A.2(c). The Legislative Branch

Members of Congress serving at the time of ratification may complete their current terms. The rules and qualifications established in this Charter apply to all future terms and elections beginning after ratification.

Term limits set by this Charter apply to all terms served, including those completed before ratification. No Member of Congress may be re-elected if doing so would violate the term limits established herein.

All procedural rules, ethical obligations, and operational structures established by this Charter take effect immediately upon ratification, except where a different timeline is stated in this section or elsewhere in the Charter.

Congress has one hundred eighty (180) days after ratification to update its rules, ethics code, and support offices to match this Charter. Until that time, current procedures may stay in place.

The first Congressional election after ratification will use the current system, except party affiliations must be removed from the ballot. Ranked-choice voting and petition-based access begin with the second election. All other election reforms in this Charter take effect with the third.

The requirement for Members of Congress to maintain official residences in the capital shall begin with the second Congress seated after ratification. Immediately after ratification, Congress will ensure appropriate action is taken to provide the required residences by the deadline.

No amendment to this Charter or statute can be passed that alters, suspends, overrides, or interferes with the redistricting process in this Charter until after the first full redistricting cycle following the next decennial census. This is an absolute provision and not subject to waiver, emergency exception, judicial reinterpretation, or procedural workaround. If the People conclude after that first redistricting that they choose to change it, they may then do so.