HF 4137

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to state government; reducing the size of the 
  1.3             legislature; proposing amendments to the Minnesota 
  1.4             Constitution, article IV, sections 4, 7, 12, and 18; 
  1.5             providing for biennial legislative sessions only; 
  1.6             reducing the number of days the legislature may meet; 
  1.7             providing for joint house and senate committees on 
  1.8             appropriations and revenue issues; amending Minnesota 
  1.9             Statutes 1998, section 2.021. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11                             ARTICLE 1 
  1.12        BIENNIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AND LENGTH OF SESSIONS 
  1.13     Section 1.  [CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.] 
  1.14     An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, article IV, 
  1.15  section 12, is proposed to the people.  If the amendment is 
  1.16  adopted, the section will read: 
  1.17     Sec. 12.  The legislature shall meet at the seat of 
  1.18  government in regular session in the odd-numbered year of each 
  1.19  biennium at the times prescribed by law for not exceeding a 
  1.20  total of 120 100 legislative days.  The legislature shall not 
  1.21  meet in regular session, nor in any adjournment thereof, after 
  1.22  the first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any the 
  1.23  odd-numbered year.  After meeting at a time prescribed by law, 
  1.24  the legislature may adjourn to another time.  "Legislative day" 
  1.25  shall be defined by law.  A special session of the legislature 
  1.26  may be called by the governor on extraordinary occasions. 
  1.27     Neither house during a session of the legislature shall 
  2.1   adjourn for more than three days (Sundays excepted) nor to any 
  2.2   other place than that in which the two houses shall be assembled 
  2.3   without the consent of the other house. 
  2.4      Sec. 2.  [SCHEDULE AND QUESTION.] 
  2.5      The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at 
  2.6   the 2000 general election.  If the amendment is approved, it is 
  2.7   effective for the legislature elected in 2002 to meet in 2003 
  2.8   and thereafter.  The question submitted shall be: 
  2.9      "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to limit the 
  2.10  legislature to meet in regular session only in odd-numbered 
  2.11  years and for no more than 100 legislative days? 
  2.12                                     Yes .......
  2.13                                     No ........"
  2.14                             ARTICLE 2 
  2.15          TERM LENGTHS AND STAGGERED TERMS FOR LEGISLATORS 
  2.16     Section 1.  [CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.] 
  2.17     An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, article IV, 
  2.18  section 4, is proposed to the people.  If the amendment is 
  2.19  adopted, the section will read: 
  2.20     Sec. 4.  Except to fill a vacancy and except as provided by 
  2.21  this section, representatives shall be chosen for a term of two 
  2.22  four years, except to fill a vacancy.  and senators shall be 
  2.23  chosen for a term of four six years, except to fill a vacancy 
  2.24  and except there shall be an entire new election of all the 
  2.25  senators at the first election of representatives after each new 
  2.26  legislative apportionment provided for in this 
  2.27  article.  One-half of the representatives shall be elected to a 
  2.28  four-year term and one-half shall be elected to a two-year term 
  2.29  at the first general election after each new legislative 
  2.30  apportionment.  One-half of the senators shall be elected to a 
  2.31  six-year term and one-half shall be elected to a four-year term 
  2.32  at the first general election after each new legislative 
  2.33  apportionment.  The length of legislators' first terms after 
  2.34  each legislative apportionment shall be determined by lot.  The 
  2.35  governor shall call elections to fill vacancies in either house 
  2.36  of the legislature. 
  3.1      Sec. 2.  [SCHEDULE AND QUESTION.] 
  3.2      The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at 
  3.3   the 2000 general election.  If the amendment is approved, it is 
  3.4   effective for the legislature elected in 2002 to meet in 2003 
  3.5   and thereafter.  The question submitted shall be: 
  3.6      "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide for 
  3.7   senators elected for six-year staggered terms and 
  3.8   representatives elected for four-year staggered terms? 
  3.9                                      Yes .......
  3.10                                     No ........"
  3.11                             ARTICLE 3 
  3.12                JOINT LEGISLATIVE FISCAL COMMITTEES 
  3.13     Section 1.  [CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.] 
  3.14     An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, article IV, 
  3.15  sections 7 and 18, is proposed to the people.  If the amendment 
  3.16  is adopted, article IV, section 7, will read: 
  3.17     Sec. 7.  Appropriation and revenue legislation must 
  3.18  originate in joint committees on appropriation or revenue 
  3.19  legislation.  In other respects, each house may determine the 
  3.20  rules of its proceedings, sit upon its own adjournment, punish 
  3.21  its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of 
  3.22  two-thirds expel a member; but no member shall be expelled a 
  3.23  second time for the same offense. 
  3.24     and article IV, section 18, will read: 
  3.25     Sec. 18.  All bills for raising revenue shall originate in 
  3.26  the house of representatives a joint committee on revenue 
  3.27  legislation, but the senate and the house of representatives may 
  3.28  propose and concur with the amendments as on other bills. 
  3.29     Sec. 2.  [SCHEDULE AND QUESTION.] 
  3.30     The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at 
  3.31  the 2000 general election.  If the amendment is approved, it is 
  3.32  effective for the legislature elected in 2002 to meet in 2003 
  3.33  and thereafter.  The question submitted shall be: 
  3.34     "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require 
  3.35  joint legislative committees on appropriation and revenue 
  3.36  measures? 
  4.1                                      Yes .......
  4.2                                      No ........"
  4.3                              ARTICLE 4 
  4.4                         SIZE OF LEGISLATURE 
  4.5      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 2.021, is 
  4.6   amended to read: 
  4.7      2.021 [NUMBER OF MEMBERS.] 
  4.8      For each legislature, until a new apportionment shall have 
  4.9   been made, the senate is composed of 67 40 members and the house 
  4.10  of representatives is composed of 134 80 members. 
  4.11     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.12     Section 1 is effective for legislators elected at the state 
  4.13  general election in 2002 and thereafter.