Bill 1188

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       1188
Type of Legislation:               Joint Resolution JR
Introducing Body:                  Senate
Introduced Date:                   19960228
Primary Sponsor:                   Holland
All Sponsors:                      Holland, Moore, Elliott,
                                   Passailaigue, Setzler, Drummond and
                                   Mescher 
Drafted Document Number:           jud6068.dhh
Residing Body:                     Senate
Subject:                           Legislature, term limits;
                                   Initiative Petition

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

Senate  19960327  Committee report: majority               11 SJ
                  favorable, with amendment,
                  minority unfavorable
Senate  19960228  Introduced, read first time,             11 SJ
                  referred to Committee

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE REPORT

March 27, 1996

S. 1188

Introduced by SENATORS Holland, Moore, Elliott, Passailaigue, Setzler, Drummond and Mescher

S. Printed 3/27/96--S.

Read the first time February 28, 1996.

To whom was referred a Joint Resolution (S. 1188), proposing amendments to Article III, Section 7 of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the qualifications of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, so as to provide that effective immediately upon the ratification into law of this provision, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting therein the following:

/SECTION 1. It is proposed that Article III, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 7. (A) No person shall be eligible for a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives who, at the time of his election, is not a duly qualified elector under this Constitution in the Senatorial District in regard to any particular seat as may be designated by the General Assembly, as to the Senate, and in the county, as to the House, in which he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age.

(B) No member of the House of Representatives may serve more than six complete terms. No member of the Senate may serve more than three complete terms. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a sixth term as a member of the House of Representatives, or who is in the last year of a third term as a member of the Senate, or who has served twelve years in the General Assembly either as a member of the Senate or House of Representatives or a combination thereof shall not be eligible for a seat in the General Assembly. No member is required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State relating to the qualifications of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives be amended so as to provide that no person who is in the last year of a sixth term as a member of the House of Representatives, or who is in the last year of a third term as a member of the Senate, or who has served twelve years in the General Assembly either as a member of the Senate or House of Representatives or a combination thereof shall be eligible for a seat in the General Assembly and to prohibit a member from being required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 3. It is proposed that Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 9. The annual session of the General Assembly heretofore elected, fixed by the Constitution of the year Eighteen hundred and Sixty-eight to convene on the fourth Tuesday of November, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-five, is hereby postponed, and the same shall be convened and held in the city of Columbia on the second Tuesday of January, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-six. The first session of the General Assembly elected under this Constitution shall convene in Columbia on the second Tuesday in January, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-seven, and thereafter annually at the same time and place shall convene at the State Capitol in the City of Columbia on the second Tuesday in January of each year. Provided, That the The Senate and the House of Representatives shall meet on the first Tuesday by rule provide that during the time period beginning with the convening of the General Assembly until the second Tuesday in February of each year, the consideration of bills shall be limited to statewide bills which have the consent of the entire body and non-statewide bills which have the consent of the affected delegation. The rules shall further provide that until the second Tuesday in February, each body shall have not less than three statewide session days each week, for the passage of consent legislation, until the respective houses resume the consideration of all legislation as provided in the rules of the body. Not more than three weeks following the certification of the general election of its members, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall convene their respective bodies for not more than three days following the general election in even-numbered years for the purpose of organizing the selection of committees, the election of officers, and such other business as may be necessary for the organization of the respective houses. Should If the casualties of war or contagious disease render it unsafe to meet at the seat of government, then the Governor may, by proclamation, may appoint a more secure and convenient place of meeting. Members of the General Assembly shall not receive any compensation for more than forty days of any one session. Provided, That this limitation shall not affect the first four sessions of the General Assembly under this Constitution."

SECTION 4. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution of this State relating to sessions of the General Assembly be amended so as to provide that the Senate and the House of Representatives shall by rule provide that during the time period beginning with the convening of the General Assembly until the second Tuesday in February of each year, the consideration of bills shall be limited to statewide bills which have the consent of the entire body and non-statewide bills which have the consent of the affected delegation; to provide that the rules shall require that until the second Tuesday in February, each body shall have not less than three statewide session days each week, for the passage of consent legislation, until the respective houses resume the consideration of all legislation as provided in the rules of the body; and to provide that not more than three weeks following the certification of the general election of members, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall convene their respective bodies for not more than three days for the purpose of the selection of committees, the election of officers, and such other business as may be necessary for the organization of the respective houses?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 5. It is proposed that Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 15(A). The Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives and the Finance Committee of the Senate or their respective successor committees shall constitute and meet as a joint committee prior to the convening of the regular session of the General Assembly for the purpose of receiving such information as the joint committee may consider necessary and sufficient to establish the projected annual budget for the succeeding fiscal year. The joint committee shall, by majority vote of the members of both the Senate and the House committees, establish the gross estimated revenue upon which the annual general appropriations for the operations of state government shall be based. Based on the revenue estimated to be available, the joint committee shall devise and draft such bill or bills as may be required to authorize sufficient appropriations or debt necessary to defray the expenses of the general operation of government for the succeeding fiscal year. Any such annual general appropriation or debt authorization bill shall be introduced and considered only as provided in this section.

