PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 3709
No. 2500 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY GIBBONS, BOYD, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, EVERETT, GRELL,
HARRIS, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, MAHONEY, McILVAINE SMITH, MUSTIO,
PAYNE, READSHAW, ROAE, ROCK, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH AND MOUL,
MAY 7, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 7, 2008
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the
2 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for terms of
3 members and for the Legislative Reapportionment Commission.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following integrated amendments to the
7 Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with
8 Article XI:
9 (1) That section 3 of Article II be amended to read:
10 § 3. Terms of members.
11 [Senators shall be elected for the term of four years and
12 Representatives for the term of two years.]
13 (a) Senators shall be elected for the term of six years. No
14 person shall hold the office of Senator for a period of longer
15 than two successive terms of six years. Terms of Senators shall
16 be considered successive unless separated by a period of six or
17 more years. Representatives shall be elected for the terms of
1 four years. No person shall hold the office of Representative
2 for a period longer than three successive terms of four years.
3 Terms of Representatives shall be considered successive unless
4 separated by a period of four or more years.
5 (b) In determining the eligibility of an individual to hold
6 office in accordance with subsection (a):
7 (1) Time spent in office in fulfillment of a term to which
8 another person was first elected shall not be considered,
9 provided that a period of at least six years for Senators and at
10 least four years for Representatives passed between the time, if
11 any, the individual previously held that office and the time the
12 individual is elected to fulfill the unexpired term.
13 (2) A person who is elected to office in a regularly
14 scheduled general election and resigns prior to the completion
15 of the term for which the person was elected shall be considered
16 to have served the full term in that office.
17 (c) Senators in even-numbered districts elected at the
18 general election in 2010 shall serve a six-year term. Senators
19 in odd-numbered districts elected at the general election in
20 2012 shall serve a six-year term. Senators now elected and those
21 whose terms are unexpired shall represent the districts in which
22 they reside until the end of the terms for which they were
23 elected.
24 (d) Representatives in odd-numbered districts elected at the
25 general election in 2010 shall serve a four-year term, and
26 Representatives in even-numbered districts elected at the
27 general election in 2010 shall serve a two-year term.
28 Representatives in even-numbered districts elected at the
29 general election in 2012 shall serve a four-year term.
30 (2) That section 17(f) of Article II be amended to read:
20080H2500B3709 - 2 -
1 § 17. Legislative Reapportionment Commission.
2 * * *
3 (f) Any district which does not include the residence from
4 which a member of the Senate or House of Representatives was
5 elected whether or not scheduled for election at the next
6 general election shall elect a Senator or Representative at such
7 election.
8 * * *
9 Section 2. The provisions of this resolution apply only to
10 terms served by members of the General Assembly after the first
11 election cycle following the ratification of this constitutional
12 amendment and thereafter.
13 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
14 Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the
15 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
16 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
17 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
18 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
19 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
20 passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.
21 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these
22 proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the
23 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
24 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
25 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
26 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
27 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
28 these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the
29 Commonwealth shall submit the proposed constitutional amendments
30 under section 1 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth
20080H2500B3709 - 3 -
1 as a single ballot question at the first primary, general or
2 municipal election which meets the requirements of and is in
3 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
4 Pennsylvania and which occurs at least three months after the
5 proposed constitutional amendments are passed by the General
6 Assembly.
C14L83BIL/20080H2500B3709 - 4 -