First Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. R15-1054.01 Nicole Myers x4326 HCR15-1003 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Lundeen and Dore, Becker J., Willett, Brown, Buck, DelGrosso, Landgraf, Navarro, Neville P., Nordberg, Priola, Roupe, Saine, Sias, Thurlow, Windholz SENATE SPONSORSHIP Lundberg, House Committees Senate Committees Business Affairs and Labor Finance Appropriations HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 15-1003 Submitting to the registered electors of the state of Colorado an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning modifications to the operations of the general assembly, and, in connection therewith, decreasing the maximum length of regular sessions of the general assembly from one hundred twenty calendar days to ninety calendar days in odd-numbered years and to sixty calendar days in even-numbered years, limiting the number of bills and resolutions that a member of the general assembly may introduce during a regular session of the general assembly, and establishing a biennial budget process. Resolution Summary (Note: This summary applies to this resolution as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this resolution passes third reading in the house of introduction, a resolution summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this resolution will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The resolution makes the following changes regarding the operations of the general assembly: Decreases the maximum length of regular sessions of the general assembly from 120 calendar days to 90 calendar days in odd-numbered years and 60 calendar days in even-numbered years; Requires a biennial budget session to be held in every odd-numbered year; Limits the number of bills that a member of the general assembly may introduce to 2 bills in any regular session of the general assembly, excluding bills for appropriations and bills recommended by legislative committees; Limits the number of resolutions that a member of the general assembly may introduce to 2 resolutions in the first regular session of any general assembly. This includes resolutions, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions. Prohibits a member of the general assembly from introducing a resolution of any kind during the second regular session of any general assembly; Allows both houses of the general assembly to create a restrictive process to authorize an exemption from the specified bill and resolution limits; and Beginning with the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2017, implements a biennial state budget cycle and specifies how the general assembly will apply existing constitutional requirements to the biennial budget process. Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventieth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein: SECTION 1. At the election held on November 8, 2016, the secretary of state shall submit to the registered electors of the state the ballot title set forth in section 2 for the following amendment to the state constitution: In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 7 of article V as follows: Section 7. General assembly - shall meet when - term of members - committees. The general assembly shall meet in regular session at 10 a.m. no later than the second Wednesday of January of each year. The general assembly shall meet at other times when convened in special session by the governor pursuant to section 9 of article IV of this constitution or by written request by two-thirds of the members of each house to the presiding officer of each house to consider only those subjects specified in such request. The term of service of the members of the general assembly shall begin on the convening of the first regular session of the general assembly next after their election. The committees of the general assembly, unless otherwise provided by the general assembly, shall expire on the convening of the first regular session after a general election. Regular sessions of the general assembly held in odd-numbered years shall be the biennial budget session and shall not exceed one hundred twenty ninety consecutive calendar days. Regular sessions of the general assembly held in even-numbered years shall not exceed sixty consecutive calendar days. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 17 of article V as follows: Section 17. No law passed but by bill - amendments - resolutions - limitations. (1) No law shall be passed except by bill, and no bill shall be so altered or amended on its passage through either house as to change its original purpose. (2) A member of the general assembly shall not introduce more than two bills in a regular session of the general assembly, excluding bills for appropriations and bills recommended by committees that are created by the general assembly and that meet during the legislative session or during the interim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (2), each house of the general assembly may establish a restrictive process by which a member of the general assembly may obtain permission to introduce more than two bills during any regular session of the general assembly. Nothing in this subsection (2) shall limit the number of bills originating in the other house that a legislator may introduce in the second house. (3) A member of the general assembly shall not introduce more than two resolutions, including resolutions, joint resolutions, and concurrent resolutions, during the first regular session of any general assembly. A member of the general assembly shall not introduce a resolution of any kind during the second regular session of any general assembly. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (3), each house of the general assembly may establish a restrictive process by which a member of the general assembly may obtain permission to introduce more than two resolutions during the first regular session of any general assembly or to introduce one or more resolutions during the second regular session of any general assembly. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, amend section 32 of article V as follows: Section 32. Appropriation bills - biennial budget cycle. (1) (a) Beginning with the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2017, the general assembly shall follow a biennial state budget cycle. The general assembly shall introduce and consider a general appropriation bill and any supplemental appropriation bills in the first regular session of each general assembly. (b) The requirement specified in section 2 of article X of this constitution shall apply to each fiscal year on the biennial state budget cycle. (c) The general assembly shall calculate any state fiscal year spending limits specified in section 20 of article X of this constitution on a single fiscal year basis. (d) The general assembly shall enact, amend, or repeal any laws or rules necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection (1). (2) The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the expense of the executive, legislative and judicial departments of the state, state institutions, interest on the public debt and for public schools. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject. SECTION 2. Each elector voting at the election may cast a vote either "Yes/For" or "No/Against" on the following ballot title: "Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning modifications to the operations of the general assembly, and, in connection therewith, decreasing the maximum length of regular sessions of the general assembly from one hundred twenty calendar days to ninety calendar days in odd-numbered years and to sixty calendar days in even-numbered years, limiting the number of bills and resolutions that a member of the general assembly may introduce during a regular session of the general assembly, and establishing a biennial budget process?" SECTION 3. Except as otherwise provided in section 1-40-123, Colorado Revised Statutes, if a majority of the electors voting on the ballot title vote "Yes/For", then the amendment will become part of the state constitution.