LRB-0027/1
PJD:kg:pg
2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
January 22, 2003 - Introduced by Representatives Wasserman and Black.
Referred to Committee on Government Operations and Spending
Limitations.
AJR5,2,2 1To renumber and amend section 9 of article IV; to amend section 1 of article IV,
2section 2 of article IV, section 3 of article IV, section 4 of article IV, section 5 of
3article IV, section 7 of article IV, section 8 of article IV, section 10 of article IV,
4section 14 of article IV, section 17 (1) of article IV, section 19 of article IV, section
520 of article IV, section 22 of article IV, section 23 of article IV, section 25 of
6article IV, section 26 (2) (b) of article IV, section 26 (3) of article IV, section 30
7of article IV, section 3 of article V, section 4 of article V, section 10 (2) of article
8V, section 2 of article VI, section 1 of article VII, section 13 of article VII, section
96 of article VIII, section 7 (2) (e) and (g) of article VIII, section 8 of article VIII,
10section 1 of article XII, section 2 of article XII, section 6 of article XIII and
11section 10 (2) of article XIII; and to create section 9 (2) of article IV and section

117 of article XIV of the constitution; relating to: the establishment of a
2unicameral legislature (first consideration).
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This proposed constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2003 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 2006.
The unicameral legislature will have 75 members elected from single-member
districts on a nonpartisan basis for staggered 4-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.
AJR5,2,3 3Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That:
AJR5, s. 1 4Section 1. Section 1 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,2,65 [Article IV] Section 1. The legislative power shall be vested in a senate and
6assembly
the legislature consisting of one chamber.
AJR5, s. 2 7Section 2. Section 2 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,2,118 [Article IV] Section 2. The number of the members of the assembly legislature
9shall never be less than fifty-four nor more than one hundred. The senate shall
10consist of a number not more than one-third nor less than one-fourth of the number
11of the
75 members of the assembly.
AJR5, s. 3 12Section 3. Section 3 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,3,213 [Article IV] Section 3. At its first session after each enumeration made by the
14authority of the United States, the legislature shall apportion and district anew the

1members of the senate and assembly legislative districts, according to the number
2of inhabitants.
AJR5, s. 4 3Section 4. Section 4 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,3,134 [Article IV] Section 4. The members of the assembly legislature shall be chosen
5biennially, by single districts. The districts shall be numbered in the regular series,
6and the members shall be chosen, alternately from the odd-numbered and
7even-numbered districts, for the term of 4 years
, on the Tuesday succeeding the first
8Monday of November in even-numbered years, by the qualified electors of the
9several districts, such. The districts to shall be bounded by county, precinct, town or
10ward lines, to consist of contiguous territory and be in as compact form as practicable.
11Each member shall be nominated and elected in a nonpartisan manner and without
12any indication on the ballot of affiliation with or endorsement by any political party
13or organization.
AJR5, s. 5 14Section 5. Section 5 of article IV of the constitution is amended so as in effect
15to repeal said section:
AJR5,3,2116 [Article IV] Section 5. The senators shall be elected by single districts of
17convenient contiguous territory, at the same time and in the same manner as
18members of the assembly are required to be chosen; and no assembly district shall
19be divided in the formation of a senate district. The senate districts shall be
20numbered in the regular series, and the senators shall be chosen alternately from the
21odd and even-numbered districts for the term of 4 years.
AJR5, s. 6 22Section 6. Section 7 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,4,223 [Article IV] Section 7. Each house The legislature shall be the judge of the
24elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; and a majority of each shall
25constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to

