WEST virginia legislature
2025 regular session
Introduced
Senate Joint Resolution 10
By Senators Woelfel and Garcia
[Introduced February 20, 2025; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance]
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, amending section three, article VI thereof, relating to term limits for members of the Senate and House of Delegates; limiting senators to three consecutive terms; limiting delegates to six consecutive terms; establishing beginning date of term limitations; numbering and designating such proposed amendment; and providing a summarized statement of the purpose of such proposed amendment.
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia, two thirds of the members elected to each house agreeing thereto:
That the question of ratification or rejection of an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia be submitted to the voters of the state at the next general election to be held in the year 2026, which proposed amendment is that section three, article VI thereof, be amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE VII.
ยง3. Senators and Delegates-Terms of Office.
Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and delegates for the term of two years. The senators first elected, shall divide themselves into two classes, one senator from every district being assigned to each class; and of these classes, the first to be designated by lot in such manner as the Senate may determine, shall hold their seats for two years and the second for four years, so that after the first election, one half of the senators shall be elected biennially. Following the ratification of this section, no person shall be eligible to serve more than three consecutive terms as a senator or six consecutive terms as a delegate. Terms beginning prior to the ratification of this section are not counted for purposes of this limitation, but a partial term served after the ratification of this section shall be considered a term for purposes of this limitation.
Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of article eleven, chapter three of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, such amendment is hereby numbered "Amendment 1" and designated as the "State Senate and House of Delegates Term Limits Amendment" and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows: "To prevent any person from serving more than three consecutive terms in the State Senate or more than six consecutive terms in the House of Delegates, for terms beginning after the ratification of this amendment."
NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia to prevent any person from serving more than three consecutive terms in the State Senate or more than six consecutive terms in the House of Delegates, for terms beginning after the ratification of the proposed amendment.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.