AN ACT to amend the Constitution of North Carolina to modify the length of terms of members of the General Assembly, the compensation of members of the General Assembly, and the length of the sessions of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Part I. Compensation and Allowance modifications

SECTION 1.(a)  Section 16 of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:

Sec. 16.  Compensation Limitations on compensation and allowances.

(1)        The members and officers of the General Assembly shall receive compensation for their services the compensation and allowances prescribed by law. An increase in the compensation or allowances of members shall become effective at the beginning of the next regular session of the General Assembly following the session at which it was enacted.that is equal to the average annual salary of public school teachers paid from State funds as determined by the National Education Association which pay shall begin on July 1 of each fiscal year. The members of the General Assembly shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel reimbursement that is consistent with similar allowances for State employees.

(2)        The officers of the General Assembly who are not members of the General Assembly shall receive for their services the compensation and allowances prescribed by law.

SECTION 1.(b)  The amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 2026, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:

[ ] FOR          [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendment to set the annual salary for members of the General Assembly in an amount that is equal to the average salary for classroom teachers and to set the travel, subsistence, and per diem rates at the rates paid for State employees.

SECTION 1.(c)  The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (b) of this section. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the question are against the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment shall have no effect.

SECTION 1.(d)  If the certification from the State Board of Elections under subsection (c) of this section reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section is effective upon certification.

part II. term modifications

SECTION 2.(a)  Article II of the Constitution of North Carolina is amended by adding a new section to read:

Sec. 25.  Limitation of consecutive terms.

(1)        No person shall be eligible to serve more than 16 consecutive years as a member of the House of Representatives. A person disqualified by this section from election to the next succeeding term as a member of the House of Representatives may not fill a vacancy in the House during that term.

(2)        No person shall be eligible to serve more than 16 consecutive years as a member of the Senate. A person disqualified by this section from election to the next succeeding term as a member of the Senate may not fill a vacancy in the Senate during that term.

(3)        Terms of office beginning before January 1, 2027, shall not be considered for the purpose of this section.

SECTION 2.(b)  The amendments set out in this Part shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 2026, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:

[ ] FOR          [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendment making the term of members of the Senate four years beginning with Senators elected in 2028 and limiting members of the General Assembly to no more than 16 consecutive years in a chamber.

SECTION 2.(c)  The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (b) of this section. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the question are against the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment shall have no effect.

SECTION 2.(d)  If the certification from the State Board of Elections under subsection (c) of this section reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section is effective upon certification.

part IIi. Session length limitation

SECTION 3.(a)  Section 11(1) of Article II of the North Carolina Constitution reads as rewritten:

(1)      Regular sessions.

(a)        The General Assembly shall meet in regular session in 1973 and every two years thereafter on the day prescribed by law.

(b)        Odd‑numbered years. – Beginning with the regular session in 2027, during an odd‑numbered year, the General Assembly shall remain in regular session for no more than 120 calendar days, except that this period may be extended by joint resolution once per regular session in an odd‑numbered year for not more than 10 calendar days. If the General Assembly, upon convening of the regular session, meets initially for not more than two consecutive calendar days and then adjourns for not less than 10 calendar days, that period of adjournment shall be excluded from the 120 calendar days.

(c)        Even‑numbered years. – If the regular session meets in even‑numbered years, the General Assembly shall remain in regular session for no more than 90 calendar days, except that this period may be extended by joint resolution once per regular session in an even‑numbered year for not more than 10 calendar days.

(d)       Reconvened sessions called under Section 5 of Article III of this Constitution and sessions required in response to orders of a court in which only matters responding to the court order are considered shall be excluded from the calculations of this section.

(e)        Neither house shall proceed upon public business unless a majority of all of its members are actually present.

(f)        No valid action, other than a resolution of adjournment, may be taken by the General Assembly in a regular session after the time limits prescribed in this section have expired.

SECTION 3.(b)  The amendment set out in this section shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 2026, which election shall be conducted in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time. The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be:

[ ] FOR          [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendment limiting the length of regular legislative sessions to 120 calendar days in odd‑numbered years and 90 calendar days in even‑numbered years.

SECTION 3.(c)  The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum conducted under subsection (b) of this section. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall enroll the amendment among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast on the question are against the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment shall have no effect.

SECTION 3.(d)  If the certification from the State Board of Elections under subsection (c) of this section reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section, the amendment set out in subsection (a) of this section is effective upon certification.

part iv. effective date

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