6. [Government for the people; they may change it]
That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community, and not for the particular emolument or advantage of any single person, family, or set of persons, who are a part only of that community; and that the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right, to reform or alter government, in such manner as shall be, by that community, judged most conducive to the public weal.
§ 7. [Elections to be free and pure; rights of voters therein]
That all elections ought to be free and without corruption, and that all voters, having a sufficient, evident, common interest with, and attachment to the community, have a right to elect officers, and be elected into office, agreeably to the regulations made in this constitution.
§ 8. [Citizens’ rights and duties in the state; bearing arms; taxation]
That every member of society hath a right to be protected in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and therefore is bound to contribute the member’s proportion towards the expense of that protection, and yield personal service, when necessary, or an equivalent thereto, but no part of any person’s property can be justly taken, or applied to public uses, without the person’s own consent, or that of the Representative Body, nor can any person who is conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms, be justly compelled thereto; nor are the people bound by any law but such as they have in like manner assented to, for their common good: and previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected.
§ 9. [Rights of persons accused of crime; personal liberty; waiver of jury trial]
That in all prosecutions for criminal offenses, a person hath a right to be heard by oneself and by counsel; to demand the cause and nature of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses; to call for evidence in the person’s favor, and a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the country; without the unanimous consent of which jury, the person cannot be found guilty; nor can a person be compelled to give evidence against oneself; nor can any person be justly deprived of liberty, except by the laws of the land, or the judgment of the person’s peers; provided, nevertheless, in criminal prosecutions for offenses not punishable by death, the accused, with the consent of the prosecuting officer entered of record, may in open court or by a writing signed by the accused and filed with the court, waive the right to a jury trial and submit the issue of the accused’s guilt to the determination and judgment of the court without a jury.
§ 10. [Search and seizure regulated]
That the people have a right to hold themselves, their houses, papers, and possessions, free from search or seizure; and therefore warrants, without oath or affirmation first made, affording sufficient foundation for them, and whereby by any officer or messenger may be commanded or required to search suspected places, or to seize any person or persons, his, her or their property, not particularly described, are contrary to that right, and ought not to be granted.
§ 11. [Trial by jury to be held sacred]
That when any issue in fact, proper for the cognizance of a jury is joined in a court of law, the parties have a right to trial by jury, which ought to be held sacred, but this section shall not apply to proceedings purely at equity.
§ 12. [Freedom of speech and of the press]
That the people have a right to freedom of speech, and of writing and publishing their sentiments, concerning the transactions of government, and therefore the freedom of the press ought not to be restrained.
§ 13. [Immunity for words spoken in legislative debate]
The freedom of deliberation, speech, and debate, in the Legislature, is so essential to the rights of the people, that it cannot be the foundation of any accusation or prosecution, action or complaint, in any other court or place whatsoever.
§ 14. [Legislature only may suspend laws]
The power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, ought never to be exercised but by the Legislature, or by authority derived from it, to be exercised in such particular cases, as this constitution, or the Legislature shall provide for.
§ 15. [Right to bear arms; standing armies; military power subordinate to civil]
That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State. The military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power.
§ 16. [Martial law restricted]
That no person in this State can in any case be subjected to law martial, or to any penalties or pains by virtue of that law except those employed in the the National Guard in actual service.
§ 17. [Regard to fundamental principles and virtues necessary to preserve liberty]
That frequent recurrence to fundamental principles, and a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, industry, and frugality, are absolutely necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty, and keep government free; the people ought, therefore to pay particular attention to these points, in the choice of officers and representatives, and have a right, in a legal way, to exact a due and constant regard to them, from their legislators and magistrates, in making and executing such laws as are necessary for the good government of the State.
§ 18. [Right to assemble, instruct and petition]
That the people have a right to assemble together to consult for their common good–to instruct their Representatives–and to apply to the Legislature for redress of grievances, by address, petition or remonstrance.
§ 19. [No transportation for trial]
That no person shall be liable to be transported out of this State for trial for any offense committed within the same.
§ 20. [Criminal fines and attainder]
The legislature shall not authorize any tortuous criminal attainder, nor shall any court in the State apply an attainder not authorized by the Legislature. No person imprisoned shall bear the cost of their imprisonment. Capital punishment is permissible in this State if authorized by the Legislature, but only if conducted in the manner directed by the Legislature.