GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	1 

SENATE BILL 63

Short Title:  Session Length Limits.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senators Allran; Ballantine, Carpenter, Carrington, Cochrane, East, Forrester, Garwood, and Rucho.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Judiciary II.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

February 10, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO LIMIT THE LENGTH OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Section 11(1) of Article II of the Constitution of North Carolina reads as rewritten:
	"(1) Regular sessions.  The General Assembly shall meet in regular session in 1973 and every two years thereafter on the day prescribed by law. Beginning with the regular session in 2001, during an odd-numbered year the General Assembly shall remain in session for no more than 22 calendar weeks.  If the regular session meets in even-numbered years beginning in 2002, the General Assembly shall remain in session for no more than nine calendar weeks.  Any reconvened session called under Section 5 of Article III of this Constitution shall be excluded from the calculations of this section. Neither house shall proceed upon public business unless a majority of all of its members are actually present.  No valid action, other than a resolution of adjournment, may be taken by the General Assembly after the time limits prescribed in this section have expired."
Section 2.  The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the general election in November 2000, 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 limiting the length of the legislative session."
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.  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.