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PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1286
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
956
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, PHILLIPS-HILL, MARTIN, GORDNER, GEBHARD,
STEFANO AND K. WARD, DECEMBER 15, 2021
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DECEMBER 15, 2021
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania,
providing that there is no right to abortion or funding for
an abortion.
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:
That Article I be amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 28.1. Abortion.
The policy of Pennsylvania is to protect the life of every
unborn child from conception to birth, to the extent permitted
by the Federal Constitution. Nothing in this Constitution grants
or secures any right relating to abortion or the public funding
thereof. Nothing in this Constitution requires taxpayer funding
of abortion.
Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
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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 as a separate
ballot question 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.
(c) Should the proposed constitutional amendment receive
second passage, the General Assembly has prepared the ballot
question to be placed on the ballot. It has done so because the
language of the amendment itself is short and clear, and any
rewording or commentary would only add confusion. Therefore, the
General Assembly directs the Secretary to place the proposed
constitutional amendment on the ballot in the following form:
Should the Pennsylvania constitution be amended to say
the following?
"The policy of Pennsylvania is to protect the life of
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every unborn child from conception to birth, to the
extent permitted by the Federal Constitution. Nothing in
this Constitution grants or secures any right relating to
abortion or the public funding thereof. Nothing in this
Constitution requires taxpayer funding of abortion."
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