Bill Text: IL HJRCA0004 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution to provide that (i) the proclamation of results of each election of members of the General Assembly must take place as soon as practical after the general election, but in no case later than seven days prior to the date the General Assembly first convenes, (ii) the General Assembly shall convene each year on the first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday), and (iii) the General Assembly may not be in session in any general election year from the date of the general election until first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday), except to respond to an act of God, act of terrorism, or other imminent threat to the safety or security of the people of the State or the United States of America. Proposes to amend the Judiciary Article of the Illinois Constitution to provide that (i) the proclamation of results of each election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor must take place as soon as practical after the general election, but in no case later than seven days prior to the date the General Assembly first convenes in accordance with specified provisions and (ii) the Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall hold office for four years beginning on first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday). Effective upon being declared adopted.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-05 - Tabled Pursuant to Rule 46 [HJRCA0004 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HJRCA0004-Introduced.html

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97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2011 and 2012 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT HC0004 Introduced , by Rep. Chapin Rose - Bill Mitchell - Adam Brown - Jason Barickman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 4
ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5
ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 6
ILCON Art. V, Sec. 2
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution to provide that (i) the proclamation of results of each election of members of the General Assembly must take place as soon as practical after the general election, but in no case later than seven days prior to the date the General Assembly first convenes, (ii) the General Assembly shall convene each year on the first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday), and (iii) the General Assembly may not be in session in any general election year from the date of the general election until first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday), except to respond to an act of God, act of terrorism, or other imminent threat to the safety or security of the people of the State or the United States of America. Proposes to amend the Judiciary Article of the Illinois Constitution to provide that (i) the proclamation of results of each election of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor must take place as soon as practical after the general election, but in no case later than seven days prior to the date the General Assembly first convenes in accordance with specified provisions and (ii) the Governor and Lieutenant Governor shall hold office for four years beginning on first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday). Effective upon being declared adopted.
LRB097 05796 AMC 45864 e
A BILL FOR
HC0004 LRB097 05796 AMC 45864 e
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the
electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general
election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of
this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 4, 5, and 6 of
Article IV and Section 2 of Article V of the Illinois
Constitution as follows:
ARTICLE IV
THE LEGISLATURE
(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 4)
SECTION 4. ELECTION
(a) Members of the General Assembly shall be elected at the
general election in even-numbered years.
(b) The proclamation of results of each election of members
of the General Assembly must take place as soon as practical
after the general election, but in no case later than seven
days prior to the date the General Assembly first convenes
under subsection (b) of Section 6 of this Article.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

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(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5)
SECTION 5. SESSIONS
(a) The General Assembly shall convene each year on the
first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday) the
second Wednesday of January.
The General Assembly shall be a continuous body during the
term for which members of the House of Representatives are
elected.
(b) The Governor may convene the General Assembly or the
Senate alone in special session by a proclamation stating the
purpose of the session; and only business encompassed by such
purpose, together with any impeachments or confirmation of
appointments shall be transacted. Special sessions of the
General Assembly may also be convened by joint proclamation of
the presiding officers of both houses, issued as provided by
law.
(c) Sessions of each house of the General Assembly and
meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative
commissions shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee
meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds
of the members elected to that house determine that the public
interest so requires; and meetings of joint committees and
legislative commissions may be so closed if two-thirds of the
members elected to each house so determine.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section,
the General Assembly may not be in session in any general

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election year from the date of the general election until the
first day of December (excluding Saturday and Sunday), except
to respond to an act of God, act of terrorism, or other
imminent threat to the safety or security of the people of the
State or the United States of America.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 6)
SECTION 6. ORGANIZATION
(a) A majority of the members elected to each house
constitutes a quorum.
(b) On the first day of December (excluding Saturday and
Sunday) following a general election the January session of the
General Assembly in odd-numbered years, the Secretary of State
shall convene the House of Representatives to elect from its
membership a Speaker of the House of Representatives as
presiding officer, and the Governor shall convene the Senate to
elect from its membership a President of the Senate as
presiding officer.
(c) For purposes of powers of appointment conferred by this
Constitution, the Minority Leader of either house is a member
of the numerically strongest political party other than the
party to which the Speaker or the President belongs, as the
case may be.
(d) Each house shall determine the rules of its
proceedings, judge the elections, returns and qualifications

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of its members and choose its officers. No member shall be
expelled by either house, except by a vote of two-thirds of the
members elected to that house. A member may be expelled only
once for the same offense. Each house may punish by
imprisonment any person, not a member, guilty of disrespect to
the house by disorderly or contemptuous behavior in its
presence. Imprisonment shall not extend beyond twenty-four
hours at one time unless the person persists in disorderly or
contemptuous behavior.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
ARTICLE V
THE EXECUTIVE
(ILCON Art. V, Sec. 2)
SECTION 2. TERMS
(a) The Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the
Comptroller, and the Treasurer These elected officers of the
Executive Branch shall hold office for four years beginning on
the second Monday of January after their election and, except
in the case of the Lieutenant Governor, until their successors
are qualified. The Governor shall hold office for four years
beginning on first day of December (excluding Saturday and
Sunday) after his or her election and until his or her
successor is qualified. The Lieutenant Governor shall hold
office for four years beginning on the first day of December

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(excluding Saturday and Sunday) after his or her election.
All of the elected officers of the executive branch They
shall be elected at the general election in 1978 and every four
years thereafter.
(b) The proclamation of results of each election of the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor must take place as soon as
practical after the general election, but in no case later than
seven days prior to the date the General Assembly first
convenes under subsection (b) of Section 6 of Article IV.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SCHEDULE
This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
Constitutional Amendment Act.