HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

168

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 4, OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION TO ESTABLISH LEGISLATIVE TERM LIMITS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to propose an amendment to article III, section 4, of the Hawaii Constitution, to limit the terms of members of the legislature to a maximum of twelve years in the house of representatives and twelve years in the senate.

     SECTION 2.  Article III, section 4, of the Hawaii Constitution is amended to read as follows:

"ELECTION OF MEMBERS; TERM

Section 4.  Each member of the legislature shall be elected at an election.  If more than one candidate has been nominated for election to a seat in the legislature, the member occupying that seat shall be elected at a general election.  If a candidate nominated for a seat at a primary election is unopposed for that seat at the general election, the candidate shall be deemed elected at the primary election.  The term of office of a member of the house of representatives shall be two years and the term of office of a member of the senate shall be four years[.]; provided that no member of the legislature shall serve for more than twelve consecutive years in the house of representatives or twelve consecutive years in the senate, after the general election of 2016; provided further that a member may complete the member's term if the member reaches the twelve-year limit before a current term has ended.

The term of a member of the legislature shall begin on the day of the general election at which elected or if elected at a primary election, on the day of the general election immediately following the primary election at which elected.  For a member of the house of representatives, the terms shall end on the day of the general election immediately following the day the member's term commences.  For a member of the senate, the term shall end on the day of the second general election immediately following the day the member's term commences."

SECTION 3.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

"Shall members of the legislature be limited to serving a maximum of twelve consecutive years in the house of representatives or the senate, with years of service calculated after the general election of 2016?"

SECTION 4.  Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New constitutional material is underscored.

SECTION 5.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Hawaii Constitution.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Legislative Term Limits

 

Description:

Limits the terms of members of the Legislature to 12 consecutive years in the House of Representatives or the Senate, with years of service calculated after the general election of 2016.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.