SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1994 SESSION

LD0084412
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5
Offered January 12, 1994
Prefiled January 10, 1994
Proposing amendments to Sections 2, 3, and 4 of Article IV and Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, relating to the Senate; House of Delegates; qualifications and terms of members; limitations on service; and amendments to the Constitution.
----------
Patron--Purkey
----------
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
----------

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendments to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby are, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely:

Amend Sections 2, 3, and 4 of Article IV and Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia as follows:

ARTICLE IV
LEGISLATURE

Section 2. Senate.

The Senate shall consist of not more than forty and not less than thirty-three members, who shall be elected quadrennially by the voters of the several senatorial districts on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November 1995 and every sixth year thereafter.

Section 3. House of Delegates.

The House of Delegates shall consist of not more than one hundred and not less than ninety members, who shall be elected biennially by the voters of the several house districts on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in November 1995 and every fourth year thereafter.

Section 4. Qualifications of senators and delegates.

Any person may be elected to the Senate who, at the time of the election, is twenty-one years of age, is a resident of the senatorial district which he is seeking to represent, and is qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly. Any person may be elected to the House of Delegates who, at the time of the election, is twenty-one years of age, is a resident of the house district which he is seeking to represent, and is qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly. A senator or delegate who moves his residence from the district for which he is elected shall thereby vacate his office.

No person shall be eligible to serve more than twelve years consecutively in the General Assembly, in either or both houses. Service for a partial term shall not preclude service for the succeeding twelve years. Persons who have served twelve consecutive years shall be eligible after four years to serve again in the General Assembly. These limits shall not apply to service in the General Assembly prior to the 1996 regular session.

No person holding a salaried office under the government of the Commonwealth, and no judge of any court, attorney for the Commonwealth, sheriff, treasurer, assessor of taxes, commissioner of the revenue, collector of taxes, or clerk of any court shall be a member of either house of the General Assembly during his continuance in office; and his qualification as a member shall vacate any such office held by him. No person holding any office or post of profit or emolument under the United States government, or who is in the employment of such government, shall be eligible to either house.

ARTICLE XII
FUTURE CHANGES

Section 1. Amendments.

Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Delegates, and if the same shall be agreed to by a majority three-fifths of the members elected to each of the two houses, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered on their journals, the name of each member and how he voted to be recorded, and referred to the General Assembly at its first next regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates . If at such regular session or any subsequent special session of that General Assembly in that calendar year the proposed amendment or amendments shall be agreed to by a majority three-fifths of all the members elected to each house, then it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to submit such proposed amendment or amendments to the voters qualified to vote in elections by the people, in such manner as it shall prescribe and not sooner than ninety days after final passage by the General Assembly. If a majority of those voting vote in favor of any amendment, it shall become part of the Constitution on the date prescribed by the General Assembly in submitting the amendment to the voters.