THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY MUSTIO, BOYD, CHRISTIANA, GRELL, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, MAHER, METZGAR, MURT, PEIFER, READSHAW, REESE, ROAE, SCAVELLO, M. SMITH, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON, FEBRUARY 14, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 14, 2011  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing separate and distinct amendments to the Constitution

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for

terms of members and for legislative districts.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1.  The following amendments to the Constitution of

Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with Article XI:

(1)  That section 3 of Article II be amended to read:

§ 3.  Terms of members.

[Senators shall be elected for the term of four years and

Representatives for term of two years.]

(a)  Senators shall be elected for the term of six years.

(b)  Except as provided under subsection (c), Representatives

shall be elected for the term of four years.

(c)  At the first general election in an even-numbered year

after the adoption of the amendment adding this subsection, all

Representatives from even-numbered districts shall be elected

for the term of four years and all Representatives from odd-

numbered districts shall be elected for the term of two years.

(2)  That section 16 of Article II be amended to read:

§ 16.  Legislative districts.

The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 37 senatorial and

[203] 185 representative districts, which shall be composed of

compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population

as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one

Senator, and each representative district one Representative. No

representative district may be divided in the formation of a

senatorial district. Unless absolutely necessary no county,

city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be

divided in forming either a senatorial or representative

district.

Section 2.  (a)  Upon the first passage by the General

Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the

Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to

comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the

required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in

which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after

passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.

(b)  Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these

proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the

advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the

Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required

advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such

newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of

these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall submit the proposed constitutional amendments

under section 1 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth

as separate ballot questions at the first primary, general or

municipal election which meets the requirements of and is in

conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of

Pennsylvania and which occurs at least three months after the

proposed constitutional amendments are passed by the General

Assembly.