Article XIII, § 12 — State electric power enterprises

The manufacture, distribution and sale of electric current for heating, lighting and power purposes are hereby declared to be works of public necessity and importance in which the state may engage, and suitable laws may be enacted by the Legislature to empower the state to acquire, by purchase or appropriation all lands, easements, rights of way, tracks, structures, equipment, cars, motive power, implements, facilities, instrumentalities and material incident or necessary to the acquisition, ownership, control, development and operation of the water powers of this state, and to carry this provision into effect: provided, however, that no expenditure of money for the purposes enumerated in this section shall be made except by a vote of two-thirds of the members elect of each branch of the Legislature.