HC0026 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 03805 JAM 13837 e

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
HC0026

Introduced 2/26/2009, by Rep. Mike Boland

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 1

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 3

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 5

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 6

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 7

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 8

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 9

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 10

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 12

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 14

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 15 rep.

ILCON Art. V, Sec. 9

ILCON Art. V, Sec. 11

ILCON Art. VII, Sec. 6

ILCON Art. VIII, Sec. 3

ILCON Art. IX, Sec. 9

ILCON Art. XIII, Sec. 8

ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 1

ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 2

ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 4

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Changes the State's legislature to a unicameral General Assembly composed of 177 members. Provides that the members, beginning in 2012, are elected from single-member districts for staggered 4-year and 2-year terms. Provides for a Presiding Officer and a Minority Leader. Makes conforming changes in other Articles of the Illinois Constitution. Effective upon being declared adopted and applies beginning with the 97th General Assembly.

A BILL FOR

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH 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 the Illinois Constitution by changing Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 15 of Article IV, Sections 9 and 11 of Article V, Section 6 of Article VII, Section 3 of Article VIII, Section 9 of Article IX, Section 8 of Article XIII, and Sections 1, 2, and 4 of Article XIV as follows:

ARTICLE IV

THE LEGISLATURE

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 1)

SECTION 1. LEGISLATURE - POWER AND STRUCTURE

The legislative power is vested in a General Assembly consisting of 177 Lawmakers a Senate and a House of Representatives, elected by the electors from 59 Legislative Districts and 118 Representative Districts until 2012 and from 177 Legislative Districts beginning in 2012.

(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION

(a) Until 2012, one Lawmaker shall be elected from each of 59 Legislative Districts. Beginning in 2012, one Lawmaker One Senator shall be elected from each of 177 Legislative Districts District. Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into three groups. Lawmakers Senators from one group shall be elected for terms of four years, four years and two years; Lawmakers Senators from the second group, for terms of four years, two years and four years; and Lawmakers 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) Until 2011, each Each Legislative District shall be divided into two Representative Districts. In 2008 and 2010, one Lawmaker 1982 and every two years thereafter one Representative shall be elected from each Representative District for a term of two 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 or her election or appointment a resident of the district which he or she 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 or she resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he or she 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 an a Senatorial office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Lawmaker Senator shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Lawmaker Senator shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy is in 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 a member of the same political party as the person he or she 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 or she is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly.

No member of the General Assembly during the term for which he or she 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. 3)

SECTION 3. LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING

(a) Legislative Districts shall be compact, contiguous and substantially equal in population. Representative Districts shall be compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population.

(b) In the year following each Federal decennial census year, the General Assembly by law shall redistrict the Legislative Districts and the Representative Districts.

If no redistricting plan becomes effective by June 30 of that year, a Legislative Redistricting Commission shall be constituted not later than July 10. The Commission shall consist of eight members, no more than four of whom shall be members of the same political party.

The Presiding Officer Speaker and Minority Leader of the General Assembly House of Representatives shall each appoint to the Commission two Lawmakers and two persons who are not members one Representative and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly. The President and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each appoint to the Commission one Senator and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly.

The members shall be certified to the Secretary of State by the appointing authorities. A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled within five days by the authority that made the original appointment. A Chairman and Vice Chairman shall be chosen by a majority of all members of the Commission.

Not later than August 10, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by at least five members.

If the Commission fails to file an approved redistricting plan, the Supreme Court shall submit the names of two persons, not of the same political party, to the Secretary of State not later than September 1.

Not later than September 5, the Secretary of State publicly shall draw by random selection the name of one of the two persons to serve as the ninth member of the Commission.

Not later than October 5, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by at least five members.

An approved redistricting plan filed with the Secretary of State shall be presumed valid, shall have the force and effect of law and shall be published promptly by the Secretary of State.

The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the General Assembly House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General.

(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 during the period from the second Wednesday of January in an odd-numbered year through the Tuesday immediately preceding the second Wednesday of January in the next odd-numbered year 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 General Assembly may also be convened by joint proclamation of the Presiding Officer of the General Assembly 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 and legislative commission meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to the General Assembly 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.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 6)

SECTION 6. ORGANIZATION

(a) A majority of the members elected to the General Assembly each house constitutes a quorum.

