LRB-2243/1
PJD:jg:hmh
1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE
November 5, 1999 - Introduced by Representatives Wasserman, Black and Ryba.
Referred to Committee on Assembly Organization.
AJR91,1,81
To amend so as in effect
to repeal sections 5 and 19 of article IV and section 6 of
2article XIII;
to renumber and amend section 9 of article IV;
to amend 3sections 1 to 4, 7, 8, 10, 14, 17 (1), 20, 22, 23, 25, 26 (2) (b) and (3) and 30 of article
4IV, sections 3, 4 and 10 (2) of article V, section 2 of article VI, sections 1 and 13
5of article VII, sections 6, 7 (2) (e) and (g) and 8 of article VIII, sections 1 and 2
6of article XII and section 10 (2) of article XIII; and
to create section 9 (2) of
7article IV and section 17 of article XIV of the constitution;
relating to: the
8establishment of a unicameral legislature (first consideration).
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This proposed constitutional amendment, proposed to the 1999 legislature on
first consideration, transforms the Wisconsin legislature from a bicameral
legislature that consists of an assembly and a senate into a unicameral legislature
that consists of only one house, beginning with the legislature elected at the general
election in 2004.
The unicameral legislature will have 75 members elected from single-member
districts on a nonpartisan basis for staggered four-year terms.
Under the constitution presently, the assembly has the power of impeachment
and the senate is the court for the trial of impeachments. Under this proposal, the
legislature has the power of impeachment and is the court for the trial of
impeachments.
A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by 2 successive
legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.
AJR91,2,1
1Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That:
AJR91, s. 1
2Section
1. Section 1 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,2,43
[Article IV] Section 1. The legislative power shall be vested in
a senate and
4assembly the legislature consisting of one chamber.
AJR91, s. 2
5Section
2. Section 2 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,2,96
[Article IV] Section 2.
The
number of the members of the assembly legislature 7shall
never be less than fifty-four nor more than one hundred. The senate shall 8consist of
a number not more than one-third nor less than one-fourth of the number
9of the 75 members
of the assembly.
AJR91, s. 3
10Section
3. Section 3 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,2,1411
[Article IV] Section 3.
At its first session after each enumeration made by the
12authority of the United States, the legislature shall apportion and district anew the
13members of the senate and assembly legislative districts, according to the number
14of inhabitants.
AJR91, s. 4
15Section
4. Section 4 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,3,316
[Article IV] Section 4.
The members of the
assembly legislature shall be chosen
17biennially, by single districts
. The districts shall be numbered in the regular series,
18and the members shall be chosen, alternately from the odd-numbered and
19even-numbered districts, for the term of 4 years, on the Tuesday succeeding the first
20Monday of November in even-numbered years, by the qualified electors of the
21several districts
, such. The districts
to shall be bounded by county, precinct, town or
22ward lines, to consist of contiguous territory and be in as compact form as practicable.
1Each member shall be nominated and elected in a nonpartisan manner and without
2any indication on the ballot of affiliation with or endorsement by any political party
3or organization.
AJR91, s. 5
4Section
5. Section 5 of article IV of the constitution is amended so as in effect
5to repeal said section:
AJR91,3,116
[Article IV] Section 5.
The senators shall be elected by single districts of
7convenient contiguous territory, at the same time and in the same manner as
8members of the assembly are required to be chosen; and no assembly district shall
9be divided in the formation of a senate district. The senate districts shall be
10numbered in the regular series, and the senators shall be chosen alternately from the
11odd and even-numbered districts for the term of 4 years.
AJR91, s. 6
12Section
6. Section 7 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,3,1713
[Article IV] Section 7.
Each house The legislature shall be the judge of the
14elections, returns and qualifications of its
own members; and a majority
of each shall
15constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to
16day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under
17such penalties as
each house it may provide.
AJR91, s. 7
18Section
7. Section 8 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,3,2219
[Article IV] Section 8.
Each house
The legislature may determine the rules of
20its
own proceedings, punish for contempt and disorderly behavior, and with the
21concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected, expel a member; but no
22member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause.
