January 29, 2009, Introduced by Senators JACOBS, CLARK-COLEMAN, HUNTER, BRATER, GARCIA and BIRKHOLZ and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Reform.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending sections 16 and 54 of article IV,
to modify term limits for legislators and impose limits on
chairmanships of legislative committees.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to modify term limits for legislators and
impose limits on chairmanships of legislative committees, is
proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 16. Each house, except as otherwise provided in this
constitution, shall choose its own officers and determine the rules
of its proceedings, but shall not adopt any rule that will prevent
a majority of the members elected thereto and serving therein from
discharging a committee from the further consideration of any
measure. Each house shall be the sole judge of the qualifications,
elections and returns of its members, and may, with the concurrence
of two-thirds of all the members elected thereto and serving
therein, expel a member. The reasons for such expulsion shall be
entered in the journal, with the votes and names of the members
voting upon the question. No member shall be expelled a second time
for the same cause.
A legislator shall not serve as chair of the same legislative
committee for more than four years.
Sec. 54. No person shall be elected to the office of state
representative
more than three six times. No person shall be
elected
to the office of state senate more than two three 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.