PRINTER'S NO. 1343
No. 1166 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY YOHN, SHANE, J. B. KELLY III, BERSON AND BONETTO,
APRIL 29, 1975
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 29, 1975
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania
2 reducing the number of Members of the House of
3 Representatives and increasing their term.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
7 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with the provisions of
8 the eleventh article thereof:
9 That sections three and sixteen, article two of the
10 Constitution of Pennsylvania be amended to read:
11 Section 3. Terms of Members.--Senators shall be elected for
12 a term of four years and Representatives for a term of [two]
13 four years.
14 Section 16. Legislative Districts.--The Commonwealth shall
15 be divided into fifty senatorial and [two hundred three] one
16 hundred thirty-one representative districts, which shall be
17 composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in
18 population as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect
1 one Senator, and each representative district one
2 Representative. Unless absolutely necessary no county, city,
3 incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in
4 forming either a senatorial or representative district.
5 SCHEDULE
6 The foregoing amendment to article two of the Constitution of
7 Pennsylvania shall become effective the year following that in
8 which the next Federal decennial census is officially reported
9 as required by Federal law. The first elections after
10 reapportionment of the Commonwealth under section seventeen to
11 conform to the foregoing amendment shall be held in the year
12 1982. At the general election in the year 1982 Representatives
13 in odd-numbered districts shall be chosen to serve for two years
14 and Representatives in even-numbered districts shall be chosen
15 to serve for four years. Thereafter, all Representatives shall
16 be chosen to serve for four years.
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