A joint Resolution

 

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS OF the SENATE AND the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT CANDIDATES BE A LEGAL RESIDENT OF THIS STATE FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS AND A LEGAL RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT IN WHICH HE IS A CANDIDATE FOR AT LEAST two YEARS AT THE TIME HE FILES FOR OFFICE; and by proposing an amendment to article vi of the CONSTITUTION of south carolina by adding section 10 so as to require that any candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, and Commission of Agriculture must be a legal resident of this State for at least ten years next preceding the day of election.

 

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

 

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

 

    Section 7. No person is 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 district in which he may be chosen. Senators must be at least twenty-five and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age. A candidate for the Senate or House of Representatives must be a legal resident of the district in which he is a candidate at the time he files for the office. Additionally, for any candidate for the Senate or House of Representatives that had not been elected to the General Assembly before 2027, a candidate must be a legal resident of this State for at least ten years and a legal resident of the district in which he is a candidate for at least two years at the time he files for the office. No person who has been convicted of a felony under state or federal law or convicted of tampering with a voting machine, fraudulent registration or voting, bribery at elections, procuring or offering to procure votes by bribery, voting more than once at elections, impersonating a voter, or swearing falsely at elections/taking oath in another's name, or who has pled guilty or nolo contendere to these offenses, is eligible to serve as a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives. However, notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, this prohibition does not apply to a person who has been pardoned under state or federal law or to a person who files for public office fifteen years or more after the completion date of service of the sentence, including probation and parole time, nor shall any person, serving in office prior to the ratification of this provision, be required to vacate the office to which he is 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:

 

    "Must Section 7, Article III of the Constitution of this State, relating to qualifications of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, be amended so as to require that candidates be a legal resident of this State for at least ten years and a legal resident of the district in which he is a candidate for at least two years at the time he files for office?

 

Yes     o

No      o

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 VI of the Constitution of this State be amended by adding:

 

    Section 10. In addition to any other requirements of this constitution and notwithstanding Section 2 of Article IV, any candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, and Commission of Agriculture must be a legal resident of this State for at least ten years next preceding the day of election unless the candidate had been elected to the same office before 2027.

 

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:

 

    "Must Article VI of the Constitution of this State, be amended so as to require that any candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer, Superintendent of Education, Comptroller General, and Commission of Agriculture must be a legal resident of this State for at least ten years next preceding the day of election?

 

Yes     o

No      o

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'."

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