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PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 9, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO SESSIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, SO AS TO ALLOW THAT, IN THE EVENT WAR, SOCIAL UNREST, CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, EPIDEMIC, PANDEMIC, NATURAL DISASTER, OR ACT OF GOD RENDERS IT UNSAFE TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO MEET AT THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT, AT THE DETERMINATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS APPROPRIATE, THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY OTHERWISE MEET IN ANNUAL SESSION USING REMOTE AND VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY.
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 renders it unsafe to meet at the seat of government, the Governor, by proclamation, may appoint a more secure and convenient place of meeting. If the casualties of war, social unrest, contagious disease, epidemic, pandemic, natural disaster, or act of God renders it unsafe to the health and well-being of the members of the General Assembly to meet at the seat of government, at the determination of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, the members of the General Assembly may meet in annual session using remote and virtual technology as available. 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, relating to meetings of the General Assembly, be amended so as to allow that, in the event casualties of war, social unrest, contagious disease, epidemic, pandemic, natural disaster, or act of God renders it unsafe to the health and well-being of the members of the General Assembly to meet in person at the seat of government, at the determination of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as appropriate, the members of the General Assembly may meet in annual session using remote and virtual technology as available?"
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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