ENGROSSED HOUSE
JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 1022	By:	Murphey and Reynolds of the House

			   and

		Brogdon of the Senate

A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State to refer to the people for their approval or rejection proposed amendments to Sections 4 and 23 of Article VI and Section 15 of Article IX of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma; limiting the term of office of certain elected officials; providing ballot title; and directing filing.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:
SECTION 1.  The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, the following proposed amendments to Sections 4 and 23 of Article VI and Section 15 of Article IX of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma to read as follows:
ARTICLE VI
Section 4.  A.  The term of office of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Commissioner of Labor and Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be four (4) years from the second Monday of January next after their election.  The said officers shall be eligible to immediately succeed themselves except as otherwise provided in this section.
B.  1.  No person shall be ~~elected~~ eligible to serve as Governor ~~more than two times in succession~~ for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years.  Such years need not be consecutive.  Any years served by a person serving as Governor for less than a full term to fill a vacancy in such office shall not be included in the eight-year limitation set forth herein.
2.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this amendment, any person serving as Governor at the time of passage of this amendment shall be eligible to complete the term of office to which he or she was elected but shall not be eligible to serve as Governor for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years, excluding years served for less than a full term to fill a vacancy in such office.  The provisions of this paragraph shall apply regardless of whether such years were served prior to or after passage of this amendment.
C.  No person shall be eligible to serve as Lieutenant Governor, State Auditor and Inspector, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Commissioner of Labor or Superintendent of Public Instruction for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years.  Such years need not be consecutive.  Any years served by a person elected or appointed to serve less than a full term to fill a vacancy in any such office shall not be included in the limitations set forth herein.  Any person serving in such position at the time of passage of this amendment shall be eligible to complete the term for which he or she has been elected and shall be eligible to serve an additional eight (8) years thereafter, notwithstanding the provisions of this amendment.
D.  The Legislature is hereby authorized to enact laws to implement the provisions of subsections B and C of this section.
Section 23.  A.  There shall be elected by the qualified electors of the State, at the first general election, a chief officer of ~~said department~~ the Insurance Department, who shall be styled the "~~The~~ Insurance Commissioner~~,~~", whose term of office shall be four years:  Provided, That the first term of the Insurance Commissioner so elected, shall expire at the time of the expiration of the term of office of the first Governor elected.  ~~Said~~ The Insurance Commissioner shall be at least twenty‑five (25) years of age and well versed in insurance matters.
B.  No person shall be eligible to serve as Insurance Commissioner for a period of time in excess of eight (8) years.  Such years need not be consecutive.  Any years served by a person elected or appointed to serve less than a full term to fill a vacancy in such office shall not be included in the limitation set forth herein.  Any person serving in such position at the time of passage of this amendment shall be eligible to complete the term for which he or she has been elected and shall be eligible to serve an additional eight (8) years thereafter, notwithstanding the provisions of this amendment.  The Legislature is hereby authorized to enact laws to implement the provisions of this subsection.
ARTICLE IX
Section 15.  A.  A Corporation Commission is hereby created, to be composed of three persons, who shall be elected by the people at a general election for State officers, and their terms of office shall be six (6) years~~:  Provided, Corporation Commissioners first elected under this Constitution shall hold office as follows:  One shall serve until the second Monday in January, nineteen hundred and nine; one until the second Monday in January, nineteen hundred and eleven; and one until the second Monday in January nineteen hundred and thirteen; their terms to be decided by lot immediately after they shall have qualified~~.  In case of a vacancy in said office, the Governor of the State shall fill such vacancy by appointment until the next general election, when a successor shall be elected to fill out any unexpired term.
B.  No person shall be eligible to serve as Corporation Commissioner for a period of time in excess of twelve (12) years.  Such years need not be consecutive.  Any years served by a person elected or appointed to serve less than a full term to fill a vacancy in such office shall not be included in the limitation set forth herein.  Any person serving in such position at the time of passage of this amendment shall be eligible to complete the term for which he or she has been elected and shall be eligible to serve an additional twelve (12) years thereafter, notwithstanding the provisions of this amendment.  The Legislature is hereby authorized to enact laws to implement the provisions of this subsection.
SECTION 2.  The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional amendments as set forth in SECTION 1 of this resolution shall be in the following form:
BALLOT TITLE
Legislative Referendum No. ____	State Question No. ____
THE GIST OF THE PROPOSITION IS AS FOLLOWS:
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution.  It amends Sections 4 and 23 of Article 6.  It also amends Section 15 of Article 9.  This measure limits the number of terms of office in a row a person can serve for certain offices.  It limits a person to two terms in a row.  This measure affects several different state elected offices.  It affects the office of Lieutenant Governor.  It affects the office of State Auditor and Inspector.  It affects the office of Attorney General.  It affects the office of State Treasurer.  It affects the office of Commissioner of Labor.  It affects the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.  It affects the office of Insurance Commissioner.  It affects the office of Corporation Commissioner.
SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED?
FOR THE PROPOSAL — YES	_____________
AGAINST THE PROPOSAL — NO 	_____________
SECTION 3.  The Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, immediately after the passage of this resolution, shall prepare and file one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in SECTION 2 hereof, with the Secretary of State and one copy with the Attorney General.
Passed the House of Representatives the 11th day of March, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer of the House of
	Representatives

Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2009.

	
Presiding Officer of the Senate