GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 56

Short Title:     Appoint Most Council of State Members.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senator Albertson.
Referred to:	Ways and Means.

February 3, 2005

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to provide that the elected members of the council of state are the governor, lieutenant governor, auditor, treasurer, and attorney general.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Section 7(1) of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:

"(1)      Officers. A Secretary of State, an An Auditor, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Public Instruction, and an Attorney General, General a Commissioner of Agriculture, a Commissioner of Labor, and a Commissioner of Insurance shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State in 1972 2008 and every four years thereafter, at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected. Their term of office shall be four years and shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified."

SECTION 2.  The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at a statewide election to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of 2006, 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 163 of the General Statutes. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:

"[ ] FOR         [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendments making the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Auditor, Treasurer, and Attorney General the elected executive officers of the state."

SECTION 3.  If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, the State Board of Elections shall certify the amendments to the Secretary of State.  The constitutional amendment shall become effective January 1, 2009, but shall also apply to the 2008 election cycle. The Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment so certified among the permanent records of that office.

SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.