(b) On the first day of the January session of the General Assembly in odd-numbered years, the Secretary of State shall convene the House of Representatives to elect from its membership a Speaker of the House of Representatives as presiding officer, and the Governor shall convene the General Assembly Senate to elect from its membership a Presiding Officer President of the Senate as presiding officer.

(c) For purposes of powers of appointment conferred by this Constitution, the Minority Leader of the General Assembly either house is a member of the numerically strongest political party other than the party to which the Presiding Officer Speaker or the President belongs, as the case may be.

(d) The General Assembly Each house shall determine the rules of its proceedings, judge the elections, returns and qualifications of its members and choose its officers. No member shall be expelled by the General Assembly either house, except by a vote of two-thirds of the members elected to that house. A member may be expelled only once for the same offense. The General Assembly Each house may punish by imprisonment any person, not a member, guilty of disrespect to the General Assembly house by disorderly or contemptuous behavior in its presence. Imprisonment shall not extend beyond twenty-four hours at one time unless the person persists in disorderly or contemptuous behavior.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 7)

SECTION 7. TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS

(a) Committees of the General Assembly each house, joint committees of the two houses and legislative commissions shall give reasonable public notice of meetings, including a statement of subjects to be considered.

(b) The General Assembly Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings and a transcript of its debates. The journal shall be published and the transcript shall be available to the public.

(c) The General Assembly Either house or any committee thereof as provided by law may compel by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, records and papers.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 8)

SECTION 8. PASSAGE OF BILLS

(a) The enacting clause of the laws of this State shall be: "Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly."

(b) The General Assembly shall enact laws only by bill. Bills may originate in either house, but may be amended or rejected by the other.

(c) No bill shall become a law without the concurrence of a majority of the members elected to each house. Final passage of a bill shall be by record vote. At In the Senate at the request of two members, and in the House at the request of seven five members, a record vote may be taken on any other occasion. A record vote is a vote by yeas and nays entered on the journal.

(d) A bill shall be read by title on three different days in the General Assembly each house. A bill and each amendment thereto shall be reproduced and placed on the desk of each member before final passage.

Bills, except bills for appropriations and for the codification, revision or rearrangement of laws, shall be confined to one subject. Appropriation bills shall be limited to the subject of appropriations.

A bill expressly amending a law shall set forth completely the sections amended.

The Presiding Officer Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall sign each bill that passes the General Assembly both houses to certify that the procedural requirements for passage have been met.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 9)

SECTION 9. VETO PROCEDURE

(a) Every bill passed by the General Assembly shall be presented to the Governor within 30 calendar days after its passage. The foregoing requirement shall be judicially enforceable. If the Governor approves the bill, he or she shall sign it and it shall become law.

(b) If the Governor does not approve the bill, he or she shall veto it by returning it with his or her objections to the General Assembly house in which it originated. Any bill not so returned by the Governor within 60 calendar days after it is presented to him or her shall become law. If recess or adjournment of the General Assembly prevents the return of a bill, the bill and the Governor's objections shall be filed with the Secretary of State within such 60 calendar days. The Secretary of State shall return the bill and objections to the General Assembly originating house promptly upon the next meeting of the same General Assembly at which the bill can be considered.

(c) When The house to which a bill is returned, the General Assembly shall immediately enter the Governor's objections upon its journal. If within 15 calendar days after such entry the General Assembly that house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall be delivered immediately to the second house. If within 15 calendar days after such delivery the second house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall become law.

(d) The Governor may reduce or veto any item of appropriations in a bill presented to him or her. Portions of a bill not reduced or vetoed shall become law. An item vetoed shall be returned to the General Assembly house in which it originated and may become law in the same manner as a vetoed bill. An item reduced in amount shall be returned to the General Assembly house in which it originated and may be restored to its original amount in the same manner as a vetoed bill except that the required record vote shall be a majority of the members elected to each house. If a reduced item is not so restored, it shall become law in the reduced amount.

