Court Opinion

ID: 9767126
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:10:43.29051+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:28.772811
License: Public Domain

GRIFFIN, Justice
(dissenting).
I regret that I am unable to agree with the majority opinion in either case.
The holding is contrary to all past constructions of the terms of Senators. When the people took out of the Constitution a specific time for the beginning of a Senator’s term and left in the beginning of the term of House members, this shows the people did not intend the members of the House and Senate to begin their terms on the same date.
Since originally deleting the beginning date for a Senator’s term, the people have three times refused to definitely state a beginning date for a Senator’s term. This further fortifies my position. Also, the majority opinion is contrary to all previous constructions of the Constitution by the Legislature, the Attorney General and the Comptroller in issuing pay for members of the Legislature; also those in charge of the determination of eligibility for retirement of Senators.
I would deny the application for mandamus by both relators.