Section 1. Congressional Delegation (Const. Amend. 73, § 3 Amended)
Congressional Delegation (Const. Amend. 73, § 3 Amended)
Section 3 of Amendment 73 to the Arkansas Constitution is hereby amended to add to the current language the following subsections:
(c) The foregoing provisions in sections (a) and (b) shall be revived upon passage of appropriate federal laws.
(d) It is the official position of the people of the State of Arkansas that all of our elected officials should vote to enact, by amendment to the United States Constitution, term limits for members of the United States Congress that are not longer than: three (3) two-year terms in the United States House of Representatives, nor two (2) six-year terms in the United States Senate, respectively.
(e) It is the will of the people of the State of Arkansas that the following amendment be added to the United States Constitution:
“Congressional Term Limits Amendment
“Section A. No person shall serve in the office of United States Representative for more than three terms, but upon ratification of the Congressional Term Limits Amendment no person who has held the office of United States Representative or who then holds the office shall serve for more than two additional terms.
“Section B. No person shall serve in the office of United States Senator for more than two terms, but upon ratification of the Congressional Term Limits Amendment no person who has held the office of United States Senator or who then holds the office shall serve more than one additional term.
“Section C. This article shall have no time limit within which it must be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states.[”]
(f)
(1) As provided in this subsection, and in subsections (h) and (j) of this section, at each primary, special, and general election for the office of United States Representative, United States Senator, or any state legislator, the ballot shall inform voters regarding any incumbent and non-incumbent candidate's failure to support “The Congressional Term Limits Amendment” proposed above.
(g) Each member of the Arkansas Delegation to the United States Congress is hereby instructed to use all of the powers of the Congressional office to pass the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in subsection (e) above.
(h) All primary, general, and special election ballots shall have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” printed adjacent to the name of any United States Representative or United States Senator who:
(1) Failed to vote in favor of the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e) when brought to any vote;
(2) Failed to second the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e) if it lacked for a second before any proceeding of the legislative body;
(3) Failed to propose or otherwise bring to a vote of the full legislative body the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e) above if it otherwise lacked a legislator who so proposed or brought to a vote of the full legislative body the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e) above; or
(4) Failed to vote in favor of discharging the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e) before any committee or subcommittee upon which the Legislator served in the respective legislative body; or
(5) Failed to vote against or reject any attempt to delay, table, or otherwise prevent a vote by the full legislative body on the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in subsection (e); or
(6) Failed to vote against any term limits proposal with terms longer than those set forth in the Congressional Term Limits Amendment proposed in subsection (e); or
(7) Sponsored or co-sponsored any proposed constitutional amendment or law that proposes term limits longer than those in the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in subsection (e); or
(8) Failed to ensure that all legislative votes on Congressional Term Limits were recorded and made available to the public.
(i) The information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” shall not appear adjacent to the names of candidates for Congress if the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in subsection (e) is before the states for ratification or has become a part of the United States Constitution.
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of Arkansas law:
(1) A non-incumbent candidate for the office of United States Representative, United States Senator, State Representative, or State Senator, shall be permitted to sign a “Term Limits Pledge” each time the non-incumbent files as a candidate for such an office. A candidate who declines to sign the “Term Limits Pledge” shall have “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed adjacent to the candidate's name on the election ballot;
(2) Each time a non-incumbent candidate for United States Senator, United States Representative, State Senator, or State Representative files for candidacy for those offices, the candidate shall be offered the “Term Limits Pledge” until the United States Constitution has been amended to limit United States Senators to two terms in office and United States Representative to three terms in office;
(3) The “Term Limits Pledge” that each non-incumbent candidate for state and federal legislative offices shall be offered is as follows:
“I support Congressional Term Limits and pledge to use all of my legislative powers to enact the proposed Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in the United States Congressional Term Limits Amendment of 1996. If elected, I pledge to act and to vote in such a way that the information ‘DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS’ will not appear next to my name.”
The pledge form will provide a space for the signature of the candidate and the date of the signature.
(k) The House of Representatives of the State of Arkansas, and the Arkansas Senate, due to the desire of the people of the State of Arkansas to establish term limits for the Congress of the United States, are hereby instructed to make the following application to the United States Congress, pursuant to their powers under Article V of the United States Constitution , to wit:
“We, the people and the legislature of the State of Arkansas, due to our desire to establish term limits on the members of the Congress of the United States, hereby make application to the United States Congress, pursuant to our power under Article V of the United States Constitution, to call a convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution.”
(l) Each state legislator is hereby instructed to use all powers delegated to each legislator to pass the Article V application to the United States Congress set forth in subsection (k) above, and to ratify, if proposed, the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above.
(m) Not withstanding any other provision of Arkansas Law:
(1) All primary, general, and special election ballots shall have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” printed adjacent to the name of any State Senator or State Representative who:
(A) Failed to vote in favor of the application set forth in subsection (k) above when brought to a vote; or
(B) Failed to second the application set forth in subsection (k) above if it lacked a second; or
(C) Failed to vote in favor of all votes bringing the application set forth in subsection (k) above before any committee or subcommittee upon which the legislator served; or
(D) Failed to propose or otherwise bring to a vote of the full legislative body the application set forth in subsection (k) if it otherwise lacked a legislator who so proposed or brought to a vote of the full legislative body the application set forth above; or
(E) Failed to vote against any attempt to delay, table, or otherwise prevent a vote by the full legislative body on the application set forth in subsection (k) above; or
(F) Failed in any way to ensure that all votes on the application set forth in subsection (k) were recorded and made available to the public; or
(G) Failed to vote against any change, addition, or modification to the application set forth in subsection (k) above; or
(H) Failed to attend a hearing, session, or vote of the legislative body concerning any aspect of consideration of the proposals in subsection (e) and subsection (k) above, where such failure to attend resulted in any failure to obtain a quorum sufficient to conduct business; or
(I) Failed to move for, second, or vote in favor of a roll-call vote on any aspect of consideration of the proposals in subsection (e) and subsection (k) above, where such failure resulted in the defeat of any aspect of subsection (e) and subsection (k) above, without recording the votes of individual legislators to be held accountable at a later time.
