HJR 2015 (LSB 5793YH (5) 83)

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2015

BY  PETTENGILL, WINDSCHITL, HORBACH, ARNOLD, VAN ENGELENHOVEN, BAUDLER, SWEENEY, MAY, CHAMBERS, L. MILLER, FORRISTALL, TJEPKES, HELLAND, GRASSLEY, KAUFMANN, DRAKE, WORTHAN, HAGENOW, LUKAN, SODERBERG, SORENSON, SCHULTE, HEATON, ANDERSON, TYMESON, UPMEYER, PAULSEN, RAYHONS, WATTS, ROBERTS, DOLECHECK, SANDS, S. OLSON, HUSEMAN, STRUYK, DE BOEF, ALONS, COWNIE, KOESTER, MERTZ, and BERRY

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa modifying the oath of members of the general assembly.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is proposed:

   Section 32 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended to read as follows:

   Oath of members.  SEC. 32.  Members of the General Assembly shall, before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation: “I do solemnly swear, or affirm, (as the case may be,) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of Senator, (or Representative, as the case may be,) according to the best of my ability, so help me God.” And members of the General Assembly are hereby empowered to administer to each other the said oath or affirmation.

   If a member of the General Assembly, by reason of religious training and belief or for other reasons of good conscience, cannot take the oath or affirmation prescribed with the words “so help me God” included, the words “so help me God” shall be deleted, and the oath or affirmation taken in such modified form.
    Sec. 2.
  REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION.
  The foregoing amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred to the General Assembly to be chosen at the next general election for members of the General Assembly, and the Secretary of State is directed to cause the same to be published for three consecutive months previous to the date of that election as provided by law.
EXPLANATION
   This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa to modify the prescribed oath of members of the general assembly by adding the words “so help me God”.
   The resolution also provides that, for religious reasons or reasons of conscience, a member of the General Assembly may take the oath without the words “so help me God” included.
   The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next general assembly before the amendment is submitted to the electorate for ratification.