THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY McILVAINE SMITH, ADOLPH, BOYLE, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, DeLUCA, DRUCKER, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, GEIST, GIBBONS, HALUSKA, HARPER, HORNAMAN, MAHONEY, MANN, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MOUL, MURPHY, PYLE, READSHAW, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WHEATLEY AND YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 12, 2010

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 12, 2010  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, further providing for terms of members.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1.  The following amendment to the Constitution of

Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:

(1)  That section 3 of Article II be amended to read:

§ 3.  Terms of members.

(a)  Senators shall be elected for the term of [four] six 

years and Representatives for the term of [two] four years.

(b)  Senators in even-numbered districts elected at the

general election in 2014 shall serve a six-year term. Senators

in odd-numbered districts elected at the general election in

2012 shall serve a six-year term. Senators now elected and those

whose terms are unexpired shall represent the districts in which

they reside until the end of the terms for which they were

elected.

(c)  Representatives in odd-numbered districts elected at the

general election in 2012 shall serve a four-year term, and

Representatives in even-numbered districts elected at the

general election in 2012 shall serve a two-year term.

Representatives in even-numbered districts elected at the

general election in 2014 shall serve a four-year term.

Section 2.  The provisions of this resolution apply only to

terms served by members of the General Assembly after the first

election cycle following the ratification of this constitutional

amendment and thereafter.

Section 3.  (a)  Upon the first passage by the General

Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the

Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to

comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the

required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in

which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after

passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.

(b)  Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this

proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the

advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the

Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required

advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such

newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of

this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment

to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first

primary, general or municipal election which meets the

requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article

XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least

three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is

passed by the General Assembly.