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PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT TERM LIMITATIONS FOR ITS MEMBERS BY LAW.
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. (A) 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. 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.
(B) The General Assembly may by law enact limitations upon the number of terms, either consecutive or aggregated, that its members may serve in either the House of Representatives or the Senate."
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 be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to enact by law limitations upon the number of terms, either consecutive or aggregated, that its members may serve in either the House of Representatives or the Senate?
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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