Chap. 315.—JOINT RESOLUTION proposing Amendments to the
second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth sections, and additional
sections to the Fifth Article, concerning the Legislative Department of
the Constitution of this Commonwealth, for Publishing said Amend-
ments, and certifying the same to the next General Assembly.

Approved March 30, 1875.

1. Resolved by the senate and house of delegates (a ma.
jority of the members elected to each of the two houses
agreeing thereto), That the following amendments be, and
they are hereby proposed to the constitution of Virginia,
and are hereby referred to the general assembly to be chosen
at the next general election of senators and members of the
house of delegates for its concurrence, in conformity with
article twelve of said constitution: Strike out from the con-
stitution of Virginia the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,
and eighth sections of the fifth article, concerning the legis
lative department, which are in the,following words:

§ 2. The house of delegates shall be elected biennially bs
the voters of the several cities and counties on the Tuesday
succeeding the first Monday in November, and shall, be dis
tributed and apportioned as follows:

§ 3. The senators shall be elected for the term of fou:
years, for the clection of whom the counties, cities, and
towns shall be divided into not more than forty districts
Each county, citv, and town of the respective districts, a
the time of the first election of its delegate or delegate:
under this constitution, shall vote for one or more senators
The senators first elected under this constitution, in districts
bearing odd numbers, shall vacate their office at the end of
two years, and those elected in districts bearing even num-
bers, at the end of four years; and vacancies occurring by
expiration of term shall be filled by the election of senators
for the full term.

§ 4. At the first session of the general assembly after the
enumeration of the inhabitants of the state by the United
States, a reapportionment of senators and members of the
house of delegates, and every tenth year thereafter, sha'l be
made.

Qualifications of senators and delegates.

§ 5. Any person may be elected senator who, at the time
of election, is actually a resident within the district, and
qualified to vote for members of the general assembly accord-
ing to this constitution, and any person may be elected s
member of the house of delegates who, at the time of elec-
tion, is actually a resident within the county, city, town, or
election district, qnalified to vote for members of the general
assembly according to this constitution. The removal of any
person clected to cither branch of the general assembly from
the city, county, town, or district for which he was elected.
shall vacate his office.

Powers and duties of the general assembly.

§ 6. The general assembly shall meet annually, and not
oftener unless convened by the governor in the manner pre
scribed in this constitution. o session of the general as
sembly, after the first under this constitution, shall continue
longer than ninety days, without the concurrence of three-
fifths of the members elected to each house; in which case
the session may be extended for a further period, not exceed-
ing thirty days. Neither house, during the session of the
general assembly, shall, without the consent of the other,
adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place
than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. A ma-
jority of the members elected to each house shall constitute
a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn
from day to day, and shall have power to compel the attend-
‘-amce of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalty as each house may prescribe.

§ 8. The members of the general assembly shall receive
for their services, a compensation to be ascertained by law,
and paid out of the public treasury, but no act increasing
such compensation sball take effect until after the end of the
term for which the members of the house.of delegates voting
thereon were clected; and no senator or delegate, during the
term for which he shall have been elected, shall be appointed
to any Civil office of profit under the commonwealth, which
has been created or the emoluments of which have been in-
creased during such term, except offices filled by election by
the people.

And insert in lieu thereof the following:

§ 2. The house of delegates shall be elected biennially by
’ the voters of the several citics and counties on the Tuesday

succecding the first Monday in November, and shall, from
and after the Tuesday succeeding the firat Monday in No-
vember, cighteen hundred and seventy-nine, consist of not
more than one hundred, and not less than ninety members.
_ § 3. From and after the same date, the senate shall consist

of not less than thirty-three nor more than forty members.

They shall be elected for the term of four years, for the elec-
tion of whom the counties, cities, and towns shall be divided
into districts. Each county, city, and town of the respective
districts shall, at the time of the first election of its delegate
or delegates, under this amendment, vote for one or more
senators. Tho senators first elected under this amendment,
in districts bearing odd numbers, shall vacate their offices at
the end of two years; and those elected in districts bearing
even numbers, at the end of four years; and vacancies oc-
curring by expiration of term shall be filled by the election
of senators for the full term.
» S4. An apportionment of senators and members of the
~ bouse of delegates shall be made at the regular session of the
general assembly, next preceding the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine,
or sooncr. <A reapportionment shall be made in the year

eighteen hundred and ninety-one, and every tenth year there-
after.

Qualifications of senators and delegates.

§5. Any person may be elected senator who, at the time
-of election, is actually a resident within the district, and
qualified to vote for members of the general assembly ac-
cording to this constitution; and any person may be elected
a member of the house of delegates who, at the time of elec-
tion, is actually a resident within the county, city, town, or
election district, qualified to vote for members of the gencral
assembly according to this constitution. But no person hold-
ing a salaried office under the state government, shall be
capable of being elected 2» member of cither house of the
veneral assembly. The removal of any person elected to
either branch of the gencral assembly from the city, county.
town or district for which he was elected, shall vacate his
office.

Powers and duties of the general assembly.

§ 6. The general assembly shall mect once in two years.
and not oftener, unless convened by the governor, iu the
manner prescribed in this constitution. No session of the

eneral assembly, after the first under this amendment, shal
continue longer than ninety days, without the concurrence
of three-fifths of the members elected to each house: in
which case the session may be extended for a further perio:
not exceeding thirty days. Neither house, during the ses-
sion of the general assembly, shall, without the consent of
the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any
other place than that in which the two houses shall be sit-
ting. A majority of the members elected to each house shail
constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number
may adjourn, from day to day, and shall have power tu com-
pel the attendance of absent members in such manner and
under such penalty as each house may prescribe.

§ 8. The members of the general assembly shal! receive
for their services a salary, to be ascertained by law, and paid
out of the public treasury, but no act increasing such salary
shall take effect until after the end of thé term for which
the members of the house of delegates voting therein were
elected; and nosenator or delegate during the term for which
he shall have been elected, shall’ be appointed to any civil
office of profit under the commonwealth, which has been
created, or the emoluments of which have been increased
during such term, except offices filled by election by the pee-

le.

Add the following sections at the end of the article:

§ 23. Tho legislature shall have power to provide for Lhe
government of cities and towns, and to establish such courts
therein.as may be necessary for the administration of justice.

§ 24. The general assembly shall have power, by a two
third vote, to remove disabilities incurred under clause third.
section one, article third of this constitution, with reference
to dueling.

2. Resolved, That the clerk of the house of delegates er
the clerk of the senate be required, or if a vacancy happen
in both of said offices, the presiding officer of either house
of the general assembly be authorized and requested to cause
the proposed amendments and these resolutions to be pub-
lished in some newspaper published in the city of Richmond.
for three months previous to the time of choosing the mem-
bers of the general assembly, at the next general election of
senators and members of the house of delegates.

3. Resolved, That the clerk of tue senate and the clerk of
the house of delegates be required to transmit to the yene
ral assembly, to be chosen at the next general election cf
senators and members of the house of delegates, a certified
copy of said amendments and thesé resolutions, together
with a certificate of publication by the publisher of the news-
paper in which the proposed amendments shall have been
published. ,