HC0031 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 15984 JAM 51216 e

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0031

Introduced 1/27/2006, by Rep. Suzanne Bassi

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Changes the terms of members of the General Assembly. Provides that Senators elected in 2008 shall serve four-year terms. Provides that Senators elected in 2010 shall serve two-year terms. Provides that Representatives elected in 2008 shall serve four-year terms. Provides that, beginning in 2012, in each ten-year period, Senators shall be divided into two groups. Provides that Senators in the first group shall first be elected for terms of six years and then for terms of four years. Provides that Senators in the other group shall first be elected for terms of four years and then for terms of six years. Provides that, beginning in 2012, Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years. Provides that whenever a seat in either house becomes vacant with more than 28 months remaining in the term, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment until the next general election, at which time a replacement shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. Provides that the General Assembly shall be a continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on the second Wednesday of January of consecutive odd-numbered years. Effective upon being declared adopted. Applies to the election of General Assembly members in 2008 and thereafter; does not affect the terms of members elected in 2004 or 2006.

A BILL FOR

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 2 and 5 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution as follows:

ARTICLE IV

THE LEGISLATURE

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION

(a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative District. Senators elected in 2008 shall serve four-year terms. Senators elected in 2010 shall serve two-year terms. Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into two three groups. During each ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2012, Senators from one group shall first be elected for terms of six years and then for terms of four years four years, four years and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms of four years, two years and four years; and Senators from the other third group shall first be elected , for terms of two years, four years and then for terms of six four years. The Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed substantially equally over the State.

(b) Each Legislative District shall be divided into two Representative Districts. In 1982 and every two years thereafter One Representative shall be elected from each Representative District for a term of two years. Representatives elected in 2008 shall serve terms of four years. During each ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2012, Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years.

(c) To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent. In the general election following a redistricting, a candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any district which contains a part of the district in which he resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior to reelection.

(d) Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by appointment as provided by law. If the vacancy is in a Senatorial or Representative office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Senator or Representative shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Senator or Representative shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy is in any other Senatorial or a Representative office or in any other Senatorial office, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the term. An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds.

(e) No member of the General Assembly shall receive compensation as a public officer or employee from any other governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly.

No member of the General Assembly during the term for which he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public office which shall have been created or the compensation for which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during that term.

(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5)

SECTION 5. SESSIONS

(a) The General Assembly shall convene each year on the second Wednesday of January. The General Assembly shall be a continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on the second Wednesday of January of consecutive odd-numbered years. during the term for which members of the House of Representatives are elected.

(b) The Governor may convene the General Assembly or the Senate alone in special session by a proclamation stating the purpose of the session; and only business encompassed by such purpose, together with any impeachments or confirmation of appointments shall be transacted. Special sessions of the General Assembly may also be convened by joint proclamation of the presiding officers of both houses, issued as provided by law.

(c) Sessions of each house of the General Assembly and meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative commissions shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to that house determine that the public interest so requires; and meetings of joint committees and legislative commissions may be so closed if two-thirds of the members elected to each house so determine.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

SCHEDULE

This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the election of members of the General Assembly in 2008 and thereafter. It does not affect the terms of members elected in 2004 or 2006.