PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 40
No. 61 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, ORIE, READSHAW, LAUGHLIN, DALLY, HANNA
AND GIGLIOTTI, JANUARY 20, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 20, 1999
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of
2 Pennsylvania, further providing for terms of members and for
3 legislative districts.
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] six years
11 and Representatives for the term of [two] three years. No person
12 shall serve as a member of the General Assembly for more than 12
13 years.
14 (2) That section 16 of Article II be amended to read:
15 § 16. Legislative districts.
16 The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 33 senatorial and
17 [203] 100 representative districts, which shall be composed of
1 compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
2 as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one
3 Senator, and each representative district one Representative.
4 Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,
5 borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
6 senatorial or representative district.
7 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
8 Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the
9 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
10 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
11 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
12 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
13 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
14 passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.
15 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these
16 proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the
17 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
18 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
19 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
20 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
21 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
22 these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the
23 Commonwealth shall submit these proposed constitutional
24 amendments to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the
25 first primary, general or municipal election occurring at least
26 three months after the proposed constitutional amendments are
27 passed by the General Assembly which meets the requirements of
28 and is in conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the
29 Constitution of Pennsylvania.
30 Section 3. Upon approval of the amendments by the electors,
19990H0061B0040 - 2 -
1 the amendments shall take effect January 1, 2002.
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