Report Title:

Constitutional amendment; qualification for elected office

Description:

Adds the requirement that persons seeking election to the State Senate and State House be qualified voters of the district they seek to represent for at least one year prior to the filing of nomination papers.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	495
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

proposing an amendment to article III, section 6, of the hawaii state constitution.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Article 3, Section 6, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

     "QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS

     Section 6.  No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the senate unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, at least one calendar year prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the senatorial district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent senator may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent senator's term.  No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the house of representatives unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, at least one calendar year prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent representative may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent representative's term."

    SECTION 2.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

    "Shall the Constitution of the State of Hawaii be amended so that the qualifications to be elected to the State Senate and State House include being a qualified voter of the district the person seeks to be elected from for at least one year prior to the deadline for filing nomination papers?" 

     SECTION 3.  New constitutional material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
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