Current Status Bill Number:507 Type of Legislation:Joint Resolution JR Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19970311 Primary Sponsor:Fair All Sponsors:Fair Drafted Document Number:gjk\20104sd.97 Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Judiciary Committee 11 SJ Subject:General Assembly, Senate, House of Representatives, constitutional officers, term limits
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
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Senate 19970311 Introduced, read first time, 11 SJ
referred to Committee
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PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 2, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO MEMBER OF THE HOUSE MAY SERVE MORE THAN SIX CONSECUTIVE COMPLETE TERMS, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE HOUSE MEMBERS ELECTED IN THE 1996 ELECTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR HOUSE SERVICE, THIS LIMITATION ON TERMS BEGINS WITH THE TERMS STARTING ON THE MONDAY FOLLOWING THE 1996 GENERAL ELECTION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE MEMBERS ELECTED AFTER 1996, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR HOUSE SERVICE, THE LIMITATION BEGINS WITH THE TERMS THE MEMBERS FIRST SERVE AFTER 1996; PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 6, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO THE SENATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO MEMBER OF THE SENATE MAY SERVE MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE COMPLETE TERMS, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE SENATORS ELECTED IN THE 1996 ELECTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR SENATE SERVICE, THIS LIMITATION ON TERMS BEGINS WITH THE TERMS STARTING ON THE MONDAY FOLLOWING THE 1996 GENERAL ELECTION, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE SENATORS ELECTED AFTER 1996 WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR SENATE SERVICE, THE LIMITATION BEGINS WITH THE TERMS THE MEMBERS FIRST SERVE AFTER 1996, AND TO REVISE CERTAIN OBSOLETE REFERENCES; AND PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE VI OF THE CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS OF THIS STATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER MAY SERVE MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE COMPLETE TERMS, TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ELECTED IN THE 1998 ELECTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR SERVICE IN THAT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE, THIS LIMITATION ON TERMS BEGINS WITH THE TERMS STARTING IN JANUARY, 1999, AND TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ELECTED AFTER 1998 WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE PRIOR SERVICE IN THAT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE, THE LIMITATION BEGINS WITH THE TERM THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER FIRST SERVES AFTER 1998.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. It is proposed that Section 2, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, be amended to read:
"Section 2. (A) The House of Representatives shall must be composed of members chosen by ballot every second year by citizens of this State, qualified as in this Constitution is provided.
(B) No member of the House may serve more than six consecutive complete terms. For those House members elected in the 1996 election whether or not they have prior House service, the limitation on terms herein contained begins with the terms starting on the Monday following the 1996 general election. For those members elected after 1996 whether or not they have prior House service, the limitation begins with the terms the members first serve after 1996. Service in another public office does not constitute prior service for purposes of this provision.
(C) If a member of the House elected in 1996 must run for the House again in 1997 because his election district is revised and is reelected in 1997 for a term to expire in 1998, he is considered to have served one consecutive complete term between 1996 and 1998 for purposes of the term limitations contained in this section. If a member of the House elected in 1996 must run for the House again in 1997 because his election district is revised and is not reelected or if he chooses not to offer for reelection in 1997, he is considered to have served one consecutive complete term which began in 1996 for purposes of the term limitations contained in this section."
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 ballots:
"Must Section 2, Article III of the Constitution of this State relating to the House of Representatives be amended so as to provide that no member of the House may serve more than six consecutive complete terms, to provide that for those House members elected in the 1996 election whether or not they have prior House service, this limitation on terms begins with the term starting on the Monday following the 1996 general election and to provide that for those members elected after 1996 whether or not they have prior House service, the limitation begins with the terms the members first serve after 1996?
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 Section 6, Article III of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, is amended to read:
"Section 6. (A) The Senate shall must be composed of one member chosen from each County senatorial election district as established by law, to be elected for the term of four years by the qualified electors in each County, of the district in the same manner in which members of the House of Representatives are chosen.
(B) No member of the Senate may serve more than three consecutive complete terms. For those Senators elected in the 1996 election whether or not they have prior Senate service, the limitation on terms herein contained begins with the terms starting on the Monday following the 1996 general election. For those Senators elected after 1996 whether or not they have prior Senate service, the limitation begins with the terms the members first serve after 1996. Service in another public office does not constitute prior service for purposes of this provision.
(C) If a member of the Senate elected in 1996 must run for the Senate again in 1997 because his election district is revised and is reelected for a term to expire in 2000, he is considered to have served one consecutive complete term between 1996 and 2000 for purposes of the term limitations contained in this section. If a member of the Senate elected in 1996 must run for the Senate again in 1997 because his election district is revised and is not reelected or if he chooses not to offer for reelection in 1997, he is considered to have served one consecutive complete term which began in 1996 for purposes of the term limitations contained in this section."
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 ballots:
"Must Section 6, Article III of the Constitution of this State relating to the Senate be amended so as to provide that no member of the Senate may serve more than three consecutive complete terms, to provide that for those Senators elected in the 1996 election whether or not they have prior Senate service, this limitation on terms begins with the terms starting on the Monday following the 1996 general election, and to provide that for those Senators elected after 1996 whether or not they have prior Senate service, the limitation begins with the terms the members first serve after 1996?
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 Section 7, Article VI of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, is 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.
No constitutional officer referenced above may serve more than three consecutive complete terms. For those constitutional officers elected in the 1998 election whether or not they have prior service in that constitutional office, the limitation on terms herein contained begins with the terms starting in January, 1999. For those constitutional officers elected after 1998 whether or not they have prior service in that constitutional office, the limitation begins with the terms the constitutional officers first serve after 1998. Service in another public office does not constitute prior service for purposes of this provision."
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 printed or written on the ballots:
"Must Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution of this State relating to the constitutional officers of this State be amended so as to provide that no constitutional officer may serve more than three consecutive complete terms, to provide that for those constitutional officers elected in the 1998 election whether or not they have prior service in that constitutional office, this limitation on terms begins with the terms starting in January, 1999, and to provide that for those constitutional officers elected after 1998 whether or not they have prior service in that constitutional office, the limitation begins with the term the constitutional officer first serves after 1998?
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'."