A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require that constitutional amendment referenda be held only at the date of the statewide general election in even‑numbered years.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Section 4 of Article XIII of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 4.  Revision or amendment by legislative initiation.
A proposal of a new or revised Constitution or an amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be initiated by the General Assembly, but only if three‑fifths of all the members of each house shall adopt an act submitting the proposal to the qualified voters of the State for their ratification or rejection. The proposal shall be submitted only at the date of a statewide general election held for members of the General Assembly and in the manner prescribed by the General Assembly. If a majority of the votes cast thereon are in favor of the proposed new or revised Constitution or constitutional amendment or amendments, it or they shall become effective January first next after ratification by the voters unless a different effective date is prescribed in the act submitting the proposal or proposals to the qualified voters."
SECTION 2.  The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election for members of the General Assembly in November of 2004, which election shall be conducted under the laws then governing elections in the State.  Ballots, voting systems, or both may be used in accordance with Chapter 163 of the General Statutes. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
"[ ]  FOR	[ ]  AGAINST
Constitutional amendment providing that constitutional amendments may only be voted on by the people at the statewide general election for members of the General Assembly in even‑numbered years."
SECTION 3.  If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, the State Board of Elections shall certify the amendment to the Secretary of State whereupon the amendment shall become effective.  The Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment so certified among the permanent records of that office.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.