Bill Text: IA HJR6 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to term limits for members of the general assembly.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-09 - Subcommittee, Watts, Highfill, and Hunter. H.J. 285. [HJR6 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HJR6-Introduced.html
House Joint Resolution 6 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION BY MOORE HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1 A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution 2 of the State of Iowa relating to term limits for members of 3 the general assembly. 4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1793YH (2) 86 aw/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of 1 2 the State of Iowa is proposed: 1 3 1. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 1 4 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 1 5 Representatives.SEC. 3. The members of the house of 1 6 representatives shall be chosen every second year, by the 1 7 qualified electors of their respective districts, and their 1 8 term of office shall commence on the first day of January next 1 9 after their election, and continue two years, and until their 1 10 successors are elected and qualified. No person who has, or 1 11 but for resignation would have, served eight consecutive terms 1 12 shall be elected as a representative for the succeeding term. 1 13 If a person is elected to serve a portion of a term to which 1 14 some other person was elected but that person died in office 1 15 or resigned from office or was otherwise removed from office, 1 16 those years served shall not be included in the consecutive 1 17 years of service for purposes of this limitation. This 1 18 limitation on consecutive years of service shall only apply to 1 19 terms of office beginning on or after January 1, 2021. 1 20 2. Section 5 of Article III of the Constitution of the State 1 21 of Iowa is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 1 22 Senators ==== qualifications.SEC. 5. Senators shall be 1 23 chosen for the term of four years, at the same time and place as 1 24 representatives; they shall be twenty=five years of age, and 1 25 possess the qualifications of representatives as to residence 1 26 and citizenship. No person who has, or but for resignation 1 27 would have, served four consecutive terms shall be elected as 1 28 a senator for the succeeding term. If a person is elected 1 29 to serve a portion of a term to which some other person was 1 30 elected but that person died in office or resigned from office 1 31 or was otherwise removed from office, those years served 1 32 shall not be included in the consecutive years of service for 1 33 purposes of this limitation. This limitation on consecutive 1 34 years of service shall only apply to terms of office beginning 1 35 on or after January 1, 2021. 2 1 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing amendment 2 2 to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred to the 2 3 general assembly to be chosen at the next general election 2 4 for members of the general assembly, and the secretary of 2 5 state is directed to cause the same to be published for three 2 6 consecutive months previous to the date of that election as 2 7 provided by law. 2 8 EXPLANATION 2 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 10 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 11 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 2 12 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to term of service 2 13 for persons elected to the offices of representative or senator 2 14 in the general assembly. The amendment provides that any 2 15 person elected as a representative shall be eligible to serve 2 16 eight consecutive terms in that position, but shall not be 2 17 eligible to serve a ninth consecutive term. The amendment 2 18 provides that any person elected as a senator shall be eligible 2 19 to serve four consecutive terms in that position, but shall not 2 20 be eligible to serve a fifth consecutive term. The amendment 2 21 therefore limits the offices of representatives and senators to 2 22 16 consecutive years of service in a particular house of the 2 23 general assembly. The amendment provides that a resignation 2 24 from either of these positions alone would not serve to 2 25 break the counting of consecutive terms. The limitation on 2 26 consecutive years of service shall commence with terms of 2 27 office beginning on or after January 1, 2021. 2 28 The resolution, if adopted, would be referred to the next 2 29 general assembly for adoption before being submitted to the 2 30 electorate for ratification. LSB 1793YH (2) 86 aw/sc
