Bill Text: HI SB1406 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Reapportionment Commission; Member Selection; Constitutional Amendment
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB1406 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2012-SB1406-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1406 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO CHANGE THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS ON THE REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION.
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 IV, section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to ensure that the members of the legislature responsible for selection of the members of a reapportionment commission shall reflect the proportional representation of their respective legislative houses.
SECTION 2. Article IV, section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:
"REAPPORTIONMENT COMMISSION
Section 2. A reapportionment commission
shall be constituted on or before May 1 of each reapportionment year and
whenever reapportionment is required by court order. The commission shall
consist of nine members. The president of the senate and the speaker of the
house of representatives shall each select two members. Members of each house
belonging to the party or parties different from that of the president or the
speaker shall designate one of [their number] its members for each
house and the two so designated shall each select two members of the commission[.];
provided that:
(1) If the members of a house belonging to the party or parties different from that of the president or the speaker, as appropriate, represent less than twenty‑five per cent of the total membership of that house, then the members belonging to the party or parties with less than twenty-five per cent representation shall select one member, and the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives, whomever is appropriate, shall select three members; or
(2) If all of the members of a house belong to the same party as the president or speaker, as appropriate, the president of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives, whomever is appropriate, shall select four members; provided that the four members shall be approved by majority consent of the members of that house.
The eight members so selected, promptly after selection, shall be certified by the selecting authorities to the chief election officer and within thirty days thereafter, shall select, by a vote of six members, and promptly certify to the chief election officer the ninth member who shall serve as chairperson of the commission.
Each of the four officials designated above as selecting authorities for the eight members of the commission, at the time of the commission selections, shall also select one person from each basic island unit to serve on an apportionment advisory council for that island unit. The councils shall remain in existence during the life of the commission and each shall serve in an advisory capacity to the commission for matters affecting its island unit.
A vacancy in the commission or a council shall be filled by the initial selecting authority within fifteen days after the vacancy occurs. Commission and council positions and vacancies not filled within the times specified shall be filled promptly thereafter by the supreme court.
The commission shall act by majority vote of its membership and shall establish its own procedures, except as may be provided by law.
Not more than one hundred fifty days from the date on which its members are certified, the commission shall file with the chief election officer a reapportionment plan for the state legislature and a reapportionment plan for the United States congressional districts which shall become law after publication as provided by law. Members of the commission shall hold office until each reapportionment plan becomes effective or until such time as may be provided by law.
No member of the reapportionment commission or an apportionment advisory council shall be eligible to become a candidate for election to either house of the legislature or to the United States House of Representatives in either of the first two elections under any such reapportionment plan.
Commission and apportionment advisory council members shall be compensated and reimbursed for their necessary expenses as provided by law.
The chief election officer shall be secretary of the commission without vote and, under the direction of the commission, shall furnish all necessary technical services. The legislature shall appropriate funds to enable the commission to carry out its duties."
SECTION 3. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:
"Shall the number of members of the reapportionment commission selected by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives be determined by the proportion of members belonging to the political party or parties in each house?"
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 Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Reapportionment Commission; Member Selection; Constitutional Amendment
Description:
Proposes a constitutional amendment to change the selection of members on the reapportionment commission.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
