95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0022

 

Introduced 2/27/2007, by Rep. Rosemary Mulligan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 

    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.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
5 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
6 electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
7 election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
8 this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 2 and 5 of
9 Article IV of the Illinois Constitution:
 
10
ARTICLE IV
11
THE LEGISLATURE

12     (ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)
13 SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION
14     (a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative
15 District. Senators elected in 2008 shall serve four-year terms.
16 Senators elected in 2010 shall serve two-year terms.
17 Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the
18 General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts
19 as equally as possible into two three groups. During each
20 ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2012,
21 Senators from one group shall first be elected for terms of six
22 years and then for terms of four years four years, four years
23 and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms of
24 four years, two years and four years; and Senators from the

 

 

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1 other third group shall first be elected , for terms of two
2 years, four years and then for terms of six four years. The
3 Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed
4 substantially equally over the State.
5     (b) Each Legislative District shall be divided into two
6 Representative Districts. In 1982 and every two years
7 thereafter One Representative shall be elected from each
8 Representative District for a term of two years.
9 Representatives elected in 2008 shall serve terms of four
10 years. During each ten-year period, beginning with the general
11 election in 2012, Representatives shall first be elected for
12 terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for
13 terms of four years.
14     (c) To be eligible to serve as a member of the General
15 Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21
16 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or
17 appointment a resident of the district which he is to
18 represent. In the general election following a redistricting, a
19 candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any
20 district which contains a part of the district in which he
21 resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a
22 resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior
23 to reelection.
24     (d) Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be
25 filled by appointment as provided by law. If the vacancy is in
26 a Senatorial or Representative office with more than

 

 

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1 twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed
2 Senator or Representative shall serve until the next general
3 election, at which time a Senator or Representative shall be
4 elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy
5 is in any other Senatorial or a Representative office or in any
6 other Senatorial office, the appointment shall be for the
7 remainder of the term. An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be
8 a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds.
9     (e) No member of the General Assembly shall receive
10 compensation as a public officer or employee from any other
11 governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance
12 as a member of the General Assembly.
13     No member of the General Assembly during the term for which
14 he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public
15 office which shall have been created or the compensation for
16 which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during
17 that term.
18 (Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4,
19 1980.)
 
20     (ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5)
21 SECTION 5. SESSIONS
22     (a) The General Assembly shall convene each year on the
23 second Wednesday of January. The General Assembly shall be a
24 continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on
25 the second Wednesday of January of consecutive odd-numbered

 

 

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1 years. during the term for which members of the House of
2 Representatives are elected.
3     (b) The Governor may convene the General Assembly or the
4 Senate alone in special session by a proclamation stating the
5 purpose of the session; and only business encompassed by such
6 purpose, together with any impeachments or confirmation of
7 appointments shall be transacted. Special sessions of the
8 General Assembly may also be convened by joint proclamation of
9 the presiding officers of both houses, issued as provided by
10 law.
11     (c) Sessions of each house of the General Assembly and
12 meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative
13 commissions shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee
14 meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds
15 of the members elected to that house determine that the public
16 interest so requires; and meetings of joint committees and
17 legislative commissions may be so closed if two-thirds of the
18 members elected to each house so determine.
19 (Source: Illinois Constitution.)
 
20
SCHEDULE
21     This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
22 declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
23 Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the election of
24 members of the General Assembly in 2008 and thereafter.