Introduced Version
House Joint Resolution 15 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 15
(By Delegate Kump)
[Introduced January 13, 2011; referred to the
Committee on Constitutional Revision then the
Judiciary.]
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West
Virginia, amending section three, article VI thereof, relating
to imposing term limits for senators and delegates; numbering
and designating such proposed amendment; and providing a
summarized statement of the purpose of such proposed
amendment.
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia, two thirds of
the members elected to each house agreeing thereto:
That the question of ratification or rejection of an amendment
to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia be submitted to
the voters of the state at the next general election to be held in
the year 2012, which proposed amendment is that section three,
article VI thereof, be amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE VI. THE LEGISLATURE.
§3. Senators and delegates -- Terms of office.
Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and
delegates for the term of two years. The senators first elected,
shall divide themselves into two classes, one senator from every
district being assigned to each class; and of these classes, the
first to be designated by lot in such manner as the Senate may
determine, shall hold their seats for two years and the second for
four years, so that after the first election, one half of the
senators shall be elected biennially.
A person who has been elected or who has served as a senator
during all or any part of three consecutive terms shall be
ineligible for the office of senator during any part of the term
immediately following the third of the three consecutive terms. No
person who has served three or more consecutive terms as a senator
upon the ratification of this section in 2012 shall be eligible to
serve another consecutive term beginning in 2013.
_____A person who has been elected or who has served as a delegate
during all or any part of six consecutive terms shall be ineligible
for the office of delegate during any part of the term immediately
following the sixth of the six consecutive terms. No person who has
served six or more consecutive terms as a delegate upon the
ratification of this section in 2012 shall be eligible to serve
another consecutive term beginning in 2013.
_____Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of
article eleven, chapter three of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, such proposed amendment is hereby numbered "Amendment
No. 1" and designated as the "Legislator Term Amendment" and the
purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows: "The
purpose of this amendment is to prohibit state senators to serve
more than three consecutive terms and to prohibit state delegates
to serve more than six consecutive terms."
NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to create term limits
for state senators and state delegates. The resolution prohibits
persons from serving more than three consecutive terms as a state
senator and prohibits persons from serving more than six
consecutive terms as a state delegate.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.