PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 140
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
149
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY GROVE, TALLMAN, SANTARSIERO, GREINER, MURT,
CONKLIN, BLOOM, MENTZER, DUNBAR, A. HARRIS, MUSTIO, MULLERY,
D. COSTA, GRELL, M. K. KELLER, PHILLIPS-HILL AND FEE,
JANUARY 22, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 22, 2015
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing separate and distinct amendments to the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, extending the term of
office for members of the General Assembly; placing term
limits on members of the General Assembly; setting a minimum
number of voting sessions per session term; changing
eligibility requirements to hold office; and reducing the
size of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following separate and distinct amendments to
the Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with
Article XI:
(1) That section 3 of Article II be amended to read:
§ 3. Terms of members.
Senators shall be elected for the term of [four] six years
and Representatives for the term of [two] four years.
(2) That Article II be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 3.1. Term limits for members.
A person may not serve more than six terms of office in the
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House of Representatives or four terms of office in the Senate.
(3) That section 4 of Article II be amended to read:
§ 4. Sessions.
The General Assembly shall be a continuing body during the
term for which its Representatives are elected. It shall meet at
12 o'clock noon on the first Tuesday of January each year, and
shall meet for no fewer than 160 voting sessions per session
term. Special sessions shall be called by the Governor on
petition of a majority of the members elected to each House or
may be called by the Governor whenever in his opinion the public
interest requires.
(4) That section 7 of Article II be amended to read:
§ 7. Ineligibility by criminal convictions.
No person hereafter convicted of a felony, embezzlement of
public moneys, bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, shall
be eligible to the General Assembly, or capable of holding any
office of trust or profit in this Commonwealth.
(5) That section 16 of Article II is amended to read:
§ 16. Legislative districts.
The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 45 senatorial and
[203] 153 representative districts, which shall be composed of
compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one
Senator, and each representative district one Representative.
Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,
borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
senatorial or representative district.
Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
Assembly of the proposed separate and distinct constitutional
amendments, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed
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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 the proposed separate and
distinct constitutional amendments.
(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of the
proposed separate and distinct constitutional amendments, 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 the proposed separate and distinct constitutional
amendments. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall submit the
proposed separate and distinct constitutional amendments as
separate ballot questions 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 separate
and distinct constitutional amendments are passed by the General
Assembly.
Section 3. The amendment of section 3 of Article II of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania shall apply to sessions of the
General Assembly beginning after the 2020 Federal census
reapportionment.
Section 4. The addition of section 3.1 of Article II of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania shall apply to terms of office
beginning after the 2020 Federal census reapportionment.
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Section 5. The amendment of section 4 of Article II of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania shall apply to sessions of the
General Assembly that commence after the amendment is approved
by the electorate.
Section 6. The amendment of section 7 of Article II of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania shall apply to persons elected to
office after the amendment is approved by the electorate,
regardless of the date of the conviction.
Section 7. The amendment of section 16 of Article II of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania shall become effective after the
2020 Federal census reapportionment and the office of each
member of the General Assembly shall be open for election to the
session beginning in 2021.
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