(e) The Governor may return a bill together with specific recommendations for change to the General Assembly house in which it originated. The bill shall be considered in the same manner as a vetoed bill but the specific recommendations may be accepted by a record vote of a majority of the members elected to each house. Such bill shall be presented again to the Governor and if he or she certifies that such acceptance conforms to his or her specific recommendations, the bill shall become law. If the Governor he does not so certify, he or she shall return it as a vetoed bill to the General Assembly house in which it originated.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 10)

SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE OF LAWS

The General Assembly shall provide by law for a uniform effective date for laws passed prior to June 1 of a calendar year. The General Assembly may provide for a different effective date in any law passed prior to June 1. A bill passed after May 31 shall not become effective prior to June 1 of the next calendar year unless the General Assembly by the vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house provides for an earlier effective date.

(Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 8, 1994.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 12)

SECTION 12. LEGISLATIVE IMMUNITY

Except in cases of treason, felony or breach of peace, a member shall be privileged from arrest going to, during, and returning from sessions of the General Assembly. A member shall not be held to answer before any other tribunal for any speech or debate, written or oral, in the General Assembly either house. These immunities shall apply to committee and legislative commission proceedings.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 14)

SECTION 14. IMPEACHMENT

The General Assembly House of Representatives has the sole power to conduct legislative investigations to determine the existence of cause for impeachment and, by the vote of a majority of the members elected, to impeach Executive and Judicial officers. Impeachments shall be tried by the General Assembly Senate. When sitting for that purpose, Lawmakers Senators shall be upon oath, or affirmation, to do justice according to law. If the Governor is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the Lawmakers Senators elected. Judgment shall not extend beyond removal from office and disqualification to hold any public office of this State. An impeached officer, whether convicted or acquitted, shall be liable to prosecution, trial, judgment and punishment according to law.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 15 rep.)

SECTION 15. ADJOURNMENT (REPEALED)

(a) When the General Assembly is in session, neither house without the consent of the other shall adjourn for more than three days or to a place other than where the two houses are sitting.

(b) If either house certifies that a disagreement exists between the houses as to the time for adjourning a session, the Governor may adjourn the General Assembly to a time not later than the first day of the next annual session.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE V

THE EXECUTIVE

(ILCON Art. V, Sec. 9)

SECTION 9. GOVERNOR - APPOINTING POWER

(a) The Governor shall nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the General Assembly Senate, a majority of the members elected concurring by record vote, shall appoint all officers whose election or appointment is not otherwise provided for. Any nomination not acted upon by the General Assembly Senate within 60 session days after the receipt thereof shall be deemed to have received the advice and consent of the General Assembly Senate. The General Assembly shall have no power to elect or appoint officers of the Executive Branch.

(b) If, during a recess of the General Assembly Senate, there is a vacancy in an office filled by appointment by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the General Assembly Senate, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the General Assembly Senate, when he or she shall make a nomination to fill such office.

(c) No person rejected by the General Assembly Senate for an office shall, except at the General Assembly's Senate's request, be nominated again for that office at the same session or be appointed to that office during a recess of that General Assembly Senate.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. V, Sec. 11)

SECTION 11. GOVERNOR - AGENCY REORGANIZATION

The Governor, by Executive Order, may reassign functions among or reorganize executive agencies which are directly responsible to him or her. If such a reassignment or reorganization would contravene a statute, the Executive Order shall be delivered to the General Assembly. If the General Assembly is in annual session and if the Executive Order is delivered on or before April 1, the General Assembly shall consider the Executive Order at that annual session. If the General Assembly is not in annual session or if the Executive Order is delivered after April 1, the General Assembly shall consider the Executive Order at its next annual session, in which case the Executive Order shall be deemed to have been delivered on the first day of that annual session. Such an Executive Order shall not become effective if, within 60 calendar days after its delivery to the General Assembly, the General Assembly either house disapproves the Executive Order by the record vote of a majority of the members elected. An Executive Order not so disapproved shall become effective by its terms but not less than 60 calendar days after its delivery to the General Assembly.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE VII

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(ILCON Art. VII, Sec. 6)

SECTION 6. POWERS OF HOME RULE UNITS

(a) A County which has a chief executive officer elected by the electors of the county and any municipality which has a population of more than 25,000 are home rule units. Other municipalities may elect by referendum to become home rule units. Except as limited by this Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs including, but not limited to, the power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals and welfare; to license; to tax; and to incur debt.

