1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to the legislature; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota 
1.3 	Constitution, article IV, section 4; providing staggered terms of office for 
1.4 	senators and staggered four-year terms of office for representatives; reducing 
1.5 	the size of the legislature; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 2.021; 
1.6 	2.031, subdivision 1.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	ARTICLE 1
1.9 	LEGISLATIVE TERMS OF OFFICE

1.10 	Section 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
 1.11 	An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, article IV, section 4, is proposed to 
1.12 	the people. If the amendment is adopted, the section will read:

1.13 	Sec. 4.  Representatives shall be chosen  for a term of two years, except to fill a vacancy. 
1.14 	and senators  shall be chosen for a term of four years, except to fill a  vacancy and except 
1.15 	as otherwise required by this section. There shall be an entire new election of all  the 
1.16 	senators and representatives at the first general election of representatives after each  new 
1.17 	legislative apportionment provided for in this article.  At that election, senators elected 
1.18 	from odd-numbered districts, half the representatives from odd-number districts chosen 
1.19 	in a manner provided by law, and half the representatives from even-numbered districts 
1.20 	chosen in a manner provided by law shall be elected to two-year terms. The governor shall 
1.21 	call elections to fill vacancies in either house of the legislature.  

1.22 	Sec. 2. SCHEDULE AND QUESTION.
 2.1 	The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2006 general 
2.2 	election. The question submitted must be:
2.3 	"Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to require that representatives be 
2.4 	elected to four-year terms and that, as nearly as practical, one-half the senators and 
2.5 	one-half the representatives be elected at each general election beginning in 2012?

2.6		Yes .......
	
2.7		No ......."

2.8 	ARTICLE 2
2.9 	SIZE OF LEGISLATURE

2.10 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 2.021, is amended to read:
2.11 	2.021 NUMBER OF MEMBERS.
2.12 	(a) For each legislature, until abeginning with the new apportionment shall 
2.13 	have been made in 2012, the senate is composed of 6763 members and the house of 
2.14 	representatives is composed of 134 126  members.
2.15 	(b) Beginning with the new apportionment in 2022, the senate is composed of 59 
2.16 	members and the house of representatives is composed of 118 members. 
2.17 	(c) Beginning with the new apportionment in 2032, the senate is composed of 55 
2.18 	members and the house of representatives is composed of 110 members. 

2.19 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 2.031, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.20 		Subdivision 1.Legislative districts. The representatives in the senate and house of 
2.21 	representatives are apportioned throughout the state in 67 senate districts and 134 house 
2.22 	districts the number of senate and house districts provided by law. Each senate district is 
2.23 	entitled to elect one senator and each house district is entitled to elect one representative.

2.24 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.25 	Sections 1 and 2 are effective upon ratification of the constitutional amendment in 
2.26 	article 1 and apply to the election of senators and representatives in 2012 and thereafter.