PRINTER'S NO. 247
No. 229 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY FISHER, KNEPPER, McVERRY, POTT, KERNICK AND
TADDONIO, FEBRUARY 12, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 12, 1979
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for county offices in
3 counties of the second class.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
7 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with
8 the provisions of Article XI thereof:
9 That section 4, Article IX be amended to read:
10 § 4. County government.
11 County officers shall consist of commissioners, controllers
12 or auditors, district attorneys, public defenders, treasurers,
13 sheriffs, registers of wills, recorders of deeds,
14 prothonotaries, clerks of the courts, and such others as may
15 from time to time be provided by law. However, in counties of
16 the second class, the offices of register of wills, recorder of
17 deeds, prothonotary and clerk of courts are hereby abolished and
18 all the powers and duties formerly vested in such offices shall
1 hereafter be vested in the office of county clerk which is
2 hereby created.
3 County officers, except for public defenders who shall be
4 appointed as shall be provided by law, shall be elected at the
5 municipal elections and shall hold their offices for the term of
6 four years, beginning on the first Monday of January next after
7 their election, and until their successors shall be duly
8 qualified; all vacancies shall be filled in such a manner as may
9 be provided by law.
10 County officers shall be paid only by salary as provided by
11 law for services performed for the county or any other
12 governmental unit. Fees incidental to the conduct of any county
13 office shall be payable directly to the county or the
14 Commonwealth, or as otherwise provided by law.
15 Three county commissioners shall be elected in each county.
16 In the election of these officers each qualified elector shall
17 vote for no more than two persons, and the three persons
18 receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected.
19 Provisions for county government in this section shall apply
20 to every county except a county which has adopted a home rule
21 charter or an optional form of government. One of the optional
22 forms of county government provided by law shall include the
23 provisions of this section.
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