SENATE DOCKET, NO. 26        FILED ON: 1/9/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 10

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William N. Brownsberger, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying proposal for constitutional amendment:

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to the election of members of the state senate.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 26        FILED ON: 1/9/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 10

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to the election of members of the state senate.

A majority of all the members elected to the Senate and House of Representatives, in joint session, hereby declares it to be expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the following Article of Amendment, to the end that it may become a part of the Constitution [if similarly agreed to in a joint session of the next General Court and approved by the people at the state election next following]:
 

ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
 

Article CI, Section 2, is hereby amended by deleting the entire section and replacing it with the following:

The Senate shall consist of forty members elected at large in every biennial election following the adoption of this article by proportional representation by all the voters of the Commonwealth.  For this purpose, the Commonwealth may be divided into no more than eight districts from which all or some of the Senators may be chosen; if divided for this purpose, each district shall contain as nearly as possible one-fortieth of the population of the Commonwealth for each Senator chosen therefrom, and no such districts shall be formed by dividing any city or town.  Each Senator shall have been an inhabitant of this Commonwealth five years at least immediately preceding his election, and he shall cease to be a Senator when he ceases to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth.  The manner of calling and conducting the elections for the choice of Senators, and of ascertaining their election, and of filling any vacancy lthat may occur by death, resignation or removal of any of them, shall be prescribed by law.