SENATE BILL REPORT

HJR 4212

BYRepresentatives Fisher, S. Wilson, Fisch, Pruitt, Amondson, Barnes, Leonard, Sanders, K. Wilson, Haugen, Patrick, Ballard, Silver, Grimm, Brooks, Madsen, Walk, Rayburn, Belcher, Nelson, O'Brien, Sayan, Armstrong, Crane, McMullen, Nutley, Chandler, Schmidt, Betrozoff, J. Williams, Walker,  Gallagher, Zellinsky, Nealey, Allen, Winsley, Miller, Hankins, Hine, Brough, C. Smith, Lux, Meyers, Taylor, May and Ferguson

Lengthening legislative terms.

House Committe on Constitution, Elections & Ethics

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):April 1, 1987

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Garrett, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, McCaslin, Talmadge, Zimmerman.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

      Signed by Senator Halsan, Chairman.

Senate Staff:Eugene Green (786-7405); Sam Thompson (786-7754)

                  April 14, 1987

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, APRIL 1, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Article II, Section 5 of the State Constitution provides that members of the House of Representatives shall be elected biennially and their term of office shall be two years.

Article II, Section 6 of the State Constitution provides that Senators shall be elected for a term of four years, one-half retiring every two years.

SUMMARY:

The state's Constitution is amended.  The term of office for a member of the Senate is extended to six years.  A person elected to the House of Representatives shall serve a four-year term unless the person resigns or seeks other legislative office.

Procedures are established for staggered terms so that, as nearly as possible, one-half of the members of the House and one-third of the members of the Senate will be elected every two years.

At the general election held in November 1988, the candidate for the House receiving the greatest number of votes in each representative district shall be elected to a four-year term and the winning candidate with the second highest number of votes shall be elected to a two-year term, and thereafter for a term of four years.  Elections of House members shall be conducted in November of even-numbered years unless changed by law.

Senatorial districts shall be divided into three groups:  the first group consisting of every first district; the second, of every second district; and the third, of every third district.  For senators elected in 1988, those from the first and second groups shall serve four-year terms and those from the third group, six-year terms.  For senators elected in 1990, those from the first group shall serve four-year terms and those from the second and third groups, six-year terms.  Thereafter all shall be elected to six-year terms.

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Effective Date:The constitutional amendment becomes effective if it is adopted and ratified by the voters at the November 1987 general election.

Senate Committee - Testified: Representatives Ruth Fisher and "Sim" Wilson