February 3, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Gosselin, Drolet, Hoogendyk and Palmer and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending sections 12 and 13 of article IV,
to limit the legislative session and to reduce salaries and expense
allowances of members of the legislature.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, to limit the legislative session and to
reduce salaries and expense allowances of members of the
legislature, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people
of the state:
ARTICLE IV
Sec. 12. The state officers compensation commission is created
which subject to this section shall determine the salaries and
expense
allowances of the members of the legislature, the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court. The
commission shall consist of 7 members appointed by the governor
whose qualifications may be determined by law. Subject to the
legislature's ability to amend the commission's determinations as
provided in this section, the commission shall determine the
salaries
and expense allowances of the members of the legislature,
the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court which
determinations shall be the salaries and expense allowances only if
the legislature by concurrent resolution adopted by a majority of
the members elected to and serving in each house of the legislature
approve them. The senate and house of representatives shall
alternate on which house of the legislature shall originate the
concurrent resolution, with the senate originating the first
concurrent resolution.
The concurrent resolution may amend the salary and expense
determinations of the state officers compensation commission to
reduce the salary and expense determinations by the same proportion
for members
of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the
justices of the supreme court. The legislature shall not amend the
salary and expense determinations to reduce them to below the
salary
and expense level that members of the legislature, the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court receive
on the date the salary and expense determinations are made. If the
salary and expense determinations are approved or amended as
provided in this section, the salary and expense determinations
shall become effective for the legislative session immediately
following the next general election. The commission shall meet each
2 years for no more than 15 session days. Salaries and expense
allowances of members of the legislature shall be 18.75% of the
salaries and expense allowances in effect in 2004. Expense
allowances shall only be paid for the periods that the legislature
is in session. The legislature shall implement this section by
law.
Sec. 13. Except when the legislature is called to convene on
extraordinary occasions, the legislature shall only meet as
provided in this section. The legislature shall meet at the seat
of government on the second Wednesday in January of each year at
twelve o'clock noon. Each regular session shall adjourn without
day, on a day determined by concurrent resolution, at twelve
o'clock noon. Any business, bill or joint resolution pending at the
final adjournment of a regular session held in an odd numbered year
shall carry over with the same status to the next regular session.
In 2007 and every year after 2007, the legislature shall meet for
not more than 90 consecutive days.
Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
in the manner provided by law.