PRINTER'S NO. 865
No. 770 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ORIE AND FOLMER, APRIL 20, 2007
REFERRED TO FINANCE, APRIL 20, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending Titles 24 (Education) and 71 (State Government) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for referendum
3 on public pension increases.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 24 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 8536. Referenda on benefit increases required.
9 (a) Requirement of referendum.--No increase in benefits,
10 other than a supplemental annuity to reflect an increase in cost
11 of living, shall be effective until the increase in benefits has
12 been approved by the electorate.
13 (b) Notification.--Upon the passage by the General Assembly
14 of a proposed increase in benefits, the Secretary of the
15 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
16 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
17 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
18 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
1 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of the
2 proposed increase in benefits. The Secretary of the Commonwealth
3 shall submit the proposed increase in benefits to the qualified
4 electors of this Commonwealth at the first primary, general or
5 municipal election occurring at least three months after the
6 legislation is passed by the General Assembly.
7 (c) Referendum question.--The referendum question shall be
8 in the following form:
9 Do you favor changing the benefits under the Public
10 School Employees' Retirement System to provide for
11 ?
12 (d) Nonlegal interpretative statement.--The Department of
13 State shall draft a nonlegal interpretative statement which
14 shall accompany the referendum question in accordance with
15 section 201.1 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320),
16 known as the Pennsylvania Election Code.
17 (e) Certification of results.--The Secretary of the
18 Commonwealth shall certify the results of the referendum in
19 accordance with the Pennsylvania Election Code.
20 (f) Referendum approval.--Approval of the referendum
21 required under this section shall be by majority vote of the
22 electors voting on the question.
23 Section 2. Title 71 is amended by adding a section to read:
24 § 5711. Referenda on benefit increases required.
25 (a) Requirement of referendum.--No increase in benefits,
26 other than a supplemental annuity to reflect an increase in cost
27 of living, shall be effective until the increase in benefits has
28 been approved by the electorate.
29 (b) Notification.--Upon the passage by the General Assembly
30 of a proposed increase in benefits, the Secretary of the
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1 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
2 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
3 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
4 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
5 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of the
6 proposed increase in benefits. The Secretary of the Commonwealth
7 shall submit the proposed increase in benefits to the qualified
8 electors of this Commonwealth at the first primary, general or
9 municipal election occurring at least three months after the
10 legislation is passed by the General Assembly.
11 (c) Referendum question.--The referendum question shall be
12 in the following form:
13 Do you favor changing the benefits under the State
14 Employees' Retirement System to provide for ?
15 (d) Nonlegal interpretative statement.--The Department of
16 State shall draft a nonlegal interpretative statement which
17 shall accompany the referendum question in accordance with
18 section 201.1 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320),
19 known as the Pennsylvania Election Code.
20 (e) Certification of results.--The Secretary of the
21 Commonwealth shall certify the results of the referendum in
22 accordance with the Pennsylvania Election Code.
23 (f) Referendum approval.--Approval of the referendum
24 required under this section shall be by majority vote of the
25 electors voting on the question.
26 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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