THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY WARD, PILEGGI, VOGEL, BROWNE, VANCE, TOMLINSON, D. WHITE, FOLMER, YAW, PICCOLA, ROBBINS, ORIE, EICHELBERGER, PIPPY, ALLOWAY, BAKER, SMUCKER, RAFFERTY AND WAUGH, JANUARY 12, 2011

REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 12, 2011  

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, providing for a limitation on the length of

session.

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 the provisions of

Article XI:

That section 4 of Article II be amended to read:

§ 4.  Sessions.

(a)  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. 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.

(b)  Unless meeting in special session, the General Assembly

may not convene a voting session from a time period beginning on

the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November through

November 30 in any even-numbered year.

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.