H 3252 Joint Resolution, By Cato, L.O. Graham, M.F. Jaskwhich, Klauber and 
Young-Brickell
 A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to Article III, Section 2 of the
 Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, relating to the House of
 Representatives, so as to provide that House members may only serve six
 consecutive two-year terms and to provide that House members serving in office
 when this provision is ratified into law may complete the term which they are
 currently serving plus six consecutive new terms, and to provide that a person
 serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to
 have served the full term; proposing an amendment to Article III, Section 6 of
 the Constitution, relating to the Senate, so as to provide that Senators may
 only serve three consecutive four-year terms, to provide that Senators serving
 in office when this provision is ratified into law may complete the term which
 they are currently serving plus three consecutive new terms, to revise certain
 obsolete references, and to provide that a person serving fifty percent or
 more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full
 term; and proposing an amendment to Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution,
 relating to the Constitutional Officers of this State, so as to provide that
 Constitutional Officers may only serve two consecutive four-year terms and to
 provide that Constitutional Officers serving in office when this provision is
 ratified into law may complete the term which they are currently serving plus
 two consecutive new terms, and to provide that a person serving fifty percent
 or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full
 term.

   01/26/93  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-4
   01/26/93  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-5
   05/18/93  House  Tabled in committee

A JOINT RESOLUTION

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 2 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT HOUSE MEMBERS MAY ONLY SERVE SIX CONSECUTIVE TWO-YEAR TERMS AND TO PROVIDE THAT HOUSE MEMBERS SERVING IN OFFICE WHEN THIS PROVISION IS RATIFIED INTO LAW MAY COMPLETE THE TERM WHICH THEY ARE CURRENTLY SERVING PLUS SIX CONSECUTIVE NEW TERMS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON SERVING FIFTY PERCENT OR MORE OF A TERM FOR WHICH HE WAS ELECTED IS DEEMED TO HAVE SERVED THE FULL TERM; PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 6 OF THE CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO THE SENATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SENATORS MAY ONLY SERVE THREE CONSECUTIVE FOUR-YEAR TERMS, TO PROVIDE THAT SENATORS SERVING IN OFFICE WHEN THIS PROVISION IS RATIFIED INTO LAW MAY COMPLETE THE TERM WHICH THEY ARE CURRENTLY SERVING PLUS THREE CONSECUTIVE NEW TERMS, TO REVISE CERTAIN OBSOLETE REFERENCES, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON SERVING FIFTY PERCENT OR MORE OF A TERM FOR WHICH HE WAS ELECTED IS DEEMED TO HAVE SERVED THE FULL TERM; AND PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 7 OF THE CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS OF THIS STATE, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS MAY ONLY SERVE TWO CONSECUTIVE FOUR-YEAR TERMS AND TO PROVIDE THAT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS SERVING IN OFFICE WHEN THIS PROVISION IS RATIFIED INTO LAW MAY COMPLETE THE TERM WHICH THEY ARE CURRENTLY SERVING PLUS TWO CONSECUTIVE NEW TERMS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON SERVING FIFTY PERCENT OR MORE OF A TERM FOR WHICH HE WAS ELECTED IS DEEMED TO HAVE SERVED THE FULL TERM.

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

SECTION 1. Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, is amended to read:

"Section 2. 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.

A member of the House of Representatives may not serve more than six consecutive two-year terms. A member of the House of Representatives serving in office on the effective date of the ratification of the provision herein contained limiting the number of terms a House member may serve may continue to serve his then current term and then six consecutive new terms immediately following. For purposes of this section, a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term."

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 Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution of this State relating to the House of Representatives be amended so as to provide that House members may only serve six consecutive two-year terms in office and to provide that House members serving in office when this provision is ratified into law may complete the term which they are currently serving plus six consecutive new terms, and to provide that a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term?

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. Article III, Section 6 of the Constitution of South Carolina, 1895, is amended to read:

"Section 6. 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.

A member of the Senate may not serve more than three consecutive four-year terms. A member of the Senate serving in office on the effective date of the ratification of the provision herein contained limiting the number of terms a Senator may serve may continue to serve his then current term and then three consecutive new terms immediately following. For purposes of this section, a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term."

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 Article III, Section 6 of the Constitution of this State relating to the Senate be amended so as to provide that Senators may only serve three consecutive four-year terms in office and to provide that Senators serving in office when this provision is ratified into law may complete the term which they are currently serving plus three consecutive new terms, and to provide that a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term?

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. Article VI, Section 7 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.

These constitutional officers may not serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. A constitutional officer serving in office on the effective date of the ratification of the provision herein contained limiting the number of terms a constitutional officer may serve may continue to serve his then current term and then two consecutive four-year terms immediately following. For purposes of this section, a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term."

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 these constitutional officers may not serve more than two consecutive four-year terms and to provide that a constitutional officer of this State serving in office when this provision is ratified into law may complete the term which he is currently serving plus two consecutive four-year terms, and to provide that a person serving fifty percent or more of a term for which he was elected is deemed to have served the full term?

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'."