WEST virginia legislature

2021 regular session

Introduced

House Joint Resolution 29

By Delegate Kimes

[ Introduced March 15, 2021; Referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary.]

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia amending article VI, 6-2 by inserting new language to the current section, relating to reducing the composition of the House of Delegates from 100 members to 50 members; reducing the composition of the State Senate from 34 members to 17 members; authorizing this issue to be taken up during the next general election in 2022 on the ratification or rejection of the amendment; and providing a summarized statement of the purpose of such proposed new language.

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 the new language proposed in article VI, section 6-2, to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia be submitted to the voters of the state at the next general election in 2022, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VI.

6-2. Composition of Senate and House of Delegates.

The Senate shall be composed of twenty-four, and the House of Delegates of sixty-five members, subject to be increased according to the provisions hereinafter contained.

As of 2022, the Senate shall be composed of 17 members, and the House of Delegates shall be composed of 50 members.

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 No. 1” and designated as the “Composition of House of Delegates and State Senate Amendment” and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows:  “To amend the State Constitution by providing that the composition of the West Virginia House of Delegates be set at 50 members, and the composition of the West Virginia State Senate to be set at 17 members.”

NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to amend the West Virginia Constitution by requiring that the House of Delegates be composed of 50 members and the State Senate be composed of 17 members.

Underscoring indicates new language that would be added to the present law.