(B) After the convening of the General Assembly, the respective committees shall cause to be introduced in each house, the bill or bills as determined by the joint committee under the provisions of this section. Any such bill, upon passage on third reading in the body in which it is introduced, shall be referred to a committee of conference to resolve differences between that bill and the corresponding bill from the other house. If no difference exists in the bills passed by each body, respectively, a bill shall be enrolled for ratification. The bill which receives a third reading first in either body shall be the record bill for purposes of conference and for purpose of ratification of an act of the General Assembly. An appropriation bill enacted under the provisions of this section shall be considered to have satisfied the reading requirements set forth in Section 18 of this article."

SECTION 6. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words written or printed on the ballot:

"Shall Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding Sections 15A and 15B so as to require the House and Senate to give concurrent consideration to the annual appropriation bill and to provide that an appropriation bill enacted under these provisions will meet the constitutional requirement of Article III, Section 18, pertaining to the reading of bills and joint resolutions on three separate days in each house?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 7. It is proposed that Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 20. (A) In all elections by the General Assembly in joint session, no candidate may be elected unless he receives a majority vote of the Senators present and voting and a majority vote of the members of the House of Representatives present and voting.

(B) In all elections by the General Assembly or either House house thereof, the members shall vote `viva voce', except by unanimous consent, and their votes thus given shall be entered upon the Journal of the House house to which they respectively belong."

SECTION 8. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of this State relating to elections by the General Assembly be amended so as to provide that no candidate elected in joint session of the General Assembly may be elected unless he receives a majority vote of the Senators present and voting and a majority vote of the members of the House of Representatives present and voting?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 9. It is proposed that Article V, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 3. The members of the Supreme Court shall must be elected by a joint public vote of the General Assembly for a term of ten years, and shall continue in office until their successors shall be are elected and qualified, and shall be classified so that the term of one of them shall expire expires every two years. In any contested election, the vote of each member of the General Assembly present and voting shall must be recorded.

No member of the Supreme Court may serve more than two complete terms. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a second term as a member of the Supreme Court shall not be eligible for a seat on the Supreme Court. No member is required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 10. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Shall Article V, Section 3 of the Constitution of this State relating to the election of members of the Supreme Court be amended so as to provide that no member of the Supreme Court may serve more than two complete terms, to provide that no member of the Supreme Court who is in the last year of a second term is eligible for a seat on the Supreme Court, and to prohibit a member from being required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 11. It is proposed that Article V, Section 8 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 8. The members of the Court of Appeals shall must be elected by a joint public vote of the General Assembly for a term of six years and shall continue in office until their successors shall be are elected and qualify. In any contested election, the vote of each member of the General Assembly present and voting shall must be recorded. Provided, that for the first election of members of the Court of Appeals, the General Assembly shall by law provide for staggered terms.

No member of the Court of Appeals may serve more than two complete terms. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a second term as a member of the Court of Appeals shall not be eligible for a seat on the Court of Appeals. No member is required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 12. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Shall Article V, Section 8 of the Constitution of this State relating to the election of the members of the Court of Appeals be amended so as to provide that no member of the Court of Appeals may serve more than two complete terms, to provide that no member of the Court of Appeals who is in the last year of a second term is eligible for a seat on the Court of Appeals, and to prohibit a member from being required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 13. It is proposed that Article V, Section 13 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 13. The General Assembly shall must divide the State into judicial circuits of compact and contiguous territory. For each circuit, a judge or judges shall must be elected by a joint public vote of the General Assembly; provided, that however, in any contested election, the vote of each member of the General Assembly present and voting shall must be recorded. He A judge shall hold office for a term of six years, and at the time of his election he shall must be an elector of a county of, and during his continuance in office he shall must reside in, the circuit of which he is judge. The General Assembly may by law provide for additional circuit judges, to be assigned by the Chief Justice. Such These additional circuit judges shall must be elected in the same manner and for the same term as provided in the preceding paragraph of this section for other circuit judges, except that residence in a particular county or circuit shall not be a qualification for office.

