About

50 Constitutions, a project of the University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative, aims to make state constitutions more accessible by providing a central repository of searchable constitutional text and an array of supplemental resources and research tools.

Tracking Constitutional Change

State constitutions are amended far more often than the U.S. Constitution, and our Tracking Constitutional Change features allow users to see how they have taken shape over time and to learn about important historical moments. Using the redline tool, users can compare a provision's language as it existed on different dates and pinpoint textual changes. At this time, nine states—shaded on the home page—have full Tracking Constitutional Change capabilities. More states will be added in the coming year.

State Democracy Research Initiative

The State Democracy Research Initiative seeks to advance research and dialogue on state-level democracy, government institutions, and public law across the nation. By focusing on the states, which traditionally receive less attention than the federal government in legal circles, the Initiative serves as a much-needed resource for academics, courts, policymakers, advocates, and the public.

In addition to 50 Constitutions, the Initiative has a separate interactive website—The Democracy Principle—that focuses on the democracy-related provisions of state constitutions and judicial interpretations of those provisions. The Initiative also regularly hosts events, produces white papers and explainers, submits academic amicus briefs, and more. To learn more about our work, please visit our website or follow us on social media: LinkedIn | Bluesky | X | Instagram.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the many University of Wisconsin students who have made indispensable research contributions to this project, including helping to gather thousands of constitutional amendment histories. We also thank the numerous state constitutional scholars around the country who have reviewed drafts of our historical timelines or otherwise generously lent their expertise.

Contact Us

If you spot any errors or issues or have suggestions for improving this site, please contact us at sdri@law.wisc.edu.