Senate Joint Resolution 7 - Introduced SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 7 BY BERTRAND SENA TE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution 1 of the State of Iowa limiting terms of service for members 2 of the general assembly. 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1940XS (2) 87 aw/sc
S.J.R. 7 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 Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 3 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 4 Representatives.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. A person shall not be 10 elected for a term as representative if the term would result 11 in the person serving more than a total of five consecutive 12 terms as a representative. If a person is elected to serve 13 a portion of a term to which some other person was elected 14 but that person died in office or resigned from office or was 15 otherwise removed from office, that portion of a term served 16 shall not be included in the terms of service for purposes of 17 this limitation if the representative did not serve for at 18 least one-half of the two-year term. This limitation on terms 19 of service applies to terms of office beginning on or after 20 January 1, 2023. 21 2. Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 22 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 23 Senators —— qualifications. SEC. 5. Senators shall be 24 chosen for the term of four years, at the same time and place as 25 representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and 26 possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence 27 and citizenship. A person shall not be elected for a term as 28 senator if the term would result in the person serving more 29 than a total of three consecutive terms as a senator. If a 30 person is elected to serve a portion of a term to which some 31 other person was elected but that person died in office or 32 resigned from office or was otherwise removed from office, that 33 portion of a term served shall not be included in the terms 34 of service for purposes of this limitation if the senator did 35 -1- LSB 1940XS (2) 87 aw/sc 1/ 2
S.J.R. 7 not serve for at least one-half of the four-year term. This 1 limitation on terms of service applies to terms of office 2 beginning on or after January 1, 2023. 3 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing amendment 4 to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred to the 5 general assembly to be chosen at the next general election 6 for members of the general assembly, and the secretary of 7 state is directed to cause the same to be published for three 8 consecutive months previous to the date of that election as 9 provided by law. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 14 Constitution of the State of Iowa limiting terms of service 15 for persons elected to the office of representative or senator 16 in the general assembly. The amendment provides that a member 17 of the house of representatives shall not serve more than five 18 consecutive terms as a representative, and that a member of the 19 senate shall not serve more than three consecutive terms as a 20 senator. 21 The amendment provides that if a person is elected to serve 22 a portion of a term in these respective offices, the term shall 23 not be included in counting terms of service if the person did 24 not serve at least one-half of the full term. The amendment 25 applies to terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 26 2023. 27 The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next 28 general assembly for adoption before being submitted to the 29 electorate for ratification. 30 -2- LSB 1940XS (2) 87 aw/sc 2/ 2