Arkansas Term Limits Amendment

Arkansas Ballot Measure - Issue 2

Election: Nov. 3, 2020 (General)

Outcome: Passed

Categories:

Constitution
Legislative Branch

Summary


A Constitutional Amendment to Amend the Term Limits Applicable to Members of the General Assembly, to be Known as the "Arkansas Term Limits Amendment"

Measure Text


SECTION 1. Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 73, § 2, is amended to read as follows:

§ 2. Legislative Branch. (a) The Arkansas House of Representatives shall consist of members to be chosen every second year by the qualified electors of the several counties.

(b) The Arkansas Senate shall consist of members to be chosen every four (4) years by the qualified electors of the several districts.

(c)(1)(A) A Except as provided in subdivision (c)(1)(E) of this section, a person first elected as a member of the General Assembly before January 1, 2021, shall serve no more than sixteen (16) years, whether consecutive or nonconsecutive.

(2)(B) A member first elected as a member of the General Assembly before January 1, 2021, who completes his or her sixteenth year of service during a term of office for which he or she has been elected may serve until the completion of that term of office.

(3)(C) The years of service in both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be added together and included to determine the total number of years in office of a member of the General Assembly first elected as a member of the General Assembly before January 1, 2021.

(4)(D) A partial legislative term served as a result of a special election under Article 5, § 6, or a two-year term served as a result of apportionment of the Senate shall not be included in calculating the total number of years served by a member of the General Assembly first elected as a member of the General Assembly before January 1, 2021.

(E)(i) A person who has served sixteen (16) or more years in the General Assembly under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall not be eligible for subsequent service in the General Assembly until four (4) years after the expiration of the last term of office in the General Assembly for which he or she was elected.

(ii) Subsequent service in the General Assembly under subdivision (c)(1)(E)(i) of this section shall be as provided under subdivision (c)(2) of this section.
(2)(A)(i) A person first elected as a member of the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021, shall serve no more than twelve (12) consecutive years.

(ii) A member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021, who serves twelve (12) or more consecutive years shall not be eligible for subsequent service in the General Assembly until four (4) years after the expiration of the last term of office in the General Assembly for which he or she was elected.

(B) A member first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021, who completes his or her twelfth consecutive year of service during a term of office for which he or she has been elected may serve until the completion of that term of office.

(C) Consecutive years of service in both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be added together and included to determine the total number of consecutive years in office of a member first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021.

(D)(i) A two-year term served as a result of apportionment of the Senate shall be included in calculating the total number of consecutive years served by a member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021.
(ii) A partial legislative term served as a result of a special election under Article 5, § 6, shall not be included in calculating the total number of consecutive years served by a member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021

(E)(i) A person who has served sixteen (16) or more years in the General Assembly under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall not be eligible for subsequent service in the General Assembly until four (4) years after the expiration of the last term of office in the General Assembly for which he or she was elected.

(ii) Subsequent service in the General Assembly under subdivision (c)(1)(E)(i) of this section shall be as provided under subdivision (c)(2) of this section.

(2)(A)(i) A person first elected as a member of the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021, shall serve no more than twelve (12) consecutive years.

(ii) A member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021, who serves twelve (12) or more consecutive years shall not be eligible for subsequent service in the General Assembly until four (4) years after the expiration of the last term of office in the General Assembly for which he or she was elected.

(B) A member first elected to the General Assembly on or
As Engrossed: S3/18/19 S3/20/19 H3/28/19 SJR15 03-28-2019 10:14:49 MBM132 after January 1, 2021, who completes his or her twelfth consecutive year of service during a term of office for which he or she has been elected may serve until the completion of that term of office.

(C) Consecutive years of service in both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be added together and included to determine the total number of consecutive years in office of a member first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021.

D)(i) A two-year term served as a result of apportionment of the Senate shall be included in calculating the total number of consecutive years served by a member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021.

(ii) A partial legislative term served as a result of a special election under Article 5, § 6, shall not be included in calculating the total number of consecutive years served by a member of the General Assembly first elected to the General Assembly on or after January 1, 2021.

SECTION 2. This amendment shall be:(1) Known and may be cited as the "Arkansas Term Limits Amendment"; and
(2) Effective on and after January 1, 2021.

SECTION 3. BALLOT TITLE AND POPULAR NAME. When this proposed amendment is submitted to the electors of this state on the general election ballot:
(1) The title of this joint resolution shall be the ballot title; and
(2) The popular name shall be "A Constitutional Amendment to Amend the Term Limits Applicable to Members of the General Assembly, to be Known as the "Arkansas Term Limits Amendment".

Resources


Official Summary

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