Constitution of the Republic of California

The Constitution of the Republic of California is the supreme law of the Republic of California. The first three Articles of the Constitution establish the rules and separate powers of the federal government: a legislature, the bicameral congress; an executive branch led by the president; and a federal judiciary headed by the Supreme Court. The last four Articles frame the principle of federalism. The Tenth Amendment confirms its federal characteristics. The Constitution was adopted on June 1, 2011, and ratified by conventions in all five states. The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights.

The Constitution guides Californian society in law and political culture. It is one of the youngest charter of supreme law in continuous use, and it influenced later international figures establishing national constitutions. Recent impulses for reform center on concerns for extending democracy and balancing the Federal budget.

Amendments

 * 1) Freedom of religion, speech, and the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government.
 * 2) Protects the right to bear arms.
 * 3) Prohibits the forced quartering of soldiers out of war time.
 * 4) Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause.
 * 5) Sets out rules for indictment by grand jury and eminent domain, protects the right to due process, and prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy.
 * 6) Protects the right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel.
 * 7) Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law.
 * 8) Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment.
 * 9) Asserts the existence of unenumerated rights retained by the people.
 * 10) Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution.
 * 11) Immunity of states from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders. Lays the foundation for sovereign immunity.
 * 12) Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
 * 13) Prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
 * 14) Establishes women's suffrage.
 * 15) Limits the president to two terms, or a maximum of 10 years (i.e., if a Vice President serves not more than one half of a President's term, he or she can be elected to a further two terms).
 * 16) Prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of poll taxes.
 * 17) Establishes the official voting age to be 21 years old.
 * 18) Establishes the official drinking age to be 25 years old.
 * 19) Prohibits the federal government from censoring any type of content on the Internet.