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TO AMEND SECTION 9, ARTICLE III OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONSTITUTION, RELATING TO SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, TO PROVIDE FOR MEETING IN SESSION IN A SAFE LOCATION OR REMOTELY IF MEETING IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING IS UNSAFE DUE TO CASUALTIES OF WAR OR CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE RULES OF THE RESPECTIVE BODIES SHALL BE AMENDED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. It is proposed that Section 9, Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:
"Section 9. The annual session of the General Assembly shall convene at the State Capitol Building in the City of Columbia on the second Tuesday of January of each year. After the convening of the General Assembly, nothing in this section shall prohibit the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, from receding for a time period not to exceed thirty consecutive calendar days at a time by a majority vote of the members of the body of the General Assembly seeking to recede for a time period not to exceed thirty consecutive calendar days, or from receding for a time period of more than thirty consecutive calendar days at a time by a two-thirds vote of the members of the body of the General Assembly seeking to recede for more than thirty consecutive calendar days at a time. Each body shall sit in session at the State Capitol Building in the City of Columbia and may provide for meetings during the legislative session as it shall consider appropriate. Furthermore, the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, may meet on the first Tuesday following the certification of the election of its members for not more than three days following the general election in even-numbered years for the purpose of organizing. If the casualties of war or contagious disease render it unsafe to meet at the seat of government, the Governor, by proclamation, then the Senate or the House of Representatives, or both, may appoint meet in session at a more secure and convenient place of meeting or may utilize communications technology to meet in session remotely, provided that the communications technology utilized allows the public to monitor the proceedings. The Senate and the House of Representatives shall provide by rule for the use communication technology for remote meetings of the respective bodies. Members of the General Assembly shall not receive any compensation for more than forty days of any one session."
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 9, Article III of the Constitution of this State be amended to provide that if the casualties of war or contagious disease render it unsafe for the General Assembly to meet in session in the Capitol building, then the Senate and the House of Representatives may meet in session in a safe location or remotely?
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'."
This web page was last updated on May 12, 2020 at 4:44 PM