Bill Text: NC H5 | 2018 | 1st Special Session | Amended
Bill Title: Election Notice & Extra Session Requirements
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-08-04 - Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House [H5 Detail]
Download: North_Carolina-2018-H5-Amended.html
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
FIRST EXTRA SESSION 2018
H 1
HOUSE BILL 5
Short Title: Election Notice & Extra Session Requirements. |
(Public) |
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Sponsors: |
Representative W. Richardson. For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site. |
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Referred to: |
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House |
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August 4, 2018
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to amend the election laws of the state to increase the amount of notice given by the county board of elections for an election, to amend the constitution of north carolina to increase the number of members of the general assembly required to submit written requests to convene an extra session of the general assembly, and to require advanced notice of the extra session.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 163A‑769(8) reads as rewritten:
"(8) To provide for the
issuance of all notices, advertisements, and publications concerning elections
required by law. If the election is on a State bond issue, an amendment to the
Constitution, or approval of an act submitted to the voters of the State, the
State Board shall reimburse the county boards of elections for their reasonable
additional costs in placing such notices, advertisements, and publications. In
addition, the county board of elections shall give notice at least 2030
days prior to the date on which the registration books or records are closed
that there will be a primary, general or special election, the date on which it
will be held, and the hours the voting places will be open for voting in that
election. The notice also shall describe the nature and type of election, and
the issues, if any, to be submitted to the voters at that election. Notice
shall be given by advertisement at least once weekly during the 20‑day30‑day
period in a newspaper having general circulation in the county and by posting a
copy of the notice at the courthouse door. Notice may additionally be made on a
radio or television station or both, but such notice shall be in addition to
the newspaper and other required notice. This subdivision shall not apply in
the case of bond elections called under the provisions of Chapter 159.159
of the General Statutes."
SECTION 2. Subsection (2) of Section 11 of Article II of the Constitution of North Carolina reads as rewritten:
"(2) Extra sessions on
legislative call. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall convene the General Assembly in extra session by their
joint proclamation upon receipt by the President of the Senate of written
requests therefor signed by three-fifthsthree‑fourths of
all the members of the Senate and upon receipt by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives of written requests therefor signed by three-fifthsthree‑fourths
of all the members of the House of Representatives. Except where an
emergency immediately threatening the public health or safety or the economic
well‑being of the State exists, as conclusively determined by both the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
date of convening the General Assembly in extra session shall be no earlier
than 10 days from the joint proclamation required under this subsection. Within
one day of the joint proclamation, the General Assembly shall provide citizens
of the State with notice by publication of the joint proclamation."
SECTION 3. The amendment set out in Section 2 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at a statewide general election to be held in November of 2018, which election shall be conducted under the laws then governing elections in the State. Ballots, voting systems, or both may be used in accordance with Chapter 163A of the General Statutes. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST
Constitutional amendment to increase the number of members of the General Assembly required to submit written requests to convene an extra session of the General Assembly from three‑fifths to three‑fourths and to require advanced notice prior to convening an extra session of the General Assembly."
SECTION 4. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in Section 2 of this act, the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement shall certify the amendment to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment so certified among the permanent records of that office.
SECTION 5. The amendment set out in Section 2 of this act is effective upon certification and applies to extra sessions convened on or after that date.
SECTION 6. Section 1 of this act is effective when it becomes law, and applies to elections held on or after that date. Except as otherwise provided, the remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.