(b) A home rule unit by referendum may elect not to be a home rule unit.

(c) If a home rule county ordinance conflicts with an ordinance of a municipality, the municipal ordinance shall prevail within its jurisdiction.

(d) A home rule unit does not have the power (1) to incur debt payable from ad valorem property tax receipts maturing more than 40 years from the time it is incurred or (2) to define and provide for the punishment of a felony.

(e) A home rule unit shall have only the power that the General Assembly may provide by law (1) to punish by imprisonment for more than six months or (2) to license for revenue or impose taxes upon or measured by income or earnings or upon occupations.

(f) A home rule unit shall have the power subject to approval by referendum to adopt, alter or repeal a form of government provided by law, except that the form of government of Cook County shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3 of this Article. A home rule municipality shall have the power to provide for its officers, their manner of selection and terms of office only as approved by referendum or as otherwise authorized by law. A home rule county shall have the power to provide for its officers, their manner of selection and terms of office in the manner set forth in Section 4 of this Article.

(g) The General Assembly by a law approved by the vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house may deny or limit the power to tax and any other power or function of a home rule unit not exercised or performed by the State other than a power or function specified in subsection (l) of this section.

(h) The General Assembly may provide specifically by law for the exclusive exercise by the State of any power or function of a home rule unit other than a taxing power or a power or function specified in subsection (l) of this Section.

(i) Home rule units may exercise and perform concurrently with the State any power or function of a home rule unit to the extent that the General Assembly by law does not specifically limit the concurrent exercise or specifically declare the State's exercise to be exclusive.

(j) The General Assembly may limit by law the amount of debt which home rule counties may incur and may limit by law approved by three-fifths of the members elected to each house the amount of debt, other than debt payable from ad valorem property tax receipts, which home rule municipalities may incur.

(k) The General Assembly may limit by law the amount and require referendum approval of debt to be incurred by home rule municipalities, payable from ad valorem property tax receipts, only in excess of the following percentages of the assessed value of its taxable property: (1) if its population is 500,000 or more, an aggregate of three percent; (2) if its population is more than 25,000 and less than 500,000, an aggregate of one percent; and (3) if its population is 25,000 or less, an aggregate of one-half percent. Indebtedness which is outstanding on the effective date of this Constitution or which is thereafter approved by referendum or assumed from another unit of local government shall not be included in the foregoing percentage amounts.

(l) The General Assembly may not deny or limit the power of home rule units (1) to make local improvements by special assessment and to exercise this power jointly with other counties and municipalities, and other classes of units of local government having that power on the effective date of this Constitution unless that power is subsequently denied by law to any such other units of local government or (2) to levy or impose additional taxes upon areas within their boundaries in the manner provided by law for the provision of special services to those areas and for the payment of debt incurred in order to provide those special services.

(m) Powers and functions of home rule units shall be construed liberally.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE VIII

FINANCE

(ILCON Art. VIII, Sec. 3)

SECTION 3. STATE AUDIT AND AUDITOR GENERAL

(a) The General Assembly shall provide by law for the audit of the obligation, receipt and use of public funds of the State. The General Assembly, by a vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house, shall appoint an Auditor General and may remove him or her for cause by a similar vote. The Auditor General shall serve for a term of ten years. His or her compensation shall be established by law and shall not be diminished, but may be increased, to take effect during his or her term.

(b) The Auditor General shall conduct the audit of public funds of the State. He or she shall make additional reports and investigations as directed by the General Assembly. He or she shall report his or her findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and to the Governor.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE IX

REVENUE

(ILCON Art. IX, Sec. 9)

SECTION 9. STATE DEBT

(a) No State debt shall be incurred except as provided in this Section. For the purpose of this Section, "State debt" means bonds or other evidences of indebtedness which are secured by the full faith and credit of the State or are required to be repaid, directly or indirectly, from tax revenue and which are incurred by the State, any department, authority, public corporation or quasi-public corporation of the State, any State college or university, or any other public agency created by the State, but not by units of local government, or school districts.

