HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16

(By Delegates Kurcaba, Hill, Faircloth, Wagner

                                                                           and Ihle)

Introduced

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, amending article six thereof by adding thereto a new section, designated section three-a, relating to term limitations for legislators; 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 2016, which proposed amendment is that article six thereof be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section three-a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VI. THE LEGISLATURE.

§3a. Senators and Delegates -- Term limitations.

           Senators are limited to two terms of four years, and delegates are limited to four terms of two years. The term limitations are lifetime limitations.

           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 "Term Limitations Amendment" and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows: "To amend the State Constitution to limit terms of State Senators to two terms of four years each and of State House of Delegates members to four terms of two years each, these limitations being lifetime limitations."

           NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to impose term limitations on legislators. Two terms of four years each for State Senators and four terms of two years each for House of Delegates members.

           This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.