PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1665
No. 1489 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY CESSAR, MAYERNIK, FARMER AND PETTIT, MAY 3, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 3, 1993
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for terms of members, for
3 legislative districts and for the Legislative Reapportionment
4 Commission.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby resolves as follows:
7 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
8 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
9 That sections 3, 16 and 17(e) of Article II be amended to
10 read:
11 § 3. Terms of members.
12 (a) Senators shall be elected for the term of four years
13 [and Representatives for the term of two years].
14 (b) Representatives shall be elected for the term of two
15 years through the general election held in the year 2000.
16 Representatives shall be elected for the term of four years
17 beginning with the general election held in the year 2002.
18 (c) No person shall serve as a member of the Senate for more
1 than three full four-year terms, either consecutively or
2 nonconsecutively. No person shall serve as a member of the House
3 of Representatives for more than three full four-year terms
4 either consecutively or nonconsecutively.
5 § 16. Legislative districts.
6 The Commonwealth shall be divided into 50 senatorial and 203
7 representative districts, [which] through all terms which expire
8 November 30, 2002. Beginning with the terms commencing on
9 December 1, 2002, the Commonwealth shall be divided into 41
10 senatorial and 121 representative districts. The districts shall
11 be composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal
12 in population as practicable. Each senatorial district shall
13 elect one Senator, and each representative district one
14 Representative. Unless absolutely necessary no county, city,
15 incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in
16 forming either a senatorial or representative district.
17 § 17. Legislative Reapportionment Commission.
18 * * *
19 (e) When the Supreme Court has finally decided an appeal or
20 when the last day for filing an appeal has passed with no appeal
21 taken, the reapportionment plan shall have the force of law [and
22 the districts therein provided shall be used thereafter in
23 elections] in subsequent elections beginning with the next
24 general election to the General Assembly until the next
25 reapportionment as required under this section 17.
26 * * *
27 Section 2. The amendment of section 3 of Article II shall
28 take effect subject to the following schedule:
29 (1) Persons elected to the Senate in the general
30 election held in the year 2000 shall serve for a term of two
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1 years. Persons elected to the Senate from even-numbered
2 districts at the general election held in the year 2002 shall
3 serve for the term of two years. Thereafter all Senators
4 shall be elected for a term of four years.
5 (2) Persons elected as a member of the House of
6 Representatives from even-numbered districts at the general
7 election held in the year 2002 shall be elected for the term
8 of two years. Thereafter, all members of the House of
9 Representatives shall be elected for a term of four years.
10 (3) The term limitations contained in this section shall
11 be effective beginning with the terms filled at the general
12 election held in the year 2002.
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