GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 15

Short Title:  Legislative Term Limits.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Kincaid; Cochrane and Allran.
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Referred to:  Constitution and Election Laws.
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January 28, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF NORTH CAROLINA TO LIMIT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO SIX CONSECUTIVE TERMS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Article II of the Constitution of North Carolina is amended by adding a new section to read:
"Sec. 25. Limitation of consecutive terms.
(1)	No person shall be eligible for election to more than six consecutive terms as a member of the General Assembly.  For the purpose of this section, a member of the General Assembly is a member of either the Senate or the House of Representatives.  If a person fills a vacancy, it shall be considered a term for the purpose of this subsection if any of the service is in the first six months of the odd-numbered year.
(2)	Terms of office beginning before January 1, 1993, shall not be considered for the purpose of this section.
(3)	A person disqualified by this section from election to the next succeeding term as a member of the General Assembly may not fill a vacancy in that succeeding term."
Sec. 2.  The amendment set forth in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State on Tuesday after the first Monday in November of 1994, which election shall be conducted under the laws then governing elections in the State.  At that election, each qualified voter who desires to vote shall be provided a ballot on which shall be printed the following:
"[ ]	FOR constitutional amendment limiting members to six consecutive terms in the North Carolina Senate or North Carolina House of Representatives.
[ ]	AGAINST constitutional amendment limiting members to six consecutive terms in the North Carolina Senate or North Carolina House of Representatives."
Those qualified voters favoring the amendment shall vote by marking an "X"or a check mark in the square beside the statement beginning "FOR", and those qualified voters opposed to the amendment shall vote by marking an "X"or a check mark in the square beside the statement beginning "AGAINST".
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, voting machines may be used in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the State Board of Elections.
Sec. 3.  If a majority of votes cast thereon are in favor of the constitutional amendment, the State Board of Elections shall certify the amendment to the Secretary of State who shall enroll the amendment so certified among the permanent records of his office.  The constitutional amendment shall become effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.