No member of the circuit court may serve more than two complete terms. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a second term as a member of the circuit court shall not be eligible for a seat on the circuit court. No member is required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 14. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Shall Article V, Section 13 of the Constitution of this State relating to the election of the members of the circuit court be amended so as to provide that no member of the circuit court may serve more than two complete terms, to provide that no member of the circuit court who is in the last year of a second term is eligible for a seat on the circuit court, and to prohibit a member from being required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 15. It is proposed that Article VI, Section 1 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 1. No person shall be popularly elected to any office in this State or its political subdivisions unless he possess the qualifications of an elector. Every qualified elector shall be is eligible to any office to be voted for, unless disqualified by age as prescribed in this Constitution. No person shall be elected or appointed to office in this State for life or during good behavior, but the terms of all officers shall must be for some specified period except officers in the militia.

No person popularly elected to any office in this State may serve more than three complete terms in the same office. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a second term of an office is not eligible for the same office. No person is required to vacate his office during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 16. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Shall Article VI, Section 1 of the Constitution of this State relating to eligibility for office be amended so as to provide that no person popularly elected to any office in this State may serve more than three complete terms in the same office and to provide that no person who is in the last year of a third term is eligible for the same office, and to prohibit a person from being required to vacate his office during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 17. It is proposed that Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 7. There shall must be elected by the qualified voters of the State a Secretary of State, an Attorney General, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and an Adjutant General who shall hold their respective offices for a term of four years, coterminous with that of the Governor. The duties and compensation of such these offices shall must be prescribed by law and their compensation shall must be neither increased nor diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected.

A constitutional officer may not serve more than three complete four-year terms in the same office. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a third term as a constitutional officer shall not be eligible for the same office. No person elected to one of these offices is required to vacate his office during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 18. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballots:

"Shall Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State relating to the election of the Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Adjutant General be amended so as to provide that no person elected to one of these offices may serve more than three complete terms in the same office and to provide that no person who is in the last year of a third term is eligible for the same office, and to prohibit a person from being required to vacate his office during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 19. It is proposed that Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 15. In addition to the provisions of Articles III and XVI of this Constitution, relating to the enactment of laws and constitutional amendments, there is reserved in the people the power to enact statutory laws by means of initiative petition. Any initiative petition must contain a full and correct copy of the title and text of the proposed law and must be signed by not fewer than ten percent of the qualified electors eligible to vote at the last general election. A valid signature on an initiative petition must include the name, complete address, voter registration number, and precinct of the signer. A petition must be presented to the State Election Commission at least one hundred eighty days before a general election. If the commission determines that the petition conforms to the requirements of this section, it shall (1) send a copy of the proposed measure to the Legislative Council for council's comments as to whether there are conflicts with existing law, language, or drafting problems, and (2) cause the full and correct title and text of the proposed law to be published in each newspaper of this State with daily circulation once a week for three successive weeks prior to the next general election. Propositions must be numbered consecutively and put on the ballot at the general election in the order of the petition's certification by the State Election Commission; however, no more than six ballot propositions may be placed on the ballot at each election. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposed law vote in favor, it is a law of this State. The commission shall certify the results to the Code Commissioner who shall assign the law to an appropriate place in the South Carolina Code of Laws."

SECTION 20. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding a new section so as to provide for the enactment of a law initiated by a petition signed by no fewer than ten percent of the qualified electors eligible to vote at the last general election followed by a majority vote in favor of the proposed law at the next general election?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."/

Amend title to conform.

Majority favorable. Minority unfavorable.

THOMAS L. MOORE ROBERT FORD

For Majority. For Minority.

