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<br />ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION 98-14 <br />May 12, 1998 <br />Page 6 <br /> <br />guaranteeing a right to demand a vote on certain topics if there is a <br />sufficient petition. <br /> <br />The true meaning and intent of the people when enacting Article VII, <br />Section 9 of the North Dakota Constitution may be resolved by reading <br />it in conjunction with the rest of Article VII. All sections of <br />present Article VII were enacted as part of the same constitutional <br />amendment. See 1981 N.D. Sess. Laws ch. 665, 1983 N.D. Sess. Laws <br />ch. 718. It is a general rule of construction that an individual <br />provision is to be construed in relation to the entire enactment of <br />which it is a part, and, to the extent possible, interpretation of <br />this provision should be consistent with the intent and purposes of <br />the entire enactment. Production Credit Ass'n of Minot v. Lund, 389 <br />N.W.2d 585, 586-587 (N.D. 1986). Effect and meaning must be given to <br />every provision, and apparently inconsistent provisions must be <br />reconciled if possible. State v. City of Sherwood, 489 N.W.2d at <br />587; McCarney v. -Meier,. 2B-6"N:')"'~c-2dat -783--;- Therefore, -Section 9- must. <br />be read and reconciled with the other sections in Article VII. <br /> <br />The purpose of present Article VII "is to provide <br />self-government by all political subdivisions <br />duplication of functions." N.D. Const. art. VII, ~ <br /> <br />for maximum local <br />wi th a minimum <br />1. To this end: <br /> <br />The legislative assembly shall provide <br />establishment and the government of <br />subdivisions. Each political subdivision <br />exercise such powers as provided by law. <br /> <br />by law for the <br />all political <br />shall have and <br /> <br />N.D. Const. art. VII, ~ 2. Further, <br /> <br />[e]ach county shall provide for law enforcement, <br />administrative and fiscal services, recording and <br />registration services, educational services, and any other <br />governmental services or functions as may be provided by <br />law. Any elective county office shall be for a term of <br />four years. <br /> <br />N.D. Const. art. VII, ~ 8. Therefore, different sections of the same <br />constitutional amendment required the Legislative Assembly to provide <br />"by law" for the establishment, government, and powers of counties <br />and to provide "by law" for the services to be provided by the <br />county. <br /> <br />The phrase "by law" <br />acquired meaning. <br />Constitution states <br /> <br />as used in the North <br />Article I, Section <br />that the "provisions <br /> <br />Dakota Constitution has an <br />23 of the North Dakota <br />of this constitution are <br />