(J) Failed to vote against any effort to rescind the application.
(K) Failed to vote in favor of the amendment set forth in subsection (e) above, when the amendment was sent to the states for ratification; or
(L) Failed to vote against any term limits amendment with terms longer than the limits set forth in the proposed amendment in subsection (e) above, when such an amendment is ssent [sic] to the states for ratification.
(2) The information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” as required by any of subsection (1)(A) through (1)(J) shall not appear adjacent to the names of the candidates for the state legislature if the State of Arkansas has made application to Congress for a convention for proposing amendments to the United States Constitution pursuant to this amendment and such application is currently effective, has not been withdrawn, and has not expired.
(3) The information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” as required by either of subsections (1)(K) or (1)(L) shall not appear adjacent to the names of the candidates for the state legislature if: The Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth above has been submitted to the states for ratification and ratified by the Arkansas Legislature; or the Congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth and proposed in subsection (e) has become a part of the United States Constitution.
(n)
(1) The Secretary of State of the State of Arkansas shall be responsible for making an accurate determination as to whether a candidate for state or federal legislative office shall have placed next to the candidate's name on the election ballot the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or the information “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” and for certifying the appropriate indication to the appropriate county clerks and other appropriate voting officials.
(2) The Secretary of State, in accordance with subsection (1) of this subsection, shall be responsible for making an accurate determination from any reliable source.
(3) The Secretary of State shall consider timely submitted public comments prior to making the determination required in subsection (1) of this section.
(4) The Secretary of State, in accordance with subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection shall determine and declare what information, if any, shall appear adjacent to the names of each incumbent state and federal legislator if the incumbent were to be a candidate in the next general election and shall certify such information to the appropriate county clerks and other appropriate voting officials.
In the case of United States Representatives and United States Senators, this determination, declaration, and certification shall be made in a fashion necessary to ensure orderly printing of primary and general election ballots with allowance made for all legal action provided in subsections (5), (6) and (7), below, and shall be based upon each Congressional member's actions during their current term of office and any actions taken in any concluded term, if such action was taken after the determination and declaration was made by the Secretary of State previously.
In the case of incumbent state legislators, this determination and declaration shall be made not later than thirty (30) days after the end of the regular session following each general election, and shall be based upon legislative action in the previous regular session or any action taken in any special session in the previous four (4) years, but in no event upon any actions taken before the adoption of this amendment.
The Secretary of State shall provide official notification to the incumbents by certified mail and to the public by official media statement and legal publication in a newspaper of statewide circulation at least two separate times prior to the election, in accordance with the time frames set forth herein.
(5) The Secretary of State shall determine, declare, and certify what information, if any, shall appear adjacent to the names of non-incumbent candidates for state and federal legislator, not later than five (5) business days after the deadline for filing for the office. The Secretary of State shall provide official notification to the candidate by certified mail and to the public by official media statement and legal publication in a newspaper of statewide circulation at least two separate times prior to the election, in accordance with the time frames set forth herein.
(6) If the Secretary of State makes the determination that the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” OR “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” shall not be certified for placement on the ballot adjacent to the name of a candidate for senator or representative for state or federal office, any candidate or elector may appeal such decision to the Arkansas Supreme Court as an original action within five (5) business days after the second official newspaper publication of the determination by the Secretary of State or shall waive any right to appeal such decision. The burden of proof shall be upon the Secretary of State to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the candidate has met the requirements set forth in this act and therefore should not have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed on the ballot adjacent to the candidate's name.
(7) If the Secretary of State determines that the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” OR “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” shall be certified for placement on the ballot adjacent to a candidate's name for a senator or representative for state or federal office, the candidate may appeal such decision to the Arkansas Supreme Court as an original action within five (5) business days after receipt of notification or shall waive any right to appeal such decision. The burden of proof shall be upon the candidate to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the candidate should not have the information “DISREGARDED VOTERS' INSTRUCTION ON TERM LIMITS” or “DECLINED TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT TERM LIMITS” printed on the ballot adjacent to the candidate's name.
(o) The Arkansas Supreme Court shall hear the appeal provided for in subsections (n)(6) and (n)(7) of this section, on an expedited basis as the first priority among any Supreme Court case, and shall issue its decision on an expedited basis before any other civil appeals are resolved after submission of the matter to the Arkansas Supreme Court. Failure of the Arkansas Supreme Court to render a timely decision will require the Secretary of State to certify the challenged language for placement on the ballot next to the candidate's name.
(p) At such time as the congressional Term Limits Amendment set forth in subsection (e) has become a part of the United States Constitution, subsections (e) through (o) of this amendment automatically shall be repealed.
(q) Repealer. All laws in conflict with the foregoing are hereby repealed.
(r) Severability. If any portion, clause, or phrase of this Amendment is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portions, clauses, and phrases shall not be affected, but shall remain in full force and effect.