PRINTER'S NO.  125

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

183

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY GODSHALL, KOTIK, BOYD, CHRISTIANA, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DeLUCA, GINGRICH, HARHAI, HORNAMAN, MAHER, METZGAR, MULLERY, MURT, MUSTIO, PETRI, READSHAW, REED, REESE, ROAE, ROCK, SANTARSIERO, SCHRODER, SWANGER AND VULAKOVICH, JANUARY 24, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 24, 2011  

  

  

  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

  

1

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

2

of Pennsylvania, reducing the size of the General Assembly.

3

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

4

hereby resolves as follows:

5

Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of

6

Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:

7

That section 16 of Article II be amended to read:

8

§ 16.  Legislative districts.

9

The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 30 senatorial and

10

[203] 121 representative districts, which shall be composed of

11

compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population

12

as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one

13

Senator, and each representative district one Representative.

14

Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,

15

borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a

16

senatorial or representative district.

 


1

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

2

Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the

3

Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to

4

comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article

5

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the

6

required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in

7

which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after

8

passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.

9

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

10

proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the

11

Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the

12

advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the

13

Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required

14

advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such

15

newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of

16

this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the

17

Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment

18

to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first

19

primary, general or municipal election which meets the

20

requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article

21

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least

22

three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is

23

passed by the General Assembly.

24

Section 3.  The amendment of section 16 of Article II of the

25

Constitution of Pennsylvania shall take effect after the 2010

26

Federal census reapportionment.

27

Section 4.  The Senate and House of Representatives, upon the

28

effective date of the amendment of section 16 of Article II of

29

the Constitution of Pennsylvania, shall each reduce their

30

budgets by 40% compared to the budgets of the prior year.

- 2 -