ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session
	Senate: APPROP DPA/SE 9-0-1-0 | 3^rd Read 28-0-2-0

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SCR1018: essential employees; pandemic

S/E: legislature; terms; salaries; commission

Sponsor: Senator Gowan, LD  14

Committee on Appropriations

Summary of the Strike-Everything Amendment to SCR 1018

Overview

Modifies the term of office and salaries for members of the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate.

History

The Arizona Constitution establishes the terms of office of the members of the Legislature as two years.  A state senator or state representative is not allowed to serve more than four consecutive terms in that office.  After serving the maximum number of terms, including any part of a term served, a legislator is not able to serve in the same office until the legislator has been out of office for no less than one full term (AZ Const. Art. IV, Part 2, § 21).

The Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers is authorized by the Arizona Constitution to be established by the Legislature.  The Commission is composed of five members who are appointed from private life and must report to the Governor with recommendations concerning the rate of pay of elected state officers.  Such recommendations for legislative salaries must be certified by the Secretary of State and then submitted to the qualified electors at the next regular general election (AZ Const. Art. V, § 12).

Provisions

1. Specifies that through the Fifty-fifth Legislature, the term of office for members of the House of Representatives and Senate is two years.

2. States that the following apply beginning with the Fifty-sixth Legislature in 2023:

a) The term of office for members of the Senate is four years;

b) The term of office for members of the House of Representatives is two years;

c) A state senator may not serve more than three consecutive terms in that office;

d) A state representative may not serve more than six consecutive terms in that office; and

e) The term limits apply to terms of office that begin on or after January 1, 2023 without regard to any previous consecutive terms of service.

3. Declares that a legislator must continue to represent the district with the same numeric designation as the district where the legislator was elected if a legislative district's boundaries are changed during the term of a legislator.

4. Specifies that upon completion of the term when the legislative district's boundaries are changed, all legislators must be residents of the districts that the legislators represent.

5. Modifies the membership of the Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers (Commission) to seven members and changes the name of the Commission to include independent.

6. Stipulates that if the Governor or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court fails to make an appointment to the Commission by June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate may jointly appoint to fill the position.

7. Instructs the Commission to additionally report to the Legislature with recommendations concerning rates of pay of elected state officers.

8. Deletes the requirement of the Governor to make recommendations to the Legislature regarding rates of pay for elected state officers.

9. Removes archaic language.

10. Modifies the manner in which legislative salaries are set by removing the requirement for the question to be submitted to the voters and states that beginning the second Monday of 2023 and any year thereafter, legislative salaries are 60% of the governor's salary.

11. Allows this Act to be cited as the Arizona Legislative Reform Act.

12. Directs the Secretary of State to submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election.

13. Makes technical and conforming changes.

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17.                   SCR 1018

18. Initials SJ  Page 0 Appropriations

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