House Joint Resolution 2001 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2001 BY WILLS 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 5189YH (3) 86 aw/sc
H.J.R. 2001 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 Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 3 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 4 Representatives.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 that portion of a term served shall not be included in the 16 consecutive terms of service for purposes of this limitation. 17 The limitation on consecutive terms of service shall only apply 18 to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2035. 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 Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 20 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 21 Senators —— qualifications.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 30 office or was otherwise removed from office, that portion of 31 a term served shall not be included in the consecutive terms 32 of service for purposes of this limitation. The limitation 33 on consecutive terms of service shall only apply to terms of 34 office beginning on or after January 1, 2035. 35 -1- LSB 5189YH (3) 86 aw/sc 1/ 2
H.J.R. 2001 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 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 10 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 11 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to terms of service 12 for persons elected to the offices of representative or senator 13 in the general assembly. The proposed amendment provides that 14 any person elected as a representative shall be eligible to 15 serve eight consecutive terms in that position but shall not 16 be eligible to serve a ninth consecutive term. The amendment 17 provides that any person elected as a senator shall be eligible 18 to serve four consecutive terms in that position but shall not 19 be eligible to serve a fifth consecutive term. The amendment 20 therefore limits the offices of representatives and senators 21 to 16 consecutive years of service in a particular chamber 22 of the general assembly. The amendment provides that a 23 resignation from office would not serve to break the counting 24 of consecutive terms for the person resigning but would not be 25 counted as a term of office for the person filling the vacancy. 26 The limitation on consecutive terms of service shall commence 27 with terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2035. 28 The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next 29 general assembly for adoption before being submitted to the 30 electorate for ratification. 31 -2- LSB 5189YH (3) 86 aw/sc 2/ 2