A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT amending the north carolina constitution to limit the terms of the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate to two general assemblies.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Section 15 of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 15.  Officers of the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives shall elect its Speaker and other officers. No person may serve as Speaker in more than two regular sessions of the General Assembly."
SECTION 2.  Section 14(1) of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:
"(1)	President Pro Tempore – succession to presidency. The Senate shall elect from its membership a President Pro Tempore, who shall become President of the Senate upon the failure of the Lieutenant Governor‑elect to qualify, or upon succession by the Lieutenant Governor to the office of Governor, or upon the death, resignation, or removal from office of the President of the Senate, and who shall serve until the expiration of his term of office as Senator.
No person may serve as President Pro Tempore in more than two regular sessions of the General Assembly."
SECTION 3.  The amendments set out in Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the general election in November 2012, 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 amendments providing that the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate may not serve more than two terms."
SECTION 4.  If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendments set out in this act, the State Board of Elections shall certify the amendments to the Secretary of State. The amendments shall become effective upon the convening of the General Assembly next on or after January 1, 2013, and service as Speaker or President Pro Tempore prior to that date shall not be considered for the purpose of the amendments. The Secretary of State shall enroll the amendments so certified among the permanent records of that office.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.