HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

480

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

pROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO article III, section 6, of the Hawaii constitution TO CHANGE THE qUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS of the legislature.

 

 

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 6, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to prohibit an individual appointed by the governor to fill a vacant seat in the legislature from seeking election to the same seat in the election immediately following the expiration of their appointed term.

     SECTION 2.  Article III, section 6, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

"QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS

     Section 6.  No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the senate unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the senatorial district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent senator may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent senator's term.  No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the house of representatives unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent representative may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent representative's term.  A person who has been appointed by the governor to fill a vacant seat in the legislature shall not seek election to the same seat in the election immediately following the expiration of the person's appointed term."

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

     "Shall Governor-appointed members to a vacant seat in the legislature be prohibited from seeking election to the same seat in the election immediately following the expiration of the person's appointed term?"

     SECTION 4.  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.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Legislature; Member Qualifications; Appointed Members

 

Description:

Proposes an amendment to the State constitution to prohibit a person who has been appointed by the governor to fill a vacant seat in the legislature from seeking election to that seat for the term immediately following the person's appointment.

 

 

 

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