THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY WANSACZ, HARHAI, KORTZ, SOLOBAY, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BOYD, BRENNAN, BURNS, BUXTON, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, DePASQUALE, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HESS, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, LONGIETTI, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, PEIFER, PICKETT, PYLE, RAPP, ROAE, ROHRER, SWANGER, TALLMAN, VULAKOVICH AND K. SMITH, MARCH 18, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, MARCH 18, 2009  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, further providing for exemptions and special

provisions.

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 section 2(b)(i) of Article VIII be amended to read:

§ 2.  Exemptions and special provisions.

* * *

(b)  The General Assembly may, by law:

(i)  Establish standards and qualifications for private

forest reserves, agricultural reserves, [and] land actively

devoted to agricultural use, and closely held businesses

transferred between family members and make special provision

for the taxation thereof, including exempting a portion of the

value from inheritance taxes;

* * *

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

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.