THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY S. H. SMITH, TURZAI, PERRY, MUSTIO, ADOLPH, BLOOM, BOYD, CARROLL, CHRISTIANA, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, DUNBAR, ELLIS, EVANKOVICH, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FARRY, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GRELL, GROVE, HARRIS, HORNAMAN, F. KELLER, M. K. KELLER, MAHER, MARSHALL, MARSICO, MOUL, MULLERY, MURT, PETRI, PRESTON, PYLE, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, REED, ROAE, ROCK, SACCONE, SANTARSIERO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SIMMONS, STEPHENS, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TOOHIL, VULAKOVICH, WAGNER, WATSON, DELOZIER, BARBIN, CALTAGIRONE, HELM, WHITE, KILLION, M. SMITH, KORTZ, MAHONEY, TRUITT, PEIFER, RAVENSTAHL, DEASY, BEAR AND HENNESSEY, APRIL 27, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 27, 2011  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, reducing the size of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of

Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:

That section 16 of Article II be amended to read:

§ 16.  Legislative districts.

The Commonwealth shall be divided into 50 senatorial and

[203] 153 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.

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 this proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment.

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

proposed constitutional amendment, 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

this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment

to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth 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 amendment is

passed by the General Assembly.

Section 3.  Upon ratification by the electors, the General

Assembly shall enact legislation to implement this

constitutional amendment so that it applies for the first time

to the first session of the General Assembly which begins after

the 2020 reapportionment.