THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY KAUFFMAN, BEAR, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, FARRY, GINGRICH, GRELL, HARHART, HARRIS, METZGAR, MOUL, MUSTIO, PETRI, PYLE, QUIGLEY, REED, REESE, ROAE, ROCK, SCHRODER, SIMMONS, TALLMAN AND VULAKOVICH, MARCH 1, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 1, 2011  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, further providing for legislative districts.

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] (a)  (1)  Except as otherwise provided in this

subsection, the Commonwealth shall be divided into 50 senatorial

and 203 representative districts, which shall be composed of

compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population

as practicable.

(2)  Beginning with the legislative session that commences

the first Tuesday of January 2013, the Commonwealth shall be

divided into 193 representative districts, which shall be

composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in

population as practicable.

(3)  Beginning with the legislative session that commences

the first Tuesday of January 2023, the Commonwealth shall be

divided into 183 representative districts, which shall be

composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in

population as practicable.

(4)  Beginning with the legislative session that commences

the first Tuesday of January 2033, the Commonwealth shall be

divided into 173 representative districts, which shall be

composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in

population as practicable.

(5)  Beginning with the legislative session that commences

the first Tuesday of January 2043, the Commonwealth shall be

divided into 163 representative districts, which shall be

composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in

population as practicable.

(6)  Beginning with the legislative session that commences

the first Tuesday of January 2053, the Commonwealth shall be

divided into 153 representative districts, which shall be

composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in

population as practicable.

(b)  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)  The first elections after reapportionment of

the Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the

Constitution of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under

section 1 of this Joint Resolution, as it relates to the

addition of section 16(a)(2) of Article II, shall be held in the

year 2012.

(b)  The first elections after reapportionment of the

Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution

of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of

this Joint Resolution, as it relates to the addition of section

16(a)(3) of Article II, shall be held in the year 2022.

(c)  The first elections after reapportionment of the

Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution

of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of

this Joint Resolution, as it relates to the addition of section

16(a)(4) of Article II, shall be held in the year 2032.

(d)  The first elections after reapportionment of the

Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution

of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of

this Joint Resolution, as it relates to the addition of section

16(a)(5) of Article II, shall be held in the year 2042.

(e)  The first elections after reapportionment of the

Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution

of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of

this Joint Resolution, as it relates to the addition of section

16(a)(6) of Article II, shall be held in the year 2052.

Section 3.  (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.