INDIANA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE IV
LEGISLATIVE

Art. IV §1 | LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY AND STRUCTURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Legislative authority of the State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The style of everylaw shall be:

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana";

and no law shall be enacted, except by bill.

Art. IV §2 | SIZE AND ELECTION OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The Senate shall not exceed fifty, nor the House of Representatives one hundred members; and they shall be chosen by the electors of the respective districts into which the State may, from time to time, be divided.

Art. IV §3 | SIZE AND ELECTION OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and Representatives for the term of two years, from the day next after their general election. One half of the Senators, as nearly as possible, shall be elected biennially.

Art. IV §4 | FILLING VACANCIES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly may provide by law for the filling of such vacancies as may occur in the General Assembly.

Art. IV §5 | APPORTIONMENT OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL CENSUS

The General Assembly elected during the year in which a federal decennial census is taken shall fix by law thenumber of Senators and Representatives and apportion them among districts according to the number of inhabitants in each district, as revealed by that federal decennial census. The territory in each district shall be contiguous.

Art. IV §6 | [REPEALED]

Art. IV §7 | QUALIFICATIONS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

No person shall be a Senator or a Representative, who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States; nor any one who has not been for two years next preceding his election, an inhabitant of this State, and, for one year next preceding his election, an inhabitant of the district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age.

Art. IV §8 | PRIVILEGES OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

Senators and Representatives, in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, shall be privileged from arrest, during the session of the General Assembly, and in going to and returning from the same; and shall not be subject to any civil process, during the session of the General Assembly, nor during the fifteen days next before the commencement thereof. For any speech or debate in either House, a member shall not be questioned in any other place.

Art. IV §9 | SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SPECIAL SESSIONS

The sessions of the General Assembly shall be held at the capitol of the State, commencing on the Tuesday next after the second Monday in January of each year in which the General Assembly meets unless a different day or place shall have been appointed by law. But if, in the opinion of the Governor, the public welfare shall require it, he may, at any time by proclamation, call a special session. The length and frequency of the sessions of the General Assembly shall be fixed by law.

Art. IV §10 | SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SPECIAL SESSIONS

Each House, when assembled, shall choose its own officers, the President of the Senate excepted; judge the elections, qualifications, and returns of its own members; determine its rules of proceeding, and sit upon its ownadjournment. But neither House shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any place other than that in which it may be sitting.

Art. IV §11 | QUORUM AND ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Two-thirds of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may meet, adjourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of absent members. A quorum being in attendance, if either House fail to effect an organization within the first five days thereafter, the members of the House so failing, shall be entitled to no compensation, from the end of the said five days until an organization shall have been effected.

Art. IV §12 | JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS AND RECORDING YEAS AND NAYS

Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish the same. The yeas and nays, on any question, shall, at the request of any two members, be entered, together with the names of the members demanding the same, on the journal; Provided, that on a motion to adjourn, it shall require one-tenth of the members present to order the yeas and nays.

Art. IV §13 | OPEN SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND COMMITTEES

The doors of each House, and of Committees of the Whole, shall be kept open, except in such cases, as, in the opinion of either House, may require secrecy.

Art. IV §14 | PUNISHMENT AND EXPULSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

Either House may punish its members for disorderly behavior, and may, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member; but not a second time for the same cause.

Art. IV §15 | PUNISHMENT FOR DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Either House, during its session, may punish, by imprisonment, any person not a member, who shall have been guilty of disrespect to the House, by disorderly or contemptuous behavior, in its presence; but such imprisonment shall not, at any one time, exceed twenty-four hours.

Art. IV §16 | PUNISHMENT FOR DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Each House shall have all powers, necessary for a branch of the Legislative department of a free and independent State.

Art. IV §17 | ORIGIN AND AMENDMENT OF BILLS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Bills may originate in either House, but may be amended or rejected in the other; except that bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.

Art. IV §18 | READING AND PASSAGE OF BILLS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Every bill shall be read, by title, on three severaldays, in each House; unless, in case of emergency, two-thirds of the House where such bill may be pending shall, by a vote of yeas and nays, deem it expedient to dispense with this rule; but the reading of a bill, by title, on its final passage, shall, in no case, be dispensed with; and the vote on the passage of every bill or joint resolution shall be taken by yeas and nays.

Art. IV §19 | SINGLE SUBJECT RULE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTS

An act, except an act for the codification, revision or rearrangement of laws, shall be confined to one subject and matters properly connected therewith.

Art. IV §20 | CLARITY IN LEGISLATIVE ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS

Every act and joint resolution shall be plainly worded, avoiding, as far as practicable, the use of technical terms.

