The Text

Such senate districts shall be so altered by the legislature at the first regular session after the return of and based upon the state enumeration taken in the year one thousand nine hundred and fifteen and slaall remain unaltered until altered as hereinafter provided. At the regular session of the legislature in the year after the tabulation of each federal census the senate districts shall be altered by the legislature. Senate districts altered as herein provided shall remain unaltered until the time herein appointed for another alteration. Provided, hovpever, that if a federal census shall not be available for any such alteration the same shall be based upon an enumeration of the inhabitants of the state, excluding aliens, and the legislature shall provide for such an enumeration for that purpose. In making such alterations the legislature shall so provide that each senate district shall contain as nearly as may be an equal number of inhabitants, excluding aliens, and be in as compact form as practicable and shall, at all times, consist of contiguous territory, and no county shall be divided in the formation of a senate district except to make two, or more, senate districts wholly in such county.
No town and no block in a city inclosed by streets or public ways shall be divided in the formation of senate districts; nor shall any district contain a greater excess in population over an adjoining district in the same county than the population of a town or block therein adjoining such district. Counties, towns or blocks which, from their location, may be included in either of two districts, shall be so placed as to make such districts most nearly equal in number of inhabitants, excluding aliens. No county shall have four or more senators unless it shall have a full ratio for each senator. No county shall have more than one-third of all the senators; and no two counties or the territory thereof as organized on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five, which are adjoining counties or which are separated only by public waters shall have more than one-half of all the senators. The ratio for apportioning senators shall always be obtained by dividing the number of inhabitants, excluding aliens, by fifty and the senate shall always be composed of fifty members, except that if any county having three or more senators at the time of any apportionment shall be entitled on such ratio to an additional senator or senators, such additional senator or senators shall be given to such county in addition to the fifty senators, and the whole number of senators shall be increased to that extent.