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON THE RATIFICATION INTO LAW OF THIS PROVISION, NO PERSON WHO IS IN THE LAST YEAR OF A SIXTH CONSECUTIVE TERM AS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OR WHO IS IN THE LAST YEAR OF A THIRD CONSECUTIVE TERM AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE, OR WHO HAS SERVED TWELVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY EITHER AS A MEMBER OF THE SENATE OR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OR A COMBINATION THEREOF SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A SEAT IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND TO PROHIBIT A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FROM BEING REQUIRED TO VACATE HIS SEAT DURING A TERM FOR WHICH HE WAS ELECTED; TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 9 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHALL BY RULE PROVIDE THAT DURING THE TIME PERIOD BEGINNING WITH THE CONVENING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY UNTIL THE SECOND TUESDAY IN FEBRUARY OF EACH YEAR, THE CONSIDERATION OF BILLS SHALL BE LIMITED TO STATEWIDE BILLS WHICH HAVE THE CONSENT OF THE ENTIRE BODY AND NON-STATEWIDE BILLS WHICH HAVE THE CONSENT OF THE AFFECTED DELEGATION; TO REQUIRE THAT THE RULES SHALL PROVIDE THAT UNTIL THE SECOND TUESDAY IN FEBRUARY, EACH BODY SHALL HAVE NOT LESS THAN THREE STATEWIDE SESSION DAYS EACH WEEK, FOR THE PASSAGE OF CONSENT LEGISLATION, UNTIL THE RESPECTIVE HOUSES RESUME THE CONSIDERATION OF ALL LEGISLATION AS PROVIDED IN THE RULES OF THE BODY; AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT NOT MORE THAN THREE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE CERTIFICATION OF THE GENERAL ELECTION OF MEMBERS, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE SHALL CONVENE THEIR RESPECTIVE BODIES FOR NOT MORE THAN THREE DAYS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SELECTION OF COMMITTEES, THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS, AND SUCH OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE RESPECTIVE HOUSES; TO ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, BY ADDING SECTIONS 15A AND 15B, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO GIVE CONCURRENT CONSIDERATION TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL AND TO PROVIDE THAT AN APPROPRIATION BILL ENACTED UNDER THESE PROVISIONS WILL MEET THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT OF ARTICLE III, SECTION 18 PERTAINING TO THE READING OF BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS ON THREE SEPARATE DAYS IN EACH HOUSE; TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 20 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO ELECTIONS BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT FOR ELECTIONS VOTED ON BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN JOINT SESSION, NO CANDIDATE MAY BE ELECTED UNLESS APPROVED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE SENATE AND A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE HOUSE; AND TO AMEND ARTICLE XVII OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, BY ADDING SECTION 15, SO AS TO PERMIT THE ENACTMENT OF LAWS BY INITIATIVE PETITION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. It is proposed that Article III, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 7. (A) No person shall be eligible for a seat in the Senate or House of Representatives who, at the time of his election, is not a duly qualified elector under this Constitution in the Senatorial District in regard to any particular seat as may be designated by the General Assembly, as to the Senate, and in the county, as to the House, in which he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age.

(B) No member of the House of Representatives may serve more than six complete terms. No member of the Senate may serve more than three complete terms. Effective immediately upon the date of the ratification into law of this section, a person who is in the last year of a sixth consecutive term as a member of the House of Representatives, or who is in the last year of a third consecutive term as a member of the Senate, or who has served twelve consecutive years in the General Assembly either as a member of the Senate or House of Representatives or a combination thereof shall not be eligible for a seat in the General Assembly. No member is required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected."

SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State relating to the qualifications of Senators and Members of the House be amended so as to provide that no person who is in the last year of a sixth consecutive term as a member of the House of Representatives, or who is in the last year of a third consecutive term as a member of the Senate, or who has served twelve consecutive years in the General Assembly either as a member of the Senate or House of Representatives or a combination thereof shall be eligible for a seat in the General Assembly and to prohibit a member from being required to vacate his seat during any term for which he was elected?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 3. It is proposed that Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 9. The annual session of the General Assembly heretofore elected, fixed by the Constitution of the year Eighteen hundred and Sixty-eight to convene on the fourth Tuesday of November, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-five, is hereby postponed, and the same shall be convened and held in the city of Columbia on the second Tuesday of January, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-six. The first session of the General Assembly elected under this Constitution shall convene in Columbia on the second Tuesday in January, in the year Eighteen hundred and Ninety-seven, and thereafter annually at the same time and place shall convene at the State Capitol in the City of Columbia on the second Tuesday in January of each year. Provided, That the The Senate and the House of Representatives shall meet on the first Tuesday by rule provide that during the time period beginning with the convening of the General Assembly until the second Tuesday in February of each year, the consideration of bills shall be limited to statewide bills which have the consent of the entire body and non-statewide bills which have the consent of the affected delegation. The rules shall further provide that until the second Tuesday in February, each body shall have not less than three statewide session days each week, for the passage of consent legislation, until the respective houses resume the consideration of all legislation as provided in the rules of the body. Not more than three weeks following the certification of the general election of its members, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall convene their respective bodies for not more than three days following the general election in even-numbered years for the purpose of organizing the selection of committees, the election of officers, and such other business as may be necessary for the organization of the respective houses. Should If the casualties of war or contagious disease render it unsafe to meet at the seat of government, then the Governor may, by proclamation, may appoint a more secure and convenient place of meeting. Members of the General Assembly shall not receive any compensation for more than forty days of any one session. Provided, That this limitation shall not affect the first four sessions of the General Assembly under this Constitution."

