Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/02/1998 01:32 PM House JUD
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HJR 4 - LIMITING TERMS OF STATE LEGISLATORS Number 0384 CHAIRMAN GREEN announced the final item of business would be HJR 4, proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to terms of legislators. Number 0394 REPRESENTATIVE GENE THERRIAULT, prime sponsor of HJR 4, read from the sponsor statement as follows: "House Joint Resolution 4 proposes to limit terms by limiting the number of regular sessions a person may serve. The resolution proposes that a person may not serve consecutively more than twelve regular sessions in the legislature. A person may not again serve in the legislature as a result of election or appointment to fill a vacancy until at least two consecutive regular sessions have elapsed. In addition, when tabulating the number of sessions served, special sessions shall not be counted, nor shall time served as the result of appointment to fill a vacancy. "Alaska voters have demonstrated their desire for congressional term limits through 1994's ballot measure 4, which passed by a margin of 62 percent. Alaskans have also expressed their support for term limits on a municipal level, with many communities adopting some form of term limits for local elected officials. HJR 4 will now give voters the chance to change the state constitution and limit the terms of state legislators. "Term limits are a positive legislative reform, guaranteeing that new legislators, ... along with their new ideas, are elected to office. The popularity of term limits indicates that a majority of our citizens do not prefer career politicians representing them. Term limits will also level the playing field for challengers facing long-term incumbents whose power oftentimes is derived ... primarily from seniority. Placing a constitutional amendment limiting the terms of state legislators on the ballot is a measure that I believe is long overdue." Number 0447 REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT informed members that the language in HJR 4 is pretty much identical to legislation passed by the House two years before, although it has been updated to show that further time has elapsed. Number 0528 REPRESENTATIVE ERIC CROFT asked what happened to that previous legislation. REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT said it had been amended fairly substantially in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he believes it was held up in the Senate Rules Committee. Number 0559 REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE stated his understanding that under HJR 4, a person may not serve more than twelve years. REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT concurred. REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE said he assumes it would not apply retroactively. REPRESENTATIVE THERRIAULT referred to Section 3 on page 3, line 10. He said it would apply retroactively, but the limit doesn't kick in until the first regular session of the Twenty-Third Alaska State Legislature. Representative Therriault explained that it would be on the ballot this year, at the same time that people would be up for election to the Senate, a four-year term. He stated, "If they were elected at that time and this is passed, we didn't want to preclude them, then, from ... serving out the term that they were just elected to." Number 0680 CHAIRMAN GREEN asked whether there were further questions or discussion. He advised members that no one was signed up to testify. Number 0701 REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE JAMES made a motion to move HJR 4 with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. CHAIRMAN GREEN asked whether there was any objection. Hearing none, he announced that HJR 4 was moved from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.
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