(b) State debt for specific purposes may be incurred or the payment of State or other debt guaranteed in such amounts as may be provided either in a law passed by the vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly or in a law approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question at the next general election following passage. Any law providing for the incurring or guaranteeing of debt shall set forth the specific purposes and the manner of repayment.

(c) State debt in anticipation of revenues to be collected in a fiscal year may be incurred by law in an amount not exceeding 5% of the State's appropriations for that fiscal year. Such debt shall be retired from the revenues realized in that fiscal year.

(d) State debt may be incurred by law in an amount not exceeding 15% of the State's appropriations for that fiscal year to meet deficits caused by emergencies or failures of revenue. Such law shall provide that the debt be repaid within one year of the date it is incurred.

(e) State debt may be incurred by law to refund outstanding State debt if the refunding debt matures within the term of the outstanding State debt.

(f) The State, departments, authorities, public corporations and quasi-public corporations of the State, the State colleges and universities and other public agencies created by the State, may issue bonds or other evidences of indebtedness which are not secured by the full faith and credit or tax revenue of the State nor required to be repaid, directly or indirectly, from tax revenue, for such purposes and in such amounts as may be authorized by law.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE XIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

(ILCON Art. XIII, Sec. 8)

SECTION 8. BRANCH BANKING

Branch banking shall be authorized only by law approved by three-fifths of the members voting on the question or a majority of the members elected, whichever is greater, in each house of the General Assembly.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

ARTICLE XIV

CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION

(ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 1)

SECTION 1. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

(a) Whenever three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly so direct, the question of whether a Constitutional Convention should be called shall be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at least six months after such legislative direction.

(b) If the question of whether a Convention should be called is not submitted during any twenty-year period, the Secretary of State shall submit such question at the general election in the twentieth year following the last submission.

(c) The vote on whether to call a Convention shall be on a separate ballot. A Convention shall be called if approved by three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election.

(d) The General Assembly, at the session following approval by the electors, by law shall provide for the Convention and for the election of two delegates from each Legislative District; designate the time and place of the Convention's first meeting which shall be within three months after the election of delegates; fix and provide for the pay of delegates and officers; and provide for expenses necessarily incurred by the Convention.

(e) To be eligible to be a delegate a person must meet the same eligibility requirements as a member of the General Assembly. Vacancies shall be filled as provided by law.

(f) The Convention shall prepare such revision of or amendments to the Constitution as it deems necessary. Any proposed revision or amendments approved by a majority of the delegates elected shall be submitted to the electors in such manner as the Convention determines, at an election designated or called by the Convention occurring not less than two nor more than six months after the Convention's adjournment. Any revision or amendments proposed by the Convention shall be published with explanations, as the Convention provides, at least one month preceding the election.

(g) The vote on the proposed revision or amendments shall be on a separate ballot. Any proposed revision or amendments shall become effective, as the Convention provides, if approved by a majority of those voting on the question.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 2)

SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(a) Amendments to this Constitution may be initiated in either house of the General Assembly. Amendments shall be read in full on three different days in the General Assembly each house and reproduced before the vote is taken on final passage. Amendments approved by the vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house shall be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at least six months after such legislative approval, unless withdrawn by a vote of a majority of the members elected to each house.

(b) Amendments proposed by the General Assembly shall be published with explanations, as provided by law, at least one month preceding the vote thereon by the electors. The vote on the proposed amendment or amendments shall be on a separate ballot. A proposed amendment shall become effective as the amendment provides if approved by either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election.

(c) The General Assembly shall not submit proposed amendments to more than three Articles of the Constitution at any one election. No amendment shall be proposed or submitted under this Section from the time a Convention is called until after the electors have voted on the revision or amendments, if any, proposed by such Convention.

(Source: Illinois Constitution.)

(ILCON Art. XIV, Sec. 4)

SECTION 4. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

The affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly shall be required to request Congress to call a Federal Constitutional Convention, to ratify a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, or to call a State Convention to ratify a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The General Assembly shall not take action on any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States submitted for ratification by legislatures unless a majority of the members of the General Assembly shall have been elected after the proposed amendment has been submitted for ratification. The requirements of this Section shall govern to the extent that they are not inconsistent with requirements established by the United States.

(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 beginning with the 97th General Assembly.