AJR91, s. 8
23Section
8. Section 9 of article IV of the constitution is renumbered section 9 (1)
24of article IV and amended to read:
AJR91,4,2
1[Article IV] Section 9
(1)
Each house The legislature shall
choose elect its
2presiding officers from its
own members.
AJR91, s. 9
3Section
9. Section 9 (2) of article IV of the constitution is created to read:
AJR91,4,54
[Article IV] Section 9 (2) The legislature shall elect a chief clerk and a sergeant
5at arms, from outside its membership, for the biennial session of the legislature.
AJR91, s. 10
6Section
10. Section 10 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,4,117
[Article IV] Section 10.
Each house The legislature shall keep a journal of its
8proceedings and publish the same, except such parts as require secrecy. The doors
9of
each house the legislature shall be kept open except when the public welfare shall
10require secrecy.
Neither house shall, without consent of the other, adjourn for more
11than three days.
AJR91, s. 11
12Section
11. Section 14 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,4,1413
[Article IV] Section 14.
The governor shall issue writs of election to fill such
14vacancies as may occur in
either house of the legislature.
AJR91, s. 12
15Section
12. Section 17 (1) of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,4,1816
[Article IV] Section 17 (1) The style of all laws of the state shall be "The people
17of the state of Wisconsin, represented in
senate and assembly the legislature, do
18enact as follows:".
AJR91, s. 13
19Section
13. Section 19 of article IV of the constitution is amended so as in effect
20to repeal said section:
AJR91,4,2221
[Article IV] Section 19.
Any bill may originate in either house of the legislature,
22and a bill passed by one house may be amended by the other.
AJR91, s. 14
23Section
14. Section 20 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,5,3
1[Article IV] Section 20.
The yeas and nays of the members of
either house the
2legislature on any question shall, at the request of one-sixth of those present, be
3entered on the journal.
AJR91, s. 15
4Section
15. Section 22 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,5,75
[Article IV] Section
22. The legislature may confer upon the boards of
6supervisors of the several counties of the state such powers of a local, legislative and
7administrative character as
they the legislature shall from time to time prescribe.
AJR91, s. 16
8Section
16. Section 23 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,5,149
[Article IV] Section 23. The legislature shall establish but one system of town
10government, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable; but the legislature may
11provide for the election at large once in every 4 years of a chief executive officer in
12any county with such powers of an administrative character as
they the legislature 13may from time to time prescribe in accordance with this section and shall establish
14one or more systems of county government.
AJR91, s. 17
15Section
17. Section 25 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,5,2116
[Article IV] Section 25. The legislature shall provide by law that all stationery
17required for the use of the state, and all printing authorized and required by
them 18the legislature to be done for
their
the use
of the legislature, or for the state, shall
19be let by contract to the lowest bidder, but the legislature may establish a maximum
20price; no member of the legislature or other state officer shall be interested, either
21directly or indirectly, in any such contract.
AJR91, s. 18
22Section
18. Section 26 (2) (b) of article IV of the constitution is amended to
23read:
AJR91,6,224
[Article IV] Section 26 (2)
(b) Any increase in the compensation of members of
25the legislature shall take effect, for all
senators and representatives to the assembly
1members of the legislature, after the next general election beginning with the new
2assembly term biennial session of the legislature.
AJR91, s. 19
3Section
19. Section 26 (3) of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,6,94
[Article IV] Section 26 (3) Subsection (1) shall not apply to increased benefits
5for persons who have been or shall be granted benefits of any kind under a retirement
6system when such increased benefits are provided by a legislative act passed on a call
7of ayes and noes by a three-fourths vote of all the members elected to
both houses
8of the legislature and such act provides for sufficient state funds to cover the costs
9of the increased benefits.
AJR91, s. 20
10Section
20. Section 30 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,6,1211
[Article IV] Section 30. All elections made by the legislature shall be by roll call
12vote entered in the
journals journal.
