HJR-V, As Passed House, May 3, 2006
March 30, 2006, Introduced by Reps. David Law, Baxter, Mortimer, Rocca, Kahn, Gosselin, LaJoy, Booher, Marleau, Schuitmaker, Byrum, Kathleen Law, Stahl, Bieda, Murphy, Accavitti, Wojno, Angerer, Byrnes, Espinoza, McDowell, Vander Veen, Gaffney, Proos, Tobocman, Huizenga, Clemente and Taub and referred to the Committee on House Oversight, Elections, and Ethics.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending section 12 of article IV, to
reduce the compensation of state legislators who have unexcused
absences on legislative session days.
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 the compensation of state
legislators who have unexcused absences on legislative session
days, 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. The legislature shall
implement this section by law.
Each house of the legislature may provide by rule that a
member of that house of the legislature may lose a portion of his
or her salary for unexcused absences on session 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.