Bill 3630

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3630
Ratification Number:       589
Act Number:                522
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article XVI 
                           of the Constitution of South Carolina to alter the 
                           circumstances for amendment and revision of the 
                           constitution in the general election years 1986 
                           and 1988

(A522, R589, H3630)

A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1 OF ARTICLE XVI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO AMENDMENT AND REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT PROPOSALS MAY BE MADE FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION YEARS 1986 AND 1988 FOR THE REVISION OF AN ENTIRE ARTICLE OR THE ADDITION OF A NEW ARTICLE IN A SINGLE AMENDMENT PROPOSAL, WHICH PROPOSAL MAY CHANGE PROVISIONS FROM OTHER ARTICLES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Amendment and revision of the Constitution

SECTION 1.    It is proposed that Section 1 of Article XVI of the Constitution of this State be amended to read:

"Section 1. Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Representatives; provided, however, that for the general elections in 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, and 1988 revision of an entire article or the addition of a new article may be proposed as a single amendment with only one question being required to be submitted to the electors. The amendment may delete, revise, and transpose provisions from other articles of the Constitution provided the provisions are germane to the subject matter of the article being revised or being proposed. If the same is agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to each House, the amendment or amendments shall be entered on the journals respectively, with the yeas and nays taken thereon; and the same shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the State, at the next general election thereafter for Representatives; and if a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, voting thereon, shall vote in favor of the amendment or amendments, and a majority of each branch of the next General Assembly shall, after the election, and before another, ratify the amendment or amendments, by yeas and nays, they shall become part of the Constitution. The amendment or amendments shall have been read three times, on three several days, in each House."

Proposed amendment submitted to qualified electors

SECTION 2. The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. Ballots shall be provided at the various voting precincts with the following words printed or written thereon: "Shall Section 1, Article XVI of the Constitution of this State be amended so as to provide that for the general elections in 1986 and 1988 proposals may be made for the revision of an entire article of the Constitution or the addition of a new article as a single amendment with only one question being required to be voted on and to allow constitutional provisions from other articles to be changed if the provisions relate to the subject matter of the article being revised or proposed?

Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'Yes' and those voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or cross mark in the square after the word 'No'."