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House Joint Resolution 2002 - IntroducedA Bill ForA Joint Resolution 1proposing an amendment to the Constitution
2of the State of Iowa relating to terms of office of members
3of the general assembly and sessions of the general
4assembly.
5BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
2the State of Iowa is proposed:
31. Section 2 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
4of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 1 of the Amendments of
51968 and by amendment number 2 of the Amendments of 1974, is
6repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
7Biennial sessions of general assembly — special
8sessions. SEC. 2. The sessions of the general assembly shall
9be biennial, and shall commence on the second Monday in January
10next ensuing the election of its members. Upon written request
11to the presiding officer of each house of the general assembly
12by two-thirds of the members of each house, the general
13assembly shall convene in special session. The governor of the
14state may convene the general assembly by proclamation in the
15interim.
162. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
17of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
18Representatives. SEC. 3. The members of the house of
19representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors of
20their respective districts, and their term of office shall
21commence on the first day of January next after their election,
22and continue four years, and until their successors are elected
23and qualified. Representatives shall be classified by statute
24so that as nearly as possible one-half of the members of the
25house of representatives shall be elected every two years.
26The general assembly shall make such changes in the
27law governing the time of election and terms of office of
28representatives as shall be necessary to make the time of their
29election and terms of office conform to this amendment.
303. Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
31of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
32Senators — qualifications. SEC. 5. Senators shall be
33chosen for a term of six years, at the same time and place as
34representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and
35possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence
-1-1and citizenship.
2The general assembly shall make such changes in the law
3governing the time of election and terms of office of senators
4as shall be necessary to make the time of their election and
5terms of office conform to this amendment.
64. Section 6 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
7of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 3 of the Amendments of
81968, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
9Senators — number and classification. SEC. 6. The number of
10senators shall total not more than one-half the membership of
11the house of representatives. Senators shall be classified by
12statute so that as nearly as possible one-third of the members
13of the senate shall be elected every two years.
145. Section 35 of Article III of the Constitution of
15the State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 4 of the
16Amendments of 1868, amendment number 2 of the Amendments of
171904, and amendment number 3 of the Amendments of 1968, is
18repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
19Senators and representatives — number and districts. SEC.
2035. The general assembly shall in each year immediately
21following the United States decennial census determine the
22number of senators and representatives to be elected to the
23general assembly and establish senatorial and representative
24districts. The general assembly shall complete the
25apportionment prior to September 1 of the year so required.
26If the apportionment fails to become law prior to September
2715 of such year, the supreme court shall cause the state to
28be apportioned into senatorial and representative districts
29to comply with the requirements of the Constitution prior to
30December 31 of such year. The reapportioning authority shall,
31where necessary in establishing senatorial and representative
32districts, shorten the term of any senator or representative
33prior to completion of the term. Any senator or representative
34whose term is so terminated shall not be compensated for the
35uncompleted part of the term.
-2-1 Sec. 2.REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed
2amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred
3to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general
4election for members of the general assembly, and shall be
5published as provided by law for three months previous to the
6date of that election.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the
11Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to terms of office
12of members of the general assembly and sessions of the general
13assembly.
14Concerning sessions of the general assembly, the resolution
15provides for biennial sessions of the general assembly, instead
16of annual sessions, which shall commence in the year following
17election of its members.
18Concerning terms of office of members of the general
19assembly, the resolution changes the term of office of members
20of the Iowa house of representatives to four years and the term
21of office of members of the Iowa senate to six years. The
22resolution provides that one-third of the members of the senate
23and one-half of the members of the house of representatives are
24to be elected every two years. The resolution also provides
25that the reapportioning authority shall have the authority to
26shorten the term of office of any senator or representative
27following redistricting as necessary in establishing senatorial
28and representative districts.
29The resolution, if adopted, would be published and then
30referred to the next general assembly for adoption, before
31being submitted to the electorate for ratification.