Art. IV §21 | [REPEALED]

Art. IV §22 | PROHIBITION ON LOCAL OR SPECIAL LAWS FOR PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES

The General Assembly shall not pass local or special laws: Providing for the punishment of crimes and misdemeanors;

Regulating the practice in courts of justice;

Providing for changing the venue in civil and criminal cases;

Granting divorces;

Changing the names of persons;

Providing for laying out, opening, and working on, highways, and for the election or appointment of supervisors;

Vacating roads, town plats, streets, alleys, and public squares;

Summoning and empaneling grand and petit juries, and providing for their compensation;

Regulating county and township business;

Regulating the election of county and township officers and their compensation;

Providing for the assessment and collection of taxes for State, county, township, or road purposes;

Providing for the support of common schools, or the preservation of school funds;

Relating to fees or salaries, except that the laws may be so made as to grade the compensation of officers in proportion to the population and the necessary services required;

Relating to interest on money;

Providing for opening and conducting elections of State,county, or township officers, and designating the places of voting;

Providing for the sale of real estate belonging to minors or other persons laboring under legal disabilities, by executors, administrators, guardians, or trustees.

Art. IV §23 | REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL AND UNIFORM LAWS

In all the cases enumerated in the preceding section, and in all other cases where a general law can be made applicable, all laws shall be general, and of uniform operation throughout the State.

Art. IV §24 | PROHIBITION ON SPECIAL LAWS FOR SUITS AGAINST THE STATE

Provision may be made, by general law, for bringing suit against the State; but no special law authorizing such suit to be brought, or making compensation to any person claiming damages against the State, shall ever be passed.

Art. IV §25 | MAJORITY REQUIREMENT AND SIGNING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

A majority of all the members elected to each House, shall be necessary to pass every bill or joint resolution; and all bills and joint resolutions so passed, shall be signed by the Presiding Officers of the respective Houses.

Art. IV §26 | RIGHT TO PROTEST AND RECORD DISSENT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Any member of either House shall have the right to protest, and to have his protest, with his reasons for dissent, entered on the journal.

Art. IV §27 | PUBLIC NATURE OF STATUTES

Every statute shall be a public law, unless otherwise declared in the statute itself.

Art. IV §28 | PUBLICATION AND CIRCULATION OF ACTS BEFORE TAKING EFFECT

No act shall take effect, until the same shall have been published and circulated in the several counties of the State, by authority, except in case of emergency, which emergency shall be declared in the preamble, or in the body, of the law.

Art. IV §29 | COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The members of the General Assembly shall receive for their services a compensation to be fixed by law; but no increase of compensation shall take effect during the session at which such increase may be made.

Art. IV §30 | ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

No Senator or Representative shall, during theterm for which he may have been elected, be eligible to any office, the election to which is vested in the General Assembly; nor shall he be appointed to any civil office of profit, which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased, during such term; but this latter provision shall not be construed to apply to any office elective by the People.

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INDIANA CONSTITUTIONARTICLE IVLEGISLATIVE

Art. IV §1 | LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY AND STRUCTURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §2 | SIZE AND ELECTION OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Art. IV §3 | SIZE AND ELECTION OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Art. IV §4 | FILLING VACANCIES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §5 | APPORTIONMENT OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL CENSUS

Art. IV §6 | [REPEALED]

Art. IV §7 | QUALIFICATIONS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

Art. IV §8 | PRIVILEGES OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

Art. IV §9 | SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SPECIAL SESSIONS

Art. IV §10 | SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SPECIAL SESSIONS

Art. IV §11 | QUORUM AND ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §12 | JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS AND RECORDING YEAS AND NAYS

Art. IV §13 | OPEN SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND COMMITTEES

Art. IV §14 | PUNISHMENT AND EXPULSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS

Art. IV §15 | PUNISHMENT FOR DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §16 | PUNISHMENT FOR DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §17 | ORIGIN AND AMENDMENT OF BILLS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §18 | READING AND PASSAGE OF BILLS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §19 | SINGLE SUBJECT RULE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTS

Art. IV §20 | CLARITY IN LEGISLATIVE ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS

Art. IV §21 | [REPEALED]

Art. IV §22 | PROHIBITION ON LOCAL OR SPECIAL LAWS FOR PUNISHMENT OF CRIMES

Art. IV §23 | REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL AND UNIFORM LAWS

Art. IV §24 | PROHIBITION ON SPECIAL LAWS FOR SUITS AGAINST THE STATE

Art. IV §25 | MAJORITY REQUIREMENT AND SIGNING OF BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Art. IV §26 | RIGHT TO PROTEST AND RECORD DISSENT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §27 | PUBLIC NATURE OF STATUTES

Art. IV §28 | PUBLICATION AND CIRCULATION OF ACTS BEFORE TAKING EFFECT

Art. IV §29 | COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Art. IV §30 | ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS FOR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES

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