House Joint Resolution 2 - Introduced
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
BY GRANZOW, DRAKE, KAUFMANN,
DE BOEF, TOMENGA, ALONS,
RAYHONS, JACOBS, R. OLSON,
HEDDENS, TJEPKES, CLUTE,
WESSEL=KROESCHELL, WINCKLER,
LENSING, BOAL, S. OLSON, and
MAY
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
1 A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of
2 the State of Iowa to change the length of term of office for
3 members of the Iowa House of Representatives from two years to
4 four years.
5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 1479YH 82
7 sc/je/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
1 2 the State of Iowa is proposed:
1 3 1. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the
1 4 State of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu
1 5 thereof:
1 6 REPRESENTATIVES. SEC. 3. The members of the House of
1 7 Representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors of
1 8 their respective districts, and their term of office shall
1 9 commence on the first day of January following their election
1 10 which is not a Sunday or legal holiday, and continue four
1 11 years, and until their successors are elected and qualified.
1 12 Representatives shall be classified by statute so that as
1 13 nearly as possible one=half of the members of the House of
1 14 Representatives shall be elected every two years. The state
1 15 shall be divided into senatorial and representative districts
1 16 so that each Senate district is composed of two House of
1 17 Representatives districts. The election for a Senate district
1 18 shall not be held in the same year as the election for the two
1 19 House of Representatives districts composing the Senate
1 20 district, except as otherwise required pursuant to section 35.
1 21 The General Assembly shall make such changes in the law
1 22 governing the time of election and terms of office of
1 23 Representatives as shall be necessary to make the time of
1 24 their election and terms of office conform to this section
1 25 effective for terms of office beginning on or after January 1,
1 26 2013.
1 27 2. Section 35 of Article III of the Constitution of the
1 28 State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 4 of the
1 29 Amendments of 1868, amendment number 2 of the Amendments of
1 30 1904, and amendment number 3 of the Amendments of 1968, is
1 31 repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
1 32 SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES == NUMBER AND DISTRICTS. SEC.
1 33 35. The General Assembly shall in each year immediately
1 34 following the United States decennial census determine the
1 35 number of Senators and Representatives to be elected to the
2 1 General Assembly and establish senatorial and representative
2 2 districts. The General Assembly shall complete the
2 3 apportionment prior to September 1 of the year so required.
2 4 If the apportionment fails to become law prior to September 15
2 5 of such year, the Supreme Court shall cause the State to be
2 6 apportioned into senatorial and representative districts to
2 7 comply with the requirements of the Constitution prior to
2 8 December 31 of such year. The reapportioning authority shall,
2 9 where necessary in establishing senatorial and representative
2 10 districts, shorten the term of any Senator or Representative
2 11 prior to completion of the term. Any Senator or
2 12 Representative whose term is so terminated shall not be
2 13 compensated for the uncompleted part of the term.
2 14 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed
2 15 amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred
2 16 to the General Assembly to be chosen at the next general
2 17 election for members of the General Assembly and the Secretary
2 18 of State is directed to cause it to be published for three
2 19 consecutive months previous to the date of that election as
2 20 provided by law.
2 21 EXPLANATION
2 22 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the
2 23 Constitution of the State of Iowa to change the term of office
2 24 for members of the Iowa house of representatives from two
2 25 years to four years effective for terms of office beginning on
2 26 or after January 1, 2013. The amendment also provides that
2 27 each senatorial district shall be made up of two house of
2 28 representatives districts and the election for the two house
2 29 districts shall not be held in the same year as the election
2 30 for the senate district unless redistricting shortens the
2 31 terms of some members of certain senate or house districts.
2 32 The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next
2 33 general assembly for adoption a second time before being
2 34 submitted to the electorate for ratification.
2 35 LSB 1479YH 82
3 1 sc:rj/je/5