HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2002

BY  HAGER and MOORE

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa establishing term limits for 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:

   1.  Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
   Representatives.  SEC. 3.  The members of the house of representatives shall be chosen every second year, by the qualified electors of their respective districts, and their term of office shall commence on the first day of January next after their election, and continue two years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served four consecutive terms shall be elected as a representative for the succeeding term. If a person is elected to serve a portion of a term to which some other person was elected but that person died in office or resigned from office or was otherwise removed from office, those years served shall not be included in the consecutive years of service for purposes of this limitation. This limitation on consecutive years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
   2.  Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
   Senators —— qualifications.  SEC. 5.  Senators shall be chosen for the term of four years, at the same time and place as representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence and citizenship. No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served two consecutive terms shall be elected as a senator for the succeeding term. If a person is elected to serve a portion of a term to which some other person was elected but that person died in office or resigned from office or was otherwise removed from office, those years served shall not be included in the consecutive years of service for purposes of this limitation. This limitation on consecutive years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
    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 relating to term of service for persons elected to the offices of representative or senator in the general assembly. The amendment provides that any person elected as a representative shall be eligible to serve four consecutive terms in that position, but shall not be eligible to serve a fifth consecutive term. The amendment provides that any person elected as a senator shall be eligible to serve two consecutive terms in that position, but shall not be eligible to serve a third consecutive term. The amendment therefore limits the offices of representatives and senators to eight consecutive years of service. The amendment provides that filling a vacancy for a portion of a term shall not count as consecutive years of service. The limitation on consecutive years of service shall commence with terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
   The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next general assembly for adoption before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.