PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 743
No. 644 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, BASTIAN, BOYD, BUXTON, CUTLER, DALEY,
DeLUCA, EVERETT, GODSHALL, HARHAI, HARRIS, KAUFFMAN,
MACKERETH, MARKOSEK, MARSHALL, McILHATTAN, R. MILLER, MUSTIO,
NAILOR, PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW, REED, SANTONI, SAYLOR,
SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SWANGER AND TURZAI, MARCH 9, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 9, 2007
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for legislative districts.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby resolves as follows:
5 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
6 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
7 That section 16 of Article II be amended to read:
8 § 16. Legislative districts.
9 The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 40 senatorial and
10 [203] 151 representative districts, which shall be composed of
11 compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
12 as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one
13 Senator, and each representative district one Representative.
14 Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,
15 borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
16 senatorial or representative district.
1 Section 2. The first elections after reapportionment of the
2 Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution
3 of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of
4 this Joint Resolution shall be held in the year 2012. The terms
5 of all Senators in office in 2012 shall expire November 30,
6 2012. At the first meeting of the Senate in 2013, the Senators
7 shall draw lots to determine the length of initial terms, 20 of
8 which shall be for two years and 20 of which shall be for four
9 years.
10 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
11 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
12 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
13 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
14 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
15 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
16 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
17 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
18 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
19 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
20 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
21 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
22 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
23 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
24 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
25 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
26 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
27 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
28 primary, general or municipal election which meets the
29 requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article
30 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least
20070H0644B0743 - 2 -
1 three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is
2 passed by the General Assembly.
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