AJR91, s. 21
13Section
21. Section 3 of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,6,2414
[Article V] Section 3. The governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected by
15the qualified electors of the state at the times and places of choosing members of the
16legislature. They shall be chosen jointly, by the casting by each voter of a single vote
17applicable to both offices beginning with the general election in 1970. The persons
18respectively having the highest number of votes cast jointly for them for governor
19and lieutenant governor shall be elected; but in case two or more slates shall have
20an equal and the highest number of votes for governor and lieutenant governor, the
21two houses of the legislature, at its next annual session shall forthwith, by
joint 22ballot, choose one of the slates so having an equal and the highest number of votes
23for governor and lieutenant governor. The returns of election for governor and
24lieutenant governor shall be made in such manner as shall be provided by law.
AJR91, s. 22
25Section
22. Section 4 of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,7,2
1[Article V] Section
4
(1) The governor shall be commander in chief of the
2military and naval forces of the state.
He shall have power to
AJR91,7,6
3(2) The governor may convene the legislature on extraordinary occasions, and
4in case of invasion, or danger from the prevalence of contagious disease at the seat
5of government,
he the governor may convene
them the legislature at any other
6suitable place within the state.
He
AJR91,7,9
7(3) The governor shall communicate to the legislature, at every session, the
8condition of the state, and recommend such matters to
them the legislature for
their 9its consideration as
he may deem
the governor deems expedient.
He
AJR91,7,11
10(4) The governor shall transact all necessary business with the officers of the
11government, civil and military.
He
AJR91,7,13
12(5) The governor shall expedite all such measures as may be resolved upon by
13the legislature, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
AJR91, s. 23
14Section
23. Section 10 (2) of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,7,2215
[Article V] Section 10 (2)
(a) If the governor rejects the bill, the governor shall
16return the bill, together with the objections in writing, to the
house in which the bill
17originated legislature. The
house of origin legislature shall enter the objections at
18large upon the journal and proceed to reconsider the bill. If, after such
19reconsideration, two-thirds of the members present agree to pass the bill
20notwithstanding the objections of the governor, it shall
be sent, together with the
21objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
22approved by two-thirds of the members present it shall become law.
AJR91,8,523
(b) The rejected part of an appropriation bill, together with the governor's
24objections in writing, shall be returned to the
house in which the bill originated 25legislature. The
house of origin
legislature shall enter the objections at large upon
1the journal and proceed to reconsider the rejected part of the appropriation bill. If,
2after such reconsideration, two-thirds of the members present agree to approve the
3rejected part notwithstanding the objections of the governor, it shall
be sent, together
4with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and
5if approved by two-thirds of the members present the rejected part shall become law.
AJR91,8,96
(c) In all such cases the votes of
both houses the legislature shall be determined
7by ayes and noes, and the names of the members voting for or against passage of the
8bill or the rejected part of the bill notwithstanding the objections of the governor shall
9be entered on the journal
of each house respectively.
AJR91, s. 24
10Section
24. Section 2 of article VI of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,8,1711
[Article VI] Section 2.
The secretary of state shall keep a fair record of the
12official acts of the legislature and executive department of the state, and shall, when
13required, lay the same and all matters relative thereto before
either branch of the
14legislature.
He The secretary of state shall perform such other duties as
shall be are 15assigned
him to the secretary of state by law.
He The secretary of state shall receive
16as a compensation for
his services yearly such sum as
shall be is provided by law, and
17shall keep
his the office
of the secretary of state at the seat of government.
AJR91, s. 25
18Section
25. Section 1 of article VII of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR91,9,219
[Article VII] Section 1
(1) The court for the trial of impeachments shall be
20composed of the
senate legislature. The
assembly legislature shall have the power
21of impeaching all civil officers of this state for corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes
22and misdemeanors; but a majority of all the members elected shall concur in an
23impeachment.
On the trial of an impeachment against the governor, the lieutenant
24governor shall not act as a member of the court. No judicial officer shall exercise
his
1that office, after
he shall have the judicial officer has been impeached, until
his
2acquittal acquitted.
AJR91,9,6
3(2) Before the trial of an impeachment the members of the court shall take an
4oath or affirmation truly and impartially to try the impeachment according to
5evidence; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of
6the members
present of the court.