SC0008 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 09577 RJF 19744 e

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
SC0008

Introduced 2/8/2017, by Sen. Thomas Cullerton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

ILCON Art. IV, Sec. 2

Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that if there is a vacancy in a Representative office (currently, only Senatorial office) with twelve months or more (currently, more than twenty-eight months) remaining in the term, the appointed Representative shall serve until the next primary or general election, whichever is sooner, at which time a Representative shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. Provides that the General Assembly shall provide by law a uniform special election process which shall promote voter participation and provide for the most cost effective special election to fill the vacancies. Provides that if the vacancy occurs in a Representative office or Senatorial office with less than twelve months remaining in the term, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the term. Effective upon being declared adopted.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH 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 Section 2 to Article IV of the Illinois Constitution as follows:

ARTICLE IV

THE LEGISLATURE

(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) 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.

(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 or Representative office with twelve more than twenty-eight months or more remaining in the term, the appointed Senator or Representative shall serve until the next primary or general election, whichever is sooner, at which time a Senator or Representative shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. The General Assembly shall provide by law a uniform special election process which shall promote voter participation and provide for the most cost effective special election to fill these vacancies. If the vacancy is in a Representative office or in any other Senatorial office with less than twelve months remaining in the term, 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.