PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 916
No. 831 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, CLARK, CARONE AND PLATTS,
FEBRUARY 14, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 14, 1995
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of
2 Pennsylvania, limiting terms of members; and providing for a
3 referendum on reelection of members.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendments to the Constitution of
7 Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with Article XI:
8 (1) That section 3 of Article II be amended to read:
9 § 3. Terms of members.
10 Senators shall be elected for the term of four years and
11 Representatives for the term of two years. Consecutive terms of
12 office for each Senator or Representative shall not exceed eight
13 years unless authorized by referendum.
14 (2) That Article II be amended by adding a section to read:
15 § 18. Referendum on reelection of members.
16 A member of the Senate or House of Representatives who has
17 completed eight years of legislative service may be a candidate
18 for reelection to the same political office if a majority of
1 voters in his legislative or senatorial district by referendum
2 permit the member to be a candidate for that office. The
3 referendum that shall be placed on the ballot during the
4 November election of the year preceding the year when the member
5 will complete eight years of service shall read:
6 Senator or Representative (fill in name) will have
7 completed eight years of legislative service as your
8 Senator or Representative for the (fill in number)
9 district at the completion of next year's November
10 election on (fill in date). Under Pennsylvania law,
11 Senator or Representative (fill in name) may not be a
12 candidate for the office of State Senator or
13 Representative unless a majority of voters in this
14 senatorial or legislative district permit him or her to
15 be a candidate for reelection to this office. If a
16 majority of voters of this senatorial or legislative
17 district vote to allow him or her to run for this office
18 in next year's election, then he or she will be permitted
19 to place his or her name on the ballot as a candidate for
20 reelection to this office for additional four two-year
21 terms or two four-year terms. Based on this law, please
22 answer the following question:
23 Should Senator or Representative (fill in name) be
24 permitted to be a candidate for reelection to the
25 office of Senator or Representative in next year's
26 election if he or she chooses?
27 Section 2. Service in the General Assembly, whether the
28 service constitutes a full term of office or a partial term of
29 office, performed prior to the effective date of the amendment
30 proposed in section 1 shall not be considered in determining the
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1 maximum number of consecutive full terms a senator or
2 representative may serve or in determining eligibility of a
3 senator or representative for election.
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