Bill Text: HI SB2044 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Proposing An Amendment To Article Iv, Section 2, Of The Hawaii State Constitution To Address The Selection Of Members Of The Reapportionment Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-14 - The committee on WAM deferred the measure. [SB2044 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2044-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2044 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ADDRESS THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to ensure the participation of all political parties in the reapportionment process by proposing an amendment to article IV, section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to provide that, if there are no members belonging to the minority party or parties in a house of the legislature, the presiding officer of the respective house of the legislature, after consulting with the chair of the minority party, shall designate persons having membership in the minority party to serve on the reapportionment commission.
SECTION 2. Article IV, section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:
"REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION
Section 2. A reapportionment commission shall be
constituted on or before May 1 of each reapportionment year and whenever
reapportionment is required by court order.
The commission shall consist of nine members. The president of the senate and the speaker
of the house of representatives shall each select two members. Members of each house belonging to the party
or parties different from that of the president or the speaker shall designate
one of their number for each house and the two so designated shall each select
two members of the commission.
If no
member of the house of representatives belongs to a party different from that
of the speaker, then the chairperson of the minority party shall nominate three
persons to the speaker, who shall select two members of the commission from the
three persons nominated.
If no
member of the senate belongs to a party different from that of the president, then
the chairperson of the minority party shall nominate three persons to the
president, who shall select two members of the commission from the three
persons nominated.
The eight members so selected, promptly after selection, shall be certified by the selecting authorities to the chief election officer and within thirty days thereafter, shall select, by a vote of six members, and promptly certify to the chief election officer the ninth member who shall serve as chairperson of the commission.
Each of the four officials designated above as selecting authorities for the eight members of the commission, at the time of the commission selections, shall also select one person from each basic island unit to serve on an apportionment advisory council for that island unit. The councils shall remain in existence during the life of the commission and each shall serve in an advisory capacity to the commission for matters affecting its island unit.
A vacancy in the commission or a council shall be filled by the initial selecting authority within fifteen days after the vacancy occurs. Commission and council positions and vacancies not filled within the times specified shall be filled promptly thereafter by the supreme court.
The commission shall act by majority vote of its membership and shall establish its own procedures, except as may be provided by law.
Not more than one hundred fifty days from the date on which its members are certified, the commission shall file with the chief election officer a reapportionment plan for the state legislature and a reapportionment plan for the United States congressional districts which shall become law after publication as provided by law. Members of the commission shall hold office until each reapportionment plan becomes effective or until such time as may be provided by law.
No member of the reapportionment commission or an apportionment advisory council shall be eligible to become a candidate for election to either house of the legislature or to the United States House of Representatives in either of the first two elections under any such reapportionment plan.
Commission and apportionment advisory council members shall be compensated and reimbursed for their necessary expenses as provided by law.
The chief election officer shall be secretary of the commission without vote and, under the direction of the commission, shall furnish all necessary technical services. The legislature shall appropriate funds to enable the commission to carry out its duties."
SECTION 3. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:
"To meet the constitutional requirement of equal representation of all political parties on the reapportionment commission, if there are no members belonging to a minority party in a house of the legislature, shall the chair of the minority party nominate three persons to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature, who shall then select two members of the reapportionment commission from the three persons nominated?"
SECTION 4. New constitutional material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
Report Title:
Reapportionment Commission; Selection of Members; Political Parties; Constitutional Amendment
Description:
Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to ensure participation of all political parties on the Reapportionment Commission by providing that if there are no members belonging to a minority party in a house of the legislature, the chair of the minority party shall nominate three persons to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature, who shall then select two members of the reapportionment commission from the three persons nominated. (SD1)
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