June 16, 2009, Introduced by Rep. Moore and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending sections 12 and 13 of article IV
and section 15 of article V, to limit the legislative session, to
reduce salaries of members of the legislature, and to limit the
governor's ability to call for extraordinary sessions.
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, to reduce
salaries of members of the legislature, and to limit the governor's
ability to call for extraordinary sessions, is proposed, agreed to,
and submitted to the people of the state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 12. The state officers compensation commission is created
which subject to this section shall determine the salaries and
expense
allowances of the members of the legislature, the governor,
the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the secretary of
state, and the justices of the supreme court. The commission shall
consist of 7 members appointed by the governor whose qualifications
may be determined by law. Subject to the legislature's ability to
amend the commission's determinations as provided in this section,
the commission shall determine the salaries and expense allowances
of
the members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the
justices of the supreme court which determinations shall be the
salaries and expense allowances only if the legislature by
concurrent resolution adopted by a majority of the members elected
to and serving in each house of the legislature approve them. The
senate and house of representatives shall alternate on which house
of the legislature shall originate the concurrent resolution, with
the senate originating the first concurrent resolution.
The concurrent resolution may amend the salary and expense
determinations of the state officers compensation commission to
reduce the salary and expense determinations by the same proportion
for
members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the
justices of the supreme court. The legislature shall not amend the
salary and expense determinations to reduce them to below the
salary
and expense level that members of the legislature, the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court receive
on the date the salary and expense determinations are made. If the
salary and expense determinations are approved or amended as
provided in this section, the salary and expense determinations
shall become effective for the legislative session immediately
following the next general election. The commission shall meet each
2 years for no more than 15 session days. The legislature shall
implement this section by law. Beginning in 2011, the salary of a
member of the legislature shall be $40,000.00.
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 2011 and every year after 2011, the legislature shall only meet
between February 1 and May 15. The speaker of the house of
representatives and the senate majority leader shall determine the
legislative session calendar.
ARTICLE V
Sec. 15. The governor may convene the legislature on
extraordinary occasions no more than two times per year. The
extraordinary sessions shall not last more than seven days and only
one extraordinary session may be held after the general election in
an even-numbered year.
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.