1day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under
2such penalties as each house it may provide.
AJR5, s. 7 3Section 7. Section 8 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,4,74 [Article IV] Section 8. Each house The legislature may determine the rules of
5its own proceedings, punish for contempt and disorderly behavior, and with the
6concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected, expel a member; but no
7member shall be expelled a second time for the same cause.
AJR5, s. 8 8Section 8. Section 9 of article IV of the constitution is renumbered section 9 (1)
9of article IV and amended to read:
AJR5,4,1110 [Article IV] Section 9 (1) Each house The legislature shall choose elect its
11presiding officers from its own members.
AJR5, s. 9 12Section 9. Section 9 (2) of article IV of the constitution is created to read:
AJR5,4,1413 [Article IV] Section 9 (2) The legislature shall elect a chief clerk and a sergeant
14at arms, from outside its membership, for the biennial session of the legislature.
AJR5, s. 10 15Section 10. Section 10 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,4,2016 [Article IV] Section 10. Each house The legislature shall keep a journal of its
17proceedings and publish the same, except such parts as require secrecy. The doors
18of each house the legislature shall be kept open except when the public welfare shall
19require secrecy. Neither house shall, without consent of the other, adjourn for more
20than three days.
AJR5, s. 11 21Section 11. Section 14 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,4,2322 [Article IV] Section 14. The governor shall issue writs of election to fill such
23vacancies as may occur in either house of the legislature.
AJR5, s. 12 24Section 12. Section 17 (1) of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,5,3
1[Article IV] Section 17 (1) The style of all laws of the state shall be "The people
2of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly the legislature, do
3enact as follows:".
AJR5, s. 13 4Section 13. Section 19 of article IV of the constitution is amended so as in effect
5to repeal said section:
AJR5,5,76 [Article IV] Section 19. Any bill may originate in either house of the legislature,
7and a bill passed by one house may be amended by the other.
AJR5, s. 14 8Section 14. Section 20 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,5,119 [Article IV] Section 20. The yeas and nays of the members of either house the
10legislature
on any question shall, at the request of one-sixth of those present, be
11entered on the journal.
AJR5, s. 15 12Section 15. Section 22 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,5,1513 [Article IV] Section 22. The legislature may confer upon the boards of
14supervisors of the several counties of the state such powers of a local, legislative and
15administrative character as they the legislature shall from time to time prescribe.
AJR5, s. 16 16Section 16. Section 23 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,5,2217 [Article IV] Section 23. The legislature shall establish but one system of town
18government, which shall be as nearly uniform as practicable; but the legislature may
19provide for the election at large once in every 4 years of a chief executive officer in
20any county with such powers of an administrative character as they the legislature
21may from time to time prescribe in accordance with this section and shall establish
22one or more systems of county government.
AJR5, s. 17 23Section 17. Section 25 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,6,424 [Article IV] Section 25. The legislature shall provide by law that all stationery
25required for the use of the state, and all printing authorized and required by them

1the legislature to be done for their the use of the legislature, or for the state, shall
2be let by contract to the lowest bidder, but the legislature may establish a maximum
3price; no member of the legislature or other state officer shall be interested, either
4directly or indirectly, in any such contract.
AJR5, s. 18 5Section 18. Section 26 (2) (b) of article IV of the constitution is amended to
6read:
AJR5,6,107 [Article IV] Section 26 (2) (b) Any increase in the compensation of members of
8the legislature shall take effect, for all senators and representatives to the assembly
9members of the legislature, after the next general election beginning with the new
10assembly term biennial session of the legislature.
AJR5, s. 19 11Section 19. Section 26 (3) of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,6,1712 [Article IV] Section 26 (3) Subsection (1) shall not apply to increased benefits
13for persons who have been or shall be granted benefits of any kind under a retirement
14system when such increased benefits are provided by a legislative act passed on a call
15of ayes and noes by a three-fourths vote of all the members elected to both houses
16of
the legislature and such act provides for sufficient state funds to cover the costs
17of the increased benefits.
AJR5, s. 20 18Section 20. Section 30 of article IV of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,6,2019 [Article IV] Section 30. All elections made by the legislature shall be by roll call
20vote entered in the journals journal.
AJR5, s. 21 21Section 21. Section 3 of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,7,722 [Article V] Section 3. The governor and lieutenant governor shall be elected by
23the qualified electors of the state at the times and places of choosing members of the
24legislature. They shall be chosen jointly, by the casting by each voter of a single vote
25applicable to both offices beginning with the general election in 1970. The persons

1respectively having the highest number of votes cast jointly for them for governor
2and lieutenant governor shall be elected; but in case two or more slates shall have
3an equal and the highest number of votes for governor and lieutenant governor, the
4two houses of the legislature, at its next annual session shall forthwith, by joint
5ballot, choose one of the slates so having an equal and the highest number of votes
6for governor and lieutenant governor. The returns of election for governor and
7lieutenant governor shall be made in such manner as shall be provided by law.
AJR5, s. 22 8Section 22. Section 4 of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,7,109 [Article V] Section 4 (1) The governor shall be commander in chief of the
10military and naval forces of the state. He shall have power to
AJR5,7,14 11(2) The governor may convene the legislature on extraordinary occasions, and
12in case of invasion, or danger from the prevalence of contagious disease at the seat
13of government, he the governor may convene them the legislature at any other
14suitable place within the state. He
AJR5,7,17 15(3) The governor shall communicate to the legislature, at every session, the
16condition of the state, and recommend such matters to them the legislature for their
17its consideration as he may deem the governor deems expedient. He
AJR5,7,19 18(4) The governor shall transact all necessary business with the officers of the
19government, civil and military. He
AJR5,7,21 20(5) The governor shall expedite all such measures as may be resolved upon by
21the legislature, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
AJR5, s. 23 22Section 23. Section 10 (2) of article V of the constitution is amended to read:
AJR5,8,523 [Article V] Section 10 (2) (a) If the governor rejects the bill, the governor shall
24return the bill, together with the objections in writing, to the house in which the bill
25originated
legislature. The house of origin legislature shall enter the objections at

1large upon the journal and proceed to reconsider the bill. If, after such
2reconsideration, two-thirds of the members present agree to pass the bill
3notwithstanding the objections of the governor, it shall be sent, together with the
4objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
5approved by two-thirds of the members present it shall
become law.
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