Amendment SSA2-SJR2

LRBs0019/1

MPG:kjf:rs

2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 2, TO SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2

January 20, 2015 - Offered by Senators L. Taylor and Risser.

SJR2-SSA2,1,2 To amend section 4 (2) of article VII of the constitution; relating to: election of chief justice (first consideration).

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

  This constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2015 legislature on first consideration, directs the supreme court to elect a chief justice for a term of two years.   A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by two successive legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.

SJR2-SSA2,1,3 Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That:

SJR2-SSA2,1 Section 1. Section 4 (2) of article VII of the constitution is amended to read:

SJR2-SSA2,2,4 [Article VII] Section 4 (2) The justice having been longest a continuous member of said court, or in case 2 or more such justices shall have served for the same length of time, the justice whose term first expires, shall be the chief justice. The chief justice of the supreme court shall be elected for a term of 2 years by a majority of the justices then serving on the court. The chief justice serving on the effective date of the 2015-17 amendment to this section shall continue to serve as chief justice until a new chief justice is elected. The justice so designated as chief justice may, irrevocably, decline to serve as chief justice or resign as chief justice but continue to serve as a justice of the supreme court.

SJR2-SSA2,2,7 Be it further resolved, That this proposed amendment be referred to the legislature to be chosen at the next general election and that it be published for three months previous to the time of holding such election.

SJR2-SSA2,2,8 (End)