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 per- petuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution. ARTICLE I BILL OF RIGHTS Sec. 1. Government is instituted for the security, benefit and pro- tection of the people, in whom all political power is inher- ent, together with the right to alter, modify or reform gov- ernment whenever required by the public good. Sec. 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. Sec. 3. The liberty of the press shall forever remain inviolate, and all persons may freely speak, write and publish their senti- ments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right. Sec. 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. Sec. 5. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted. Sec. 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 pre- viously ascertained by law. The accused shall enjoy the right to be informed of the nature and cause of the accu- sation, 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. Sec. 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 com- pelled 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 privi- lege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless the public safety may require it in case of rebellion or invasion. Sec. 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. Sec. 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. Sec. 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 affirm- ation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized. Sec. 11. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or any law impair- ing the obligation of contracts shall be passed, and no con- viction shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture of es- tate. Sec. 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. Sec. 13. Private property shall not be taken, destroyed or damaged for public use without just compensation therefor, first paid or secured. Sec. 14. The military shall be subordinate to the civil power and no standing army shall be maintained in this state in times of peace. Sec. 15. All lands within the state are allodial and feudal tenures of every description with all their incidents are prohibit- ed. Leases and grants of agricultural lands for a longer period than 21 years reserving rent or service of any kind shall be void. Sec. 16. The enumeration of rights in this Constitution shall not deny or impair others retained by and inherent in the peo- ple. 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 ecclesias- tical ministry, against his consent; nor shall any control of or interference with the rights of conscience be permit- ted, or any preference be given by law to any religious es- tablishment or mode of worship; but the liberty of consci- ence 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. Sec. 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 evi- dence in any court of law or equity in consequence of his opinion upon the subject of religion.