HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION J
November 14, 2023, Introduced by Reps. Thompson, Beeler, Smit, St. Germaine, Alexander,
Bierlein, Aragona, Kunse, DeBoyer, Markkanen, Cavitt, Neyer, Martin, Schuette, DeBoer,
Steele, Kuhn, Borton, Fox, Bezotte, Wozniak, Prestin and Posthumus and referred to the
Committee on Government Operations.
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state
constitution of 1963, by amending section 12 of article IV, to
reduce the salary of members of the legislature during certain
adjournments.
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 salary of members of the
legislature during certain adjournments, is proposed, agreed to,
and submitted to the people of the state:
1 ARTICLE IV
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1 Sec. 12. (1) The state officers compensation commission is
2 created which subject to this section shall determine the salaries
3 and expense allowances of the members of the legislature, the
4 governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
5 secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court. The
6 commission shall consist of 7 members appointed by the governor
7 whose qualifications may be determined by law. Subject to the
8 legislature's ability to amend the commission's determinations as
9 provided in this section, the commission shall determine the
10 salaries and expense allowances of the members of the legislature,
11 the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, the
12 secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme court which
13 determinations shall be the salaries and expense allowances only if
14 the legislature by concurrent resolution adopted by a majority of
15 the members elected to and serving in each house of the legislature
16 approve them. The senate and house of representatives shall
17 alternate on which house of the legislature shall originate the
18 concurrent resolution, with the senate originating the first
19 concurrent resolution.
20 (2) The concurrent resolution described in subsection (1) may
21 amend the salary and expense determinations of the state officers
22 compensation commission to reduce the salary and expense
23 determinations by the same proportion for members of the
24 legislature, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney
25 general, the secretary of state, and the justices of the supreme
26 court. The legislature shall not amend the salary and expense
27 determinations to reduce them to below the salary and expense level
28 that members of the legislature, the governor, the lieutenant
29 governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state, and the
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1 justices of the supreme court receive on the date the salary and
2 expense determinations are made. If the salary and expense
3 determinations are approved or amended as provided in this section,
4 the salary and expense determinations shall become effective for
5 the legislative session immediately following the next general
6 election. The commission shall meet each 2 years for no more than
7 15 session days.
8 (3) Notwithstanding any salary determination under this
9 section to the contrary, in any year that the legislature adjourns
10 a regular session without day before December 1, the salary of each
11 member of that legislature must be reduced by 25 percent for the
12 time between that adjournment and the first day of the next regular
13 session.
14 (4) The legislature shall implement this section by law.
15 Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be
16 submitted to the people of the state at the next general election
17 in the manner provided by law.
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