SECTION 4. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution of this State relating to sessions of the General Assembly be amended so as to provide that the Senate and the House of Representatives shall by rule provide that during the time period beginning with the convening of the General Assembly until the second Tuesday in February of each year, the consideration of bills shall be limited to statewide bills which have the consent of the entire body and non-statewide bills which have the consent of the affected delegation; to provide that the rules shall require that until the second Tuesday in February, each body shall have not less than three statewide session days each week, for the passage of consent legislation, until the respective houses resume the consideration of all legislation as provided in the rules of the body; and to provide that not more than three weeks following the certification of the general election of members, the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall convene their respective bodies for not more than three days for the purpose of the selection of committees, the election of officers, and such other business as may be necessary for the organization of the respective houses?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 5. It is proposed that Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 15(A). The Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives and the Finance Committee of the Senate or their respective successor committees shall constitute and meet as a joint committee prior to the convening of the regular session of the General Assembly for the purpose of receiving such information as the joint committee may consider necessary and sufficient to establish the projected annual budget for the succeeding fiscal year. The joint committee shall, by majority vote of the members of both the Senate and the House committees, establish the gross estimated revenue upon which the annual general appropriations for the operations of state government shall be based. Based on the revenue estimated to be available, the joint committee shall devise and draft such bill or bills as may be required to authorize sufficient appropriations or debt necessary to defray the expenses of the general operation of government for the succeeding fiscal year. Any such annual general appropriation or debt authorization bill shall be introduced and considered only as provided in this section.

(B) After the convening of the General Assembly, the respective committees shall cause to be introduced in each house, the bill or bills as determined by the joint committee under the provisions of this section. Any such bill, upon passage on third reading in the body in which it is introduced, shall be referred to a committee of conference to resolve differences between that bill and the corresponding bill from the other house. If no difference exists in the bills passed by each body, respectively, a bill shall be enrolled for ratification. The bill which receives a third reading first in either body shall be the record bill for purposes of conference and for purpose of ratification of an act of the General Assembly. An appropriation bill enacted under the provisions of this section shall be considered to have satisfied the reading requirements set forth in Section 18 of this article."

SECTION 6. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words written or printed on the ballot:

"Shall Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding Sections 15A and 15B so as to require the House and Senate to give concurrent consideration to the annual appropriation bill and to provide that an appropriation bill enacted under these provisions will meet the constitutional requirement of Article III Section 18, pertaining to the reading of bills and joint resolutions on three separate days in each house?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 7. It is proposed that Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 20. (A) In all elections by the General Assembly in joint session, no candidate may be elected unless he receives a majority vote of the Senators present and voting and a majority vote of the members of the House of Representative present and voting.

(B) In all elections by the General Assembly or either House thereof, the members shall vote `viva voce', except by unanimous consent, and their votes thus given shall be entered upon the Journal of the House house to which they respectively belong."

SECTION 8. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article III, Section 20 of the Constitution of this State relating to elections by the General Assembly be amended so as to provide that no candidate elected in joint session of the General Assembly may be elected unless he receives a majority vote of the Senators present and voting and a majority vote of the members of the House of Representative present and voting?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."

SECTION 9. It is proposed that Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

"Section 15. In addition to the provisions of Articles III and XVI of this Constitution, relating to the enactment of laws and constitutional amendments, there is reserved in the people the power to enact statutory laws by means of initiative petition. Any initiative petition must contain a full and correct copy of the title and text of the proposed law and must be signed by not fewer than ten percent of the qualified electors eligible to vote at the last general election. A valid signature on an initiative petition must include the name, complete address, voter registration number, and precinct of the signer. A petition must be presented to the State Election Commission at least ninety days before a general election. If the commission determines that the petition conforms to the requirements of this section, it shall cause the full and correct title and text of the proposed law to be published in each newspaper of this State with daily circulation for two successive weeks prior to the next general election. At the general election, the commission shall submit the proposed law to the qualified electors of this State. If a majority of the qualified electors voting on the proposed law vote in favor, it is a law of this State. The commission shall certify the results to the Code Commissioner who shall assign the law to an appropriate place in the South Carolina Code of Laws."

SECTION 10. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written on the ballot:

"Shall Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding a new section so as to provide for the enactment of a law initiated by a petition signed by no fewer than ten percent of the qualified electors eligible to vote at the last general election followed by a majority vote in favor of the proposed law at the next general election?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `Yes', and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word `No'."