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2of the State of Iowa relating to terms of office of members
3of the general assembly and sessions of the general
4assembly.
5BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
2the State of Iowa is proposed:
31. Section 2 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
4of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 1 of the Amendments of
51968 and by amendment number 2 of the Amendments of 1974, is
6repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
7Biennial sessions of general assembly — special
8sessions. SEC. 2. The sessions of the general assembly shall
9be biennial, and shall commence on the second Monday in January
10next ensuing the election of its members. Upon written request
11to the presiding officer of each house of the general assembly
12by two-thirds of the members of each house, the general
13assembly shall convene in special session. The governor of the
14state may convene the general assembly by proclamation in the
15interim.
162. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
17of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
18Representatives. SEC. 3. The members of the house of
19representatives shall be chosen by the qualified electors of
20their respective districts, and their term of office shall
21commence on the first day of January next after their election,
22and continue four years, and until their successors are elected
23and qualified. Representatives shall be classified by statute
24so that as nearly as possible one-half of the members of the
25house of representatives shall be elected every two years.
26The general assembly shall make such changes in the
27law governing the time of election and terms of office of
28representatives as shall be necessary to make the time of their
29election and terms of office conform to this amendment.
303. Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
31of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
32Senators — qualifications. SEC. 5. Senators shall be
33chosen for a term of six years, at the same time and place as
34representatives; they shall be twenty-five years of age, and
35possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence
-1-1and citizenship.
2The general assembly shall make such changes in the law
3governing the time of election and terms of office of senators
4as shall be necessary to make the time of their election and
5terms of office conform to this amendment.
64. Section 6 of Article III of the Constitution of the State
7of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 3 of the Amendments of
81968, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
9Senators — number and classification. SEC. 6. The number of
10senators shall total not more than one-half the membership of
11the house of representatives. Senators shall be classified by
12statute so that as nearly as possible one-third of the members
13of the senate shall be elected every two years.
145. Section 35 of Article III of the Constitution of
15the State of Iowa, as amended by amendment number 4 of the
16Amendments of 1868, amendment number 2 of the Amendments of
171904, and amendment number 3 of the Amendments of 1968, is
18repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof:
19Senators and representatives — number and districts. SEC.
2035. The general assembly shall in each year immediately
21following the United States decennial census determine the
22number of senators and representatives to be elected to the
23general assembly and establish senatorial and representative
24districts. The general assembly shall complete the
25apportionment prior to September 1 of the year so required.
26If the apportionment fails to become law prior to September
2715 of such year, the supreme court shall cause the state to
28be apportioned into senatorial and representative districts
29to comply with the requirements of the Constitution prior to
30December 31 of such year. The reapportioning authority shall,
31where necessary in establishing senatorial and representative
32districts, shorten the term of any senator or representative
33prior to completion of the term. Any senator or representative
34whose term is so terminated shall not be compensated for the
35uncompleted part of the term.
-2-1 Sec. 2.REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed
2amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred
3to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general
4election for members of the general assembly, and shall be
5published as provided by law for three months previous to the
6date of that election.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the
11Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to terms of office
12of members of the general assembly and sessions of the general
13assembly.
14Concerning sessions of the general assembly, the resolution
15provides for biennial sessions of the general assembly, instead
16of annual sessions, which shall commence in the year following
17election of its members.
18Concerning terms of office of members of the general
19assembly, the resolution changes the term of office of members
20of the Iowa house of representatives to four years and the term
21of office of members of the Iowa senate to six years. The
22resolution provides that one-third of the members of the senate
23and one-half of the members of the house of representatives are
24to be elected every two years. The resolution also provides
25that the reapportioning authority shall have the authority to
26shorten the term of office of any senator or representative
27following redistricting as necessary in establishing senatorial
28and representative districts.
29The resolution, if adopted, would be published and then
30referred to the next general assembly for adoption, before
31being submitted to the electorate for ratification.
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