REPORT TITLE: 
Term limits
DESCRIPTION:
Proposes a constitutional amendment limiting the terms of state
representatives to four consecutive two-year terms.

 
HB HMIA 99-262
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            769         
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     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:


 1      SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to propose an
 
 2 amendment to Article III, section 4, of the Constitution of the
 
 3 State of Hawaii to limit state representatives to four
 
 4 consecutive two-year terms.
 
 5      SECTION 2. Article III, section 4, of the Constitution of
 
 6 the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:
 
 7 
 
 8                    "ELECTION OF MEMBERS; TERM
 
 9 
 
10      Section 4.  Each member of the legislature shall be elected
 
11 at an election.  If more than one candidate has been nominated
 
12 for election to a seat in the legislature, the member occupying
 
13 that seat shall be elected at a general election.  If a candidate
 
14 nominated for a seat at a primary election is unopposed for that
 
15 seat at the general election, the candidate shall be deemed
 
16 elected at the primary election.  The term of office of a member
 
17 of the house of representatives shall be two years [and the];
 
18 provided that, beginning with terms commencing on the day of the
 
19 general election of 2002, no member shall serve for more than
 

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 1 four consecutive two-year terms, and provided further that if
 
 2 there is a break in service between terms of at least one term of
 
 3 two years, the service prior to the break shall not be counted
 
 4 and the tallying of the term limitation shall commence from the
 
 5 date of the new term.  The term of office of a member of the
 
 6 senate shall be four years.
 
 7      For purposes of computing the term limits in this section,
 
 8 the following shall be considered to have served a full term of
 
 9 office:
 
10      (1)  Any person appointed or elected to fill a vacancy in
 
11 the legislature and who serves at least one-half of a term of
 
12 office.
 
13      The term of a member of the legislature shall begin on the
 
14 day of the general election at which elected or if elected at a
 
15 primary election, on the day of the general election immediately
 
16 following the primary election at which elected.  For a member of
 
17 the house of representatives, the terms shall end on the day of
 
18 the general election immediately following the day the member's
 
19 term commences.  For a member of the senate, the term shall end
 
20 on the day of the second general election immediately following
 
21 the day the member's term commences."
 
22      SECTION 3.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall
 
23 be as follows:
 

 
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 1      "Shall state representatives be limited to serving four
 
 2 consecutive two year terms, beginning with terms commencing on
 
 3 the day of the general election of 2002, provided that a person
 
 4 will become eligible to serve in the same position if the person
 
 5 has been out of that office for one or more terms?"
 
 6      SECTION 4.  Constitutional material to be repealed is
 
 7 bracketed.  New constitutional material is underscored.
 
 8      SECTION 5.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance
 
 9 with Article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of
 
10 Hawaii.  
 
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