FINAL 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

AS PASSED LEGISLATURE

BACKGROUND:

The state's constitution establishes the length of the terms of office for members of the legislature.  Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms and members of the Senate serve four-year terms.  Every two years, one-half of the members of the Senate are to stand for election.

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 will serve a four-year term unless the person resigns or seeks other legislative office.

Procedures are established for staggering the 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 will be elected to a four-year term and the winning candidate with the second highest number of votes will be elected to a two-year term, and thereafter for a term of four years.  Elections of House members will be conducted in November of even-numbered years unless changed by law.

Senatorial districts will 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 will serve four-year terms and those from the third group, six-year terms.  For senators elected in 1990, those from the first group will serve four-year terms and those from the second and third groups, six-year terms.  Thereafter all will be elected to six-year terms.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 78  20

      Senate    33    16