May 23, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Gonzales, Hammon, Kathleen Law, Virgil Smith and Leland and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending section 13 of article IV and by
repealing section 54 of article IV, to limit the legislative
session and to repeal term limits for legislators.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to limit the legislative session and to
repeal term limits for legislators, is proposed, agreed to, and
submitted to the people of the state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 13. Except when the legislature is called to convene on
extraordinary occasions, the legislature shall only meet as
provided in this section. The legislature shall meet at the seat of
government on the second Wednesday in January of each year at
twelve o'clock noon. Each regular session shall adjourn without
day, on a day determined by concurrent resolution, at twelve
o'clock noon. Any business, bill or joint resolution pending at the
final adjournment of a regular session held in an odd numbered year
shall carry over with the same status to the next regular session.
In 2009 and every year after 2009, the legislature shall meet for
not more than 120 consecutive days. In addition, the legislature
may be called to convene on an extraordinary occasion by unanimous
consent of the majority and minority leaders of each house of the
legislature.
Sec.
54. No person shall be elected to the office of state
representative
more than three times. No person shall be elected to
the
office of state senate more than two times. Any person
appointed
or elected to fill a vacancy in the house of
representatives
or the state senate for a period greater than one
half
of a term of such office, shall be considered to have been
elected
to serve one time in that office for purposes of this
section.
This limitation on the number of times a person shall be
elected
to office shall apply to terms of office beginning on or
after
January 1, 1993.
This
section shall be self-executing. Legislation may be
enacted
to facilitate operation of this section, but no law shall
limit
or restrict the application of this section. If any part of
this
section is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, the
remaining
parts of this section shall not be affected but will
remain
in full force and effect.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
in the manner provided by law.