Bill Text: IL HJRCA0034 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that, beginning in 2014, Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years. Adds that whenever a seat in the House of Representatives becomes vacant with more than 28 months remaining in the term, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment until the next general election, at which time a replacement shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. Provides that the General Assembly shall be a continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on the second Wednesday of January of consecutive even-numbered years. Applies to the terms of Representatives elected in 2014 and thereafter.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-05 - Tabled Pursuant to Rule 46 [HJRCA0034 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HJRCA0034-Introduced.html

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97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2011 and 2012 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT HC0034 Introduced , by Rep. Camille Y Lilly SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2
ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that, beginning in 2014, Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years. Adds that whenever a seat in the House of Representatives becomes vacant with more than 28 months remaining in the term, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment until the next general election, at which time a replacement shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. Provides that the General Assembly shall be a continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on the second Wednesday of January of consecutive even-numbered years. Applies to the terms of Representatives elected in 2014 and thereafter.
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HC0034 LRB097 17500 JDS 62703 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 2 and 5 of
Article IV of the Illinois Constitution as follows:
ARTICLE IV
THE LEGISLATURE
(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)
SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION
(a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative
District. Immediately following each decennial redistricting,
the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative
Districts as equally as possible into three groups. Senators
from one group shall be elected for terms of four years, four
years and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms
of four years, two years and four years; and Senators from the
third group, for terms of two years, four years and four years.
The Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed
substantially equally over the State.
(b) Each Legislative District shall be divided into two

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Representative Districts. In 1982 and every two years
thereafter One Representative shall be elected from each
Representative District for a term of two years. During each
ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2014,
Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years,
then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years.
(c) To be eligible to serve as a member of the General
Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21
years old, and for the two years preceding his election or
appointment a resident of the district which he is to
represent. In the general election following a redistricting, a
candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any
district which contains a part of the district in which he
resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a
resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior
to reelection.
(d) Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be
filled by appointment as provided by law. If the vacancy is in
a Senatorial or Representative office with more than
twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed
Senator or Representative shall serve until the next general
election, at which time a Senator or Representative shall be
elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy
is in any other Senatorial or a Representative office or in any
other Senatorial office, the appointment shall be for the
remainder of the term. An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be

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a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds.
(e) No member of the General Assembly shall receive
compensation as a public officer or employee from any other
governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance
as a member of the General Assembly.
No member of the General Assembly during the term for which
he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public
office which shall have been created or the compensation for
which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during
that term.
(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4,
1980.)
(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5)
SECTION 5. SESSIONS
(a) The General Assembly shall convene each year on the
second Wednesday of January. The General Assembly shall be a
continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on
the second Wednesday of January of consecutive even-numbered
years. 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

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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.
(Source: Illinois Constitution.)
SCHEDULE
This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being
declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois
Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the terms of
Representatives elected in 2014 and thereafter.