SC0041 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 04718 JAM 14781 e

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
SC0041

Introduced 2/25/2009, by Sen. Chris Lauzen

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 1

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Beginning with members elected in 2012, changes the House of Representatives from a 118-member body elected from 118 districts to a 117-member body elected from 39 districts of 3 members each. Prohibits a political party from limiting its nominations to less than 3 candidates in a Representative District. Permits a voter to cast 3 votes among one, 2, or 3 candidates for Representative. Effective upon being declared adopted and applies to the election of Representatives in 2012 and thereafter.

A BILL FOR

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 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 Sections 1 and 2 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution 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 a Senate and a House of Representatives, elected by the electors from 59 Legislative Districts and 39 118 Representative Districts.

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

(ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2)

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION

(a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative District. Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into three groups. Senators from one group shall be elected for terms of four years, four years and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms of four years, two years and four years; and 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) In 2012 and every two years thereafter, three Representatives Each Legislative District shall be divided into two Representative Districts. In 1982 and every two years thereafter one Representative shall be elected from each Representative District for a term of two years. No political party shall limit its nominations to less than three candidates for Representatives in any Representative District. In elections for Representatives, including those for nomination, each elector may cast three votes for one candidate or distribute them equally among no more than three candidates. The candidates highest in votes shall be declared elected.

(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 election or appointment a resident of the district which he 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 resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he 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 a Senatorial office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Senator shall serve until the next general election, at which time a 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 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 is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly.

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

SCHEDULE

This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the election of Representatives in 2012 and thereafter.