Limit Session Length.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 761

Short Title: Limit Session Length. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Lambeth, Warren, Watford, and Willis (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 7, 2025
*H761-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AMEND THE NORTH CAROLINA CONST ITUTION TO LIMIT THE 2
LENGTH OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Section 11(1) of Article II of the Constitution of North Carolina reads 5
as rewritten: 6
"(1) Regular Sessions. The General Assembly shall meet in regular session in 1973 and 7
every two years thereafter on the day prescribed by law. Neither house shall proceed upon public 8
business unless a majority of all of its members are actually present. In odd-numbered years, the 9
General Assembly shall remain in regular session for no more than 90 legislative days. If the 10
General Assembly meets in regular session in even-numbered years, the General Assembly shall 11
remain in session for no more than 45 legislative days. Any reconvened session called under 12
Section 5 of Article III and any extra session called under Section 11(2) of Article II or Section 13
5(7) of Article III of the North Carolina Constitution shall be excluded from the calculations of 14
this section. No valid action, other than a resolution of adjournment, may be taken by the General 15
Assembly in regular session after the time limits prescribed in this subsection have expired." 16
SECTION 2. The amendment set out in Section 1 of this act shall be submitted to 17
the qualified voters of the State at the statewide general election to be held on November 3, 2026, 18
which election shall be conducted under the laws then gover ning elections in the State. Ballots, 19
voting systems, or both may be used in accordance with the laws governing elections at that time. 20
The question to be used in the voting systems and ballots shall be: 21
"[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST 22
Constitutional amendment to limit the number of days the General Assembly can be 23
in regular session in odd -numbered years to 90 legislative days and in even -numbered years to 24
45 legislative days." 25
SECTION 3. The State Board of Elections shall certify the results of the referendum 26
conducted under Section 2 of this act. If a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of 27
the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, then the Secretary of State shall enroll the 28
amendment so certified among the permanent records of that office. If a majority of votes cast 29
on the question are against the amendment set out in Section 1 of this act, the amendment shall 30
have no effect. 31
SECTION 4. If the certification from the State Board of Elections under Section 3 32
of this act reflects that a majority of votes cast on the question are in favor of the amendment set 33
out in Section 1 of this act, then that amendment is effective upon certification and applies to 34
regular sessions of the General Assembly beginning on or after that date. 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 761-First Edition
SECTION 5. This act is effective when it becomes law. 1