House Joint Resolution 9 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 9 BY MOORE , COWNIE , KLEIN , MAXWELL , STANERSON , and KAUFMANN HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution 1 of the State of Iowa relating to term limits for members of 2 the general assembly. 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1096YH (2) 85 aw/sc
H.J.R. 9 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of 1 the State of Iowa is proposed: 2 1. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 3 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 4 Representatives. SEC. 3. The members of the house of 5 representatives shall be chosen every second year, by the 6 qualified electors of their respective districts, and their 7 term of office shall commence on the first day of January next 8 after their election, and continue two years, and until their 9 successors are elected and qualified. No person who has, or 10 but for resignation would have, served eight consecutive terms 11 shall be elected as a representative for the succeeding term. 12 If a person is elected to serve a portion of a term to which 13 some other person was elected but that person died in office 14 or resigned from office or was otherwise removed from office, 15 those years served shall not be included in the consecutive 16 years of service for purposes of this limitation. This 17 limitation on consecutive years of service shall only apply to 18 terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2019. 19 2. Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 20 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 21 Senators —— qualifications. SEC. 5. Senators shall be 22 chosen for the term of four years, at the same time and place as 23 representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and 24 possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence 25 and citizenship. No person who has, or but for resignation 26 would have, served four consecutive terms shall be elected as 27 a senator for the succeeding term. If a person is elected 28 to serve a portion of a term to which some other person was 29 elected but that person died in office or resigned from office 30 or was otherwise removed from office, those years served 31 shall not be included in the consecutive years of service for 32 purposes of this limitation. This limitation on consecutive 33 years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning 34 on or after January 1, 2019. 35 -1- LSB 1096YH (2) 85 aw/sc 1/ 2
H.J.R. 9 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing amendment 1 to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred to the 2 general assembly to be chosen at the next general election 3 for members of the general assembly, and the secretary of 4 state is directed to cause the same to be published for three 5 consecutive months previous to the date of that election as 6 provided by law. 7 EXPLANATION 8 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 9 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to term of service 10 for persons elected to the offices of representative or senator 11 in the general assembly. The amendment provides that any 12 person elected as a representative shall be eligible to serve 13 eight consecutive terms in that position, but shall not be 14 eligible to serve a ninth consecutive term. The amendment 15 provides that any person elected as a senator shall be eligible 16 to serve four consecutive terms in that position, but shall not 17 be eligible to serve a fifth consecutive term. The amendment 18 therefore limits the offices of representatives and senators to 19 16 consecutive years of service in a particular house of the 20 general assembly. The amendment provides that a resignation 21 from either of these positions alone would not serve to 22 break the counting of consecutive terms. The limitation on 23 consecutive years of service shall commence with terms of 24 office beginning on or after January 1, 2019. 25 The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next 26 general assembly for adoption before being submitted to the 27 electorate for ratification. 28 -2- LSB 1096YH (2) 85 aw/sc 2/ 2