SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4

BY  ZAUN, FEENSTRA, CHELGREN, and SORENSON

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa to change the length of term of office and limit the term of service 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:
   1.  Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
   Representatives —— classification.  SEC. 3.  The members of the house of representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors of their respective districts, and their term of office shall commence on the first day of January following their election which is not a Sunday or legal holiday, and continue four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. Representatives shall be classified by statute so that as nearly as possible one-half of the members of the house of representatives shall be elected every two years. A person shall not be elected for a term as representative if the term would result in more than a total of twelve years of service as a representative. 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 years of service for purposes of this limitation. This limitation on the years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
   The general assembly shall make such changes in the law governing the time of election and terms of office of representatives as shall be necessary to make the time of their election and terms of office conform to this amendment.
   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  Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: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 a term of six years, at the same time and place as representatives; they shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence and citizenship. A person shall not be elected for a term as senator if the term would result in more than a total of twelve years of service as a senator. 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 years of service for purposes of this limitation. This limitation on the years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
   The general assembly shall make such changes in the law governing the time of election and terms of office of senators as shall be necessary to make the time of their election and terms of office conform to this amendment.
   3.  Section 6 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 3 of the Amendments of 1968, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
   Senators —— number and classification.  SEC. 6.  The number of senators shall total not more than one-half the membership of the house of representatives. Senators shall be classified by statute so that as nearly as possible one-third of the members of the senate shall be elected every two years.
   4.  Section 35 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 4 of Amendments of 1868, amendment number 2 of the Amendments of 1904, and amendment number 3 of the Amendments of 1968, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
   Senators and representatives —— number and districts.  SEC. 35.  The general assembly shall in each year immediately following the United States decennial census determine the number of senators and representatives to be elected to the general assembly and establish senatorial and representative districts. The general assembly shall complete the apportionment prior to September 1 of the year so required. If the apportionment fails to become law prior to September 15 of such year, the supreme court shall cause the state to be apportioned into senatorial and representative districts to comply with the requirements of the constitution prior to December 31 of such year. The reapportioning authority shall, where necessary in establishing senatorial and representative districts, shorten the term of any senator or representative prior to completion of the term. Any senator or representative whose term is so terminated shall not be compensated for the uncompleted part of the term.
   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 a constitutional amendment relating to length of term and term of service for members of the general assembly. The amendment provides that the length of term of office for members of the house of representatives shall be four years and for members of the senate the length of term of office shall be six years. The amendment provides that one-third of the members of the senate and one-half of the members of the house of representatives are to be elected every two years. The amendment also provides that members of the Iowa house of representatives shall not serve more than 12 years as a representative and that members of the Iowa senate shall not serve more than 12 years as a senator. If a person serves a portion of a term to which some other person was elected, the partial term shall not be included in the years of service. The limitation on the years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2017.
   The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next general assembly before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.