SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1137 PRINTER'S NO. 1835
No. 1000 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY COY, OLIVER, NOYE, MANDERINO, STEIGHNER, PETRARCA,
PUNT, McCALL, PIEVSKY, IRVIS, RYAN, CIMINI, PRESSMANN,
STABACK, GALLAGHER, TIGUE, TRELLO, J. L. WRIGHT, LASHINGER,
KENNEY, FISCHER, ITKIN, HERSHEY, COHEN, DIETZ, MAYERNIK,
BELFANTI, D. R. WRIGHT, SIRIANNI, BOOK, NAHILL, OLASZ, DALEY,
KOSINSKI, BLAUM, CIVERA, DAWIDA, PERZEL, FOX, STAIRS, PRATT,
RUDY, PISTELLA, YANDRISEVITS, DUFFY, VAN HORNE, LIVENGOOD,
LUCYK, COWELL, O'DONNELL, VEON, FREEMAN, COLAFELLA, FLICK,
DeLUCA, KASUNIC, WOZNIAK, DeWEESE, BARLEY, MICHLOVIC,
HOWLETT, ACOSTA, J. J. TAYLOR, LEVDANSKY, MRKONIC,
RICHARDSON, COLE, MARKOSEK, HERMAN, BATTISTO, E. Z. TAYLOR,
BELARDI, BALDWIN, BORTNER AND WIGGINS, APRIL 17, 1985
SENATOR O'CONNELL, STATE GOVERNMENT, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED,
JUNE 24, 1985
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
2 "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
3 special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
4 primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
5 and defining membership of county boards of elections;
6 imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
7 courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
8 imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
9 revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10 repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11 elections," requiring a statement of purpose and explanation
12 to be printed below PREPARED, PUBLISHED AND POSTED FOR any <--
13 ballot question.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. The act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known
17 as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is amended by adding a
1 section to read:
2 Section 201.1. Explanation of Ballot Question.--In addition <--
3 to the other duties imposed by law on him, the Secretary of the
4 Commonwealth shall insure that a statement which indicates the
5 purpose, limitations and effects of the ballot question on the
6 people of the Commonwealth be printed, in plain English,
7 immediately below the official wording of the ballot question.
8 This requirement shall be followed in all ballot questions,
9 including those dealing with constitutional amendments. WHENEVER <--
10 A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OR OTHER STATEWIDE BALLOT
11 QUESTION SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS OF THE COMMONWEALTH
12 IN REFERENDUM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL PREPARE A STATEMENT IN
13 PLAIN ENGLISH WHICH INDICATES THE PURPOSE, LIMITATIONS AND
14 EFFECTS OF THE BALLOT QUESTION ON THE PEOPLE OF THE
15 COMMONWEALTH. THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH SHALL INCLUDE
16 SUCH STATEMENT IN HIS PUBLICATION OF A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL
17 AMENDMENT AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE XI OF THE CONSTITUTION OF
18 PENNSYLVANIA. THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH SHALL CERTIFY
19 SUCH STATEMENT TO THE COUNTY BOARDS OF ELECTIONS WHO SHALL
20 PUBLISH SUCH STATEMENT AS A PART OF THE NOTICE OF ELECTIONS
21 REQUIRED BY SECTION 1201 OR ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ACT. THE
22 COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS SHALL ALSO REQUIRE THAT AT LEAST THREE
23 COPIES OF SUCH STATEMENT BE POSED IN OR ABOUT THE VOTING ROOM
24 OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSED SPACE WITH THE SPECIMEN BALLOTS AND OTHER
25 INSTITUTIONS AND NOTICES OF PENALTIES. IN ELECTION QUESTIONS
26 WHICH AFFECT ONLY ONE MUNICIPALITY, THE COUNTY BOARD OF
27 ELECTIONS SHALL FULFILL THESE REQUIREMENTS IN THE PLACE OF THE
28 ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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