THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY HANNA, CONKLIN, CUTLER, DeLUCA, ELLIS, EVERETT, KORTZ, READSHAW, SHAPIRO, SIPTROTH, STEVENSON AND SWANGER, OCTOBER 16, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 16, 2009  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for election

and terms of members of the General Assembly and for terms of

office of Governor.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby resolves as follows:

Section 1.  The following integrated amendments to the

Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with

Article XI:

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

§ 2.  Election of members; vacancies.

[Members] (a)  Except as set forth in subsection (b), members 

of the General Assembly shall be chosen at the general election

every second year. Their term of service shall begin on the

first day of December next after their election. Whenever a

vacancy shall occur in either House, the presiding officer

thereof shall issue a writ of election to fill such vacancy for

the remainder of the term.

(b) In any year in which a general appropriation act is not

passed by the General Assembly by June 30, members of the

General Assembly shall be chosen at the next succeeding general

election to serve beginning on the first day of December next

after their election for the remaining terms of the members in

office as of June 30. A candidate for nomination to the office

of Senator in the General Assembly under this subsection shall

present a nominating petition containing at least 500 valid

signatures of registered and enrolled members of the proper

party, and a candidate for nomination to the office of

Representative in the General Assembly under this subsection

shall present a nominating petition containing at least 300

valid signatures of registered and enrolled members of the

proper party.

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

§ 3.  Terms of members.

[Senators] Except as provided in section (2)(b) of this

article, senators shall be elected for the term of four years

and Representatives for the term of two years.

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

§ 3.  Terms of office of Governor; number of terms.

[The] (a)  Except as set forth in subsection (b), the 

Governor shall hold his office during four years from the third

Tuesday of January next ensuing his election. Except for the

Governor who may be in office when this amendment is adopted, he

shall be eligible to succeed himself for one additional term.

(b)  In any year in which a general appropriation act is not

signed by the Governor by June 30, a Governor shall be chosen at

the next succeeding general election to serve beginning on the

first day of December next ensuing his election for the

remaining term of the Governor in office as of June 30, but in

no event may a Governor succeed himself for more than one

additional term.

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 submit the proposed constitutional amendments

under section 1 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth

as a single 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 amendments are passed by the General

Assembly.