Trial Engrossment of Amendment A01909 to Senate Bill 0735 P.N. 0899, Regular Session 2021-2022

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE

A01909

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

735

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY J. WARD, MASTRIANO, ARGALL, BARTOLOTTA, MARTIN,

YAW, HUTCHINSON, PHILLIPS-HILL, STEFANO, MENSCH, PITTMAN,

BAKER, AUMENT AND SCAVELLO, JUNE 11, 2021

SENATOR ARGALL, STATE GOVERNMENT, AS AMENDED, JUNE 15, 2021

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment separate and distinct amendments to the

Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing

for right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water and

further providing for qualifications of electors.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1. The following amendment separate and distinct

amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania is are proposed

in accordance with Article XI:

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

(1) That Article I be amended by adding a section to read:

§ 29. Right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water.

The people have a right to safe, clean, affordable and

accessible water. This right includes, but is not limited to,

the right to restoration or replacement by a corporation of a

public or private water supply affected by pollution or

diminution by the corporation with an alternate source of water

adequate in quantity and quality for the purposes served by the

supply, including, at a minimum, a restored or replaced water

supply that is as reliable, permanent and accessible as the

previous water supply.

(2) That section 1 of Article VII be amended to read:

§ 1. Qualifications of electors.

(a) Every citizen 21 years of age, possessing the following

qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections

subject, however, to such laws requiring and regulating the

registration of electors as the General Assembly may enact.

1. He or she shall have been a citizen of the United States

at least one month.

2. He or she shall have resided in the State 90 days

immediately preceding the election.

3. He or she shall have resided in the election district

where he or she shall offer to vote at least 60 days immediately

preceding the election, except that if qualified to vote in an

election district prior to removal of residence, he or she may,

if a resident of Pennsylvania, vote in the election district

from which he or she removed his or her residence within 60 days

preceding the election.

(b) (1) In addition to the qualifications under subsection

(a), a qualified elector shall provide identification at each

election by:

(i) presenting valid identification before receiving a

ballot to vote in person; or

(ii) enclosing a copy of valid identification with his or

her ballot to vote by absentee or mail-in ballot.

(2) The types of valid identification that a person may

provide to comply with this subsection shall be provided for by

law.

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(B) IN ADDITION TO THE QUALIFICATIONS UNDER SUBSECTION (A)

OF THIS SECTION, A QUALIFIED ELECTOR SHALL PROVIDE A VALID

IDENTIFICATION AT EACH ELECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE

FOLLOWING:

1. WHEN VOTING IN PERSON, THE QUALIFIED ELECTOR SHALL

P RESENT A VALID IDENTIFICATION BEFORE RECEIVING A BALLOT TO VOTE

IN PERSON.

2. WHEN NOT VOTING IN PERSON, THE QUALIFIED ELECTOR SHALL

PROVIDE A COPY OF A VALID IDENTIFICATION WITH HIS OR HER BALLOT.

IDENTIFICATIONS NECESSARY FOR A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO COMPLY WITH

SUBSECTION (B), VALID IDENTIFICATIONS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE

LIMITED TO, A VALID GOVERNMENT-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION.

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

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

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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.

Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General

Assembly of these proposed 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 these proposed constitutional amendments.

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

proposed 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

these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the

Commonwealth shall:

(1) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under

section 1(1) of this resolution 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

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constitutional amendment is passed by the General Assembly.

(2) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under

section 1(2) of this resolution 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.

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