PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
A05649
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
253
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY KAUFFMAN, CORBIN, KNOWLES, D. COSTA, MULLERY,
MENTZER, FEE, MURT, A. HARRIS, KAVULICH, DUNBAR, CALTAGIRONE,
BLOOM, MACKENZIE, WARD, PEIFER, GILLEN, TALLMAN, MARSICO,
CONKLIN, B. MILLER, SIMMONS, DeLUCA, BENNINGHOFF AND DEASY,
JANUARY 31, 2017
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JANUARY 23, 2018
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:
ยง 16. Legislative districts.
(a) The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 38 37
senatorial districts as provided in subsection (b) 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,
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borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
senatorial or representative district.
(b) The number of senatorial districts shall be as follows:
(1) Beginning with the session of the General Assembly that
meets on the first Tuesday of January 2022, there shall be 46
senatorial districts.
(2) Beginning with the session of the General Assembly that
meets on the first Tuesday of January 2032, there shall be 42
senatorial districts.
(3) Beginning with the session of the General Assembly that
meets on the first Tuesday of January 2042, there shall be 38
senatorial districts.
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
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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.
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