MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2003 Regular Session
To: Constitution
By: Representative Lott, Cameron, Chism, Davis, Fillingane, Formby, Janus, Ketchings, Martinson, Montgomery (74th), Moore (60th), Nicholson, Robinson (84th), Smith (59th), Snowden
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING TO AMEND THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890 BY CREATING A NEW SECTION 38-A TO PROVIDE THAT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHALL ELECT FROM ITS MEMBERSHIP A SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WHO SHALL SERVE AS ITS PRESIDING OFFICER AND WHO SHALL EXERCISE SUCH POWERS AND DUTIES AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY THIS CONSTITUTION, BY GENERAL LAW AND BY SUCH RULES AS THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY ADOPT AND ESTABLISH; TO LIMIT TO TWO THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSIVE TERMS THAT A PERSON IS ELIGIBLE TO HOLD THE OFFICE OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the state:
Amend the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 by creating a new Section 38-A to read as follows:
"Section 38-A. The House of Representatives shall elect from its membership a Speaker of the House who shall serve as its presiding officer and who shall exercise such powers and duties as may be prescribed by this Constitution, by general law and by such rules as the House of Representatives may adopt and establish. The person elected to the office of Speaker of the House shall serve a term concurrent with his term as a member of the House and may succeed himself in office, but no person who has been elected to the office of Speaker of the House for two (2) successive terms is eligible to hold that office until one term has intervened."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November 2003, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution and by general law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed constitutional amendment provides that the Mississippi House of Representatives shall elect from its membership a Speaker of the House to serve as its presiding officer and to perform such other powers and duties as prescribed by the Constitution, by general law and by rules adopted by the House. The amendment also limits to two the number of successive terms that a person is eligible to hold the office of Speaker of the House."