A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO LIMIT SENATORS TO SERVING NO MORE THAN TWO TERMS IN OFFICE AND TO LIMIT MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVING NO MORE THAN FOUR TERMS IN OFFICE.
Summary
H5360 is a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of the South Carolina General Assembly. Under the proposal, a person would be ineligible for election to the House of Representatives after serving four terms in that body, and ineligible for election to the Senate after serving two terms in that body, regardless of district represented. The measure also specifies that any term served in an election held before January 1, 2028, would not count toward the term-limit totals, and that serving more than half of a term would count as a full term.
Because this is a constitutional amendment, the bill does not itself change ordinary statutory law; instead, it would amend Article III, Section 7 of the South Carolina Constitution if approved by voters. The proposal would be placed on the ballot at the next general election for representatives, and voters would decide whether to add these legislative term limits to the state constitution. If adopted, it would directly affect current and future legislators by limiting how long they may serve in each chamber.
Impact
H5360 would amend the South Carolina Constitution to add eligibility restrictions for legislative office, creating term limits for state senators and representatives. It would not revise a statute in the South Carolina Code, but would change the constitutional qualifications for election to the General Assembly and therefore govern future candidacies and officeholding. The amendment includes a transition rule excluding terms served in elections held before January 1, 2028, from the count, which delays the practical effect of the limits and reduces immediate disruption for current members.
Sentiment
The available context shows no committee transcript, recorded vote, or formal action history, so there is no documented legislative debate to measure directly. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be a reform-oriented proposal aimed at limiting tenure in the General Assembly. In the absence of recorded discussion, the overall sentiment cannot be definitively characterized, though the proposal itself suggests support for term-limit reform and likely reflects a broader interest in legislative turnover and accountability.
Contention
The main point of contention is the policy choice to restrict how long elected lawmakers may serve, which can be viewed as promoting turnover and limiting entrenched incumbency, but also as reducing voter choice and removing experienced legislators from office. Another likely issue is the transition provision: by excluding pre-2028 elections from the term count, the bill softens immediate effects, which may be seen as a compromise by supporters or as too lenient by stronger term-limit advocates. No specific opposing arguments or named stakeholders are provided in the available record.
Similar To
A JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 7, ARTICLE III OF THE CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SENATORS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO ENACT TERM LIMITATIONS FOR ITS MEMBERS BY LAW.