Senators have finished the North Dakota Legislature's work on proposed constitutional amendments by endorsing a change that will make it easier for lawmakers to get state government jobs.

The amendment, which will go on the June 2008 primary ballot, erases part of a constitutional section that says legislators, during their own terms, may not be appointed to any state office "for which the compensation has been increased."

The constitution's Article 4, Section 6 also bars a legislator from being appointed "to any full-time office that has been created" during his or her term. The proposed amendment keeps that restriction, said Sen. Dwight Cook, R-Mandan.

"That stays in the constitution," he said.

Senators voted 40-7 on Monday to give the amendment final legislative approval. It still needs voter endorsement to become part of the North Dakota Constitution.

In recent years, the existing constitutional language has barred Gov. John Hoeven from considering legislators for a North Dakota Supreme Court appointment and a vacancy for tax commissioner.

The 2007 Legislature handled 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution. Two were approved for the ballot, one was withdrawn and 11 defeated.

North Dakotans will decide the fate of the amendment on legislative appointments in June 2008, and vote on a separate amendment, to establish a trust fund for surplus oil tax collections, in November 2008.

The legislative appointments amendment is HCR3016. The oil tax fund amendment is HCR3045.