HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION EEE

 

July 16, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Meadows and referred to the Committee on Oversight and Investigations.

 

     A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state

 

constitution of 1963, by amending section 12 of article IV and

 

repealing section 54 of article IV, to reduce salaries of members

 

of the legislature, to prohibit retirement health benefits for

 

members of the legislature, and to repeal term limits for 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 reduce salaries of members of the

 

legislature, to prohibit retirement health benefits for members of

 

the legislature, and to repeal term limits for 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 Except as otherwise provided in

 

this section and 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. The legislature shall

 

implement this section by law.

 

     Beginning January 1, 2009, a legislator shall receive a salary

 

of $5,000.00 for each month in which the legislator attends all

 

scheduled session days. A legislator's salary shall be reduced

 

proportionally for each session day the legislator does not attend.

 

A legislator shall not be provided any retiree health benefits

 

solely because of his or her service in the legislature. The salary

 

of a legislator may be changed by the state officers compensation

 

commission and the legislature as provided in this section.

 

     Sec. 54. No person shall be elected to the office of state

 

representative more than three times. No person shall be elected to

 

the office of state senate more than two times. Any person

 

appointed or elected to fill a vacancy in the house of

 

representatives or the state senate for a period greater than one

 

half of a term of such office, shall be considered to have been

 

elected to serve one time in that office for purposes of this

 

section. This limitation on the number of times a person shall be

 

elected to office shall apply to terms of office beginning on or

 

after January 1, 1993.


 

     This section shall be self-executing. Legislation may be

 

enacted to facilitate operation of this section, but no law shall

 

limit or restrict the application of this section. If any part of

 

this section is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, the

 

remaining parts of this section shall not be affected but will

 

remain in full force and effect.

 

     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.