Established October 31, 1783 , to take Effect June 2, 1784; Subsequently Amended and in Force January, 2019

Part First – Bill of Rights

Article
1. Equality of men—origin and object of government
2. Natural rights
2-a. The bearing of arms
2-b. Right to privacy
3. Society—its organization and purposes
4. Rights of conscience unalienable
5. Religious freedom recognized
6. Morality and piety
7. State sovereignty
8. Accountability of magistrates and officers—public’s right to know
9. No hereditary office or place
10. Right of revolution
11. Elections and elective franchises
12. Protection and taxation reciprocal
12-a. Power to take property limited
13. Conscientious objectors not compelled to bear arms
14. Legal remedies to be free, complete, and prompt
15. Right of accused
16. Former jeopardy—jury trial in capital cases
17. Venue of criminal prosecution
18. Penalties to be proportioned to offenses—true design of punishment
19. Searches and seizures regulated
20. Jury trial in civil causes
21. Jurors/compensation
22. Free speech—liberty of the press
23. Retrospective laws prohibited
24. Militia
25. Standing armies
26. Military—subject to civil power
27. Quartering of soldiers
28. Taxes, by whom levied
28-a. Mandated programs
29. Suspension of laws by legislature only
30. Freedom of speech
31. Meetings of legislature—for what purposes
32. Rights of assembly, instruction, and petition
33. Excessive bail, fines, and punishments prohibited
34. Martial law limited
35. The judiciary—tenure of office, etc.
36. Pensions
36-a. Use of retirement funds
37. Separation of powers
38. Social virtues inculcated
39. Changes in town and city charters—referendum required

Part Second – Form of Government
1. Name of body politic
2. Legislature—how constituted
3. General Court—when to meet and dissolve
4. Power of general court to establish courts
5. Power to make laws, elect officers, define their powers and duties, impose fines, assess taxes—prohibited from authorizing towns to aid certain corporations
5-a. Continuity of government in case of enemy attack
5-b. Power to provide for tax valuations based on use
6. Valuation and taxation
6-a. Use of certain revenues restricted to highways
6-b. Money received from lotteries to be used for educational purposes only
7. Members of legislature not to take fees or act as counsel
8. Open sessions of legislature

House of Representatives
9. Representatives elected every second year—apportionment of representatives
9-a. Legislative adjustments of census with reference to non-residents
10. [Repealed—1889]
11. Small towns—representation by districts and floterial districts
11-a. Division of town, ward, or place—representative districts
12. Biennial election of representatives in November
13. [Repealed—1976]
14. Representatives, how elected, qualifications
15. Compensation of the legislature
16. Vacancies in house, how filled
17. House to impeach before the senate
18. Money bills to originate in house
18-a. Budget bills
19. Adjournment
20. Quorum—what constitutes
21. Privileges of members of the legislature
22. House to elect speaker and officers, settle rules of proceedings, and punish misconduct
23. Senate and executive have like powers—imprisonment limited
24. Journals and laws to be published—yeas/nays and protests

Senate
25. Senate—how constituted
26. Senatorial districts—how constituted
26-a. Division of town, ward, or place—senatorial districts
27. Election of senators
28. [Repealed—1976]
29. Qualifications of senators
30. Inhabitant defined
31. Inhabitants of unincorporated places—their rights, etc.
32. Biennial meetings, how warned, governed, and conducted—return of votes, etc.
33. Secretary of state to count votes for senators and notify persons elected
34. Vacancies in senate—how filled
35. Senate, judges of their own elections
36. Adjournment
37. Senate to elect their own officers—quorum
38. Senate to try impeachments—mode of proceeding
39. Judgment on impeachment limited
40. Chief justice to preside on impeachment of governor

Executive Power – Governor
41. Governor, supreme executive magistrate
42. Election of governor, return of votes—electors; if no choice, legislature to elect one of two highest candidates—qualifications for governor
43. In cases of disagreement, governor to adjourn or prorogue legislature; if causes exist, may convene them elsewhere
44. Veto to bills
45. Resolves to be treated like bills
46. Nomination and appointment of officers
47. Governor and council have negative on each other
48. [Repealed—1976]
49. President of senate, etc., to act as governor when office vacant; speaker of house to act when office of president of senate also vacant
49-a. Prolonged failure to qualify—vacancy in office of governor due to physical or mental incapacity, etc.
50. Governor to prorogue or adjourn legislature and call extra sessions
51. Powers and duties of governor as commander-in-chief
52. Pardoning power
53. [Repealed—1976]
54. [Repealed—1976]
55. [Repealed—1976]
56. Disbursements from treasury
57. [Repealed—1950]
58. Compensation of governor and council
59. Salaries of judges

Council
60. Councilors—mode of election, etc.
61. Vacancies—how filled if no choice.
62. Subsequent vacancies; governor to convene; duties
63. Impeachment of councilors
64. Secretary to record proceedings of council
65. Councilor districts provided for
66. Elections by legislature may be adjourned from day to day—order thereof.

Secretary, Treasurer, Etc.
67. Election of secretary and treasurer
68. State records, where kept; duty of secretary
69. Deputy secretary
70. Secretary to give bond

County Treasurer, Etc.
71. County treasurers, registers of probate, county attorneys, sheriffs, and registers of deeds elected
72. Counties may be divided into districts for registering deeds

Judiciary Power
72-a. Supreme and superior courts
73. Tenure of office to be expressed in commissions; judges to hold office during good behavior, etc., removal
73-a. Supreme court, administration
74. Judges to give opinions, when
75. Justices of peace commissioned for five years
76. Divorce and probate appeals, where tried
77. Jurisdiction of justices in civil causes
78. Judges and sheriffs, when disqualified by age
79. Judges and justices not to act as counsel
80. Jurisdiction and term of probate courts
81. Judges and registers of probate not to act as counsel

Clerk of Courts
82. Clerks of courts by whom appointed

Encouragement of Literature, Trade, Etc.
83. Encouragement of literature, etc.; control of corporations, monopolies, etc.

Oaths and Subscriptions Exclusion from Offices, Etc.
84. Oath of civil officers
85. Before whom taken
86. Form of commissions
87. Form of writs
88. Form of indictments, etc.
89. Suicides and deodands
90. Existing laws continued if not repugnant
91. Habeas corpus
92. Enacting style of statutes
93. Governor and judges prohibited from holding other offices
94. Incompatibility of offices; only two offices of profit to be holden at same time
95. Incompatibility of certain offices
96. Bribery and corruption disqualify for office
97. [Repealed—1950]
98. Constitution—when to take effect
99. [Repealed—1980]
100. Alternate methods of proposing amendments
101. Enrollment of constitution