PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2225
No. 1556 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY FUMO, MELLOW, BELL, STAPLETON, TOMLINSON, KASUNIC,
TARTAGLIONE, MUSTO, COSTA AND O'PAKE, OCTOBER 6, 1998
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, OCTOBER 6, 1998
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for concurrence of two-thirds of
3 all members of each House for the passage of measures
4 imposing new or increasing certain existing taxes or license
5 fees.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby resolves as follows:
8 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
9 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
10 That sections 4 and 5 of Article III be amended to read:
11 § 4. Consideration of bills.
12 (a) Every bill shall be considered on three different days
13 in each House. All amendments made thereto shall be printed for
14 the use of the members before the final vote is taken on the
15 bill and before the final vote is taken, upon written request
16 addressed to the presiding officer of either House by at least
17 25% of the members elected to that House, any bill shall be read
18 at length in that House.
19 (b) No bill shall become a law, unless on its final passage
1 the vote is taken by yeas and nays, the names of the persons
2 voting for and against it are entered on the journal, and:
3 (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a majority of the
4 members elected to each House is recorded thereon as voting in
5 its favor.
6 (2) For any bill which proposes to increase any tax or
7 license fee deposited in the General Fund or in the Motor
8 License Fund or which proposes any new tax or license fee
9 designated for deposit in the General Fund or in the Motor
10 License Fund, a vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
11 each House is recorded thereon as voting in its favor.
12 § 5. Concurring in amendments; conference committee reports.
13 [No] (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no
14 amendment to bills by one House shall be concurred in by the
15 other, except by the vote of a majority of the members elected
16 thereto, taken by yeas and nays, and the names of those voting
17 for and against recorded upon the journal thereof[; and
18 reports].
19 (2) No amendment to a bill when such amendment proposes to
20 increase any tax or license fee deposited in the General Fund or
21 the Motor License Fund or which proposes any new tax or license
22 fee designated for deposit in the General Fund or in the Motor
23 License Fund by one House shall be concurred in by the other,
24 except by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members
25 elected thereto, taken by yeas and nays, and the names of those
26 voting for and against recorded upon the journal thereof.
27 (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), reports of
28 committees of conference shall be adopted in either House only
29 by the vote of a majority of the members elected thereto, taken
30 by yeas and nays, and the names of those voting recorded upon
19980S1556B2225 - 2 -
1 the journals.
2 (2) Reports of committees of conference relating to bills
3 which propose to increase any tax or license fee deposited in
4 the General Fund or the Motor License Fund or which propose any
5 new tax or license fee designated for deposit in the General
6 Fund or in the Motor License Fund by one House shall be adopted
7 by the other only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the
8 members elected thereto, taken by yeas and nays, and the names
9 of those voting for and against recorded upon the journal
10 thereof.
11 Section 2. That no inconvenience may arise from changes in
12 Article III of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, it is hereby
13 declared that this amendment shall not apply to any tax or
14 license fee authorized by an act of the General Assembly but not
15 effective on the effective date of this amendment.
16 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
17 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
18 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
19 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
20 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
21 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
22 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
23 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
24 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
25 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
26 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
27 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
28 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
29 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
30 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
19980S1556B2225 - 3 -
1 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
2 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
3 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
4 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
5 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
6 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
7 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
8 Pennsylvania.
I21L83RZ/19980S1556B2225 - 4 -