
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 48USC1423]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                            CHAPTER 8A--GUAM
 
                     SUBCHAPTER III--THE LEGISLATURE
 
Sec. 1423. Legislature of Guam


(a) Unicameral nature; power

    The legislative power and authority of Guam shall be vested in a 
legislature, consisting of a single house, to be designated the 
``Legislature of Guam'', herein referred to as the legislature.

(b) Size of legislature; prohibition against denial of equal protection; 
        at large and district representation

    The legislature shall be composed of not to exceed twenty-one 
members, to be known as senators, elected at large, or elected from 
legislative districts or elected in part at large and in part from 
legislative districts, as the laws of Guam may direct: Provided, That 
any districting and any apportionment pursuant to this authorization and 
provided for by the laws of Guam shall not deny to any person in Guam 
the equal protection of the laws: And provided further, That in any 
elections to the legislature, every elector shall be permitted to vote 
for the whole number of at-large candidates to be elected, and every 
elector residing in a legislative district shall be permitted to vote 
for the whole number of candidates to be elected within that district.

(c) Reapportionment; Federal census base

    Any districting and related apportionment pursuant to this section 
shall be based upon the then most recent Federal population census of 
Guam, and any such districting and apportionment shall be reexamined 
following each successive Federal population census of Guam and shall be 
modified, if necessary, to be consistent with that census.

(d) Timing of biennial elections

    General elections to the legislature shall be held on the Tuesday 
next after the first Monday in November, biennially in even-numbered 
years. The legislature in all respects shall be organized and shall sit 
according to the laws of Guam.

(Aug. 1, 1950, ch. 512, Sec. 10, 64 Stat. 387; Pub. L. 89-552, Sec. 1, 
Sept. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 375; Pub. L. 98-213, Sec. 5(b), Dec. 8, 1983, 97 
Stat. 1460.)


                               Amendments

    1983--Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98-213 substituted ``Any'' for ``The laws 
of Guam shall not alter the manner in which members of the legislature 
are to be elected as provided in subsection (b) of this section more 
often than at ten-year intervals: Provided, That any''.
    1966--Pub. L. 89-552 authorized election of senators in whole or in 
part from legislative districts if the laws of Guam so directed, 
provided that the legislators be called senators, prohibited any 
districting or apportionment which denied equal protection of the laws 
to any person in Guam, required that electors be permitted to vote for 
the whole number of candidates to be elected both within his district 
and at large, prohibited reapportionment oftener than at 10-year 
intervals, and required that any redistricting be based upon the latest 
Federal census.


 Amendment of Laws of Guam To Conform to Changes Made by Pub. L. 89-552

    Section 2 of Pub. L. 89-552 provided that: ``As soon as practicable 
after enactment of this Act [Sept. 2, 1966], and subject to the 
conditions and requirements of section 10 of the Organic Act of Guam, as 
amended by section 1 hereof [this section], the laws of Guam shall be 
amended to make provision for the manner of the election of members of 
the legislature. Until the laws of Guam shall make such provision the 
method of electing the legislature shall remain as it is upon the date 
of enactment of this Act.''
