1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota 
1.3 	Constitution, article IV, section 12; including certain special session days as 
1.4 	legislative days; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 3.011; 3.012.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
 1.7 	An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to  the people.  If the 
1.8 	amendment is adopted, article IV, section 12, will read:

1.9 	Sec. 12.  The legislature shall meet  at the seat of government in regular session in 
1.10 	each biennium at  the times prescribed by law for not exceeding a total of 120  legislative 
1.11 	days.  A legislative day during a special session must be counted for purposes of the 120 
1.12 	legislative day limit if the primary purpose of the special session is to pass one or more 
1.13 	major budget bills necessary to continue the operation of state government. The legislature 
1.14 	shall not meet in regular  session, nor in any adjournment thereof, after the first Monday  
1.15 	following the third Saturday in May of any year.  After meeting  at a time prescribed by 
1.16 	law, the legislature may adjourn to  another time.  "Legislative day" shall be defined by 
1.17 	law. "Major budget bills" shall be defined by law or by legislative rule.  A  special session 
1.18 	of the legislature may be called by the governor  on extraordinary occasions.  
1.19 	 Neither house during a session of the legislature shall  adjourn for more than three 
1.20 	days (Sundays excepted) nor to any  other place than that in which the two houses shall be 
1.21 	assembled  without the consent of the other house.  

1.22 	Sec. 2. SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
 2.1 	The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2006 general 
2.2 	election. The question submitted shall be:
2.3 	"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that if a special session 
2.4 	is called primarily to act on major budget bills necessary for continued government 
2.5 	operations, legislative days during that special session count toward the limit of 120 
2.6 	legislative days that the legislature may meet during a biennium?

2.7	Yes .......
	
2.8	No ......."

2.9 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 3.011, is amended to read:
2.10 	3.011 SESSIONS.
2.11 	The legislature shall meet at the seat of government on the first Tuesday after the 
2.12 	first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year. When the first Monday in January 
2.13 	falls on January 1, it shall meet on the first Wednesday after the first Monday. It shall 
2.14 	also meet when called by the governor to meet in special session. In each biennium, the 
2.15 	legislature shall not meet for more than 120 legislative days.

2.16 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 3.012, is amended to read:
2.17 	3.012 LEGISLATIVE DAY.
2.18 	(a) A legislative day is a day when either house of the legislature is called to order
2.19 	in regular session, or in a special session called in an odd-numbered year primarily 
2.20 	because the legislature has not passed all of the major budget bills needed to continue state 
2.21 	government operations. A legislative day begins at seven o'clock a.m. and continues until 
2.22 	seven o'clock a.m. of the following calendar day.
2.23 	(b) For purposes of this section: 
2.24 	(1) "passed" means that the house of representatives and the senate have given final 
2.25 	approval to a bill and have presented the bill to the governor; and
2.26 	(2) unless the term is otherwise defined by joint rules of the senate and the house of 
2.27 	representatives, "major budget bill" means the primary bill providing funding in each of 
2.28 	the following areas: higher education; early childhood through high school education; 
2.29 	agriculture and rural development; environment and natural resources; health and human 
2.30 	services; state government finance; economic development; judiciary and public safety; 
2.31 	and transportation. 

2.32 	Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 3.1 	Sections 3 and 4 are effective January 1, 2007, if the constitutional amendment 
3.2 	proposed in section 1 is adopted by the voters.