PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 3230
No. 2487 Session of 1992
INTRODUCED BY FLICK, LEH, DEMPSEY, STEELMAN, BELARDI, LANGTRY,
FARMER, FAIRCHILD, MERRY, MELIO, TRELLO, CESSAR, LAWLESS,
CLARK, ADOLPH, SERAFINI AND LAUGHLIN, MARCH 16, 1992
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 16, 1992
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for six-year terms for members of
3 the Senate and four-year terms for members of the House of
4 Representatives; limiting terms to 12 consecutive years;
5 providing for retention in certain cases; and reducing the
6 number of members of the House of Representatives.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby resolves as follows:
9 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
10 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
11 That sections 3 and 16 of Article II be amended to read:
12 § 3. Terms of members.
13 (a) Senators shall be elected for the term of [four] six
14 years and Representatives for the term of [two] four years.
15 Senators and Representatives shall be limited to 12 years in one
16 office. Senators shall serve not more than two full consecutive
17 terms, and Representatives shall serve not more than three full
18 consecutive terms in office.
19 (b) A Senator or Representative may file a declaration of
1 candidacy for retention election with the officer of the
2 Commonwealth who, under law, has supervision over elections on
3 or before the first Monday of January during the year of his
4 tenth consecutive year in office to determine the question of
5 whether he shall continue in office notwithstanding the 12-year
6 limitation. If a majority of the electorate favors retention,
7 the Senator or Representative shall be eligible for office for
8 an additional 12 years. If a majority of the electorate is
9 against retention, the Senator or Representative shall not be
10 eligible to continue in office.
11 § 16. Legislative districts.
12 The Commonwealth shall be divided into 50 senatorial and
13 [203] 150 representative districts, which shall be composed of
14 compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
15 as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one
16 Senator, and each representative district one Representative.
17 Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,
18 borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
19 senatorial or representative district.
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