PRINTER'S NO. 1203
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
215
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, DINNIMAN, BLAKE, FONTANA, J. WARD,
BREWSTER, MARTIN, MASTRIANO, KILLION AND SCHWANK,
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Senate Library's exhibition on the history of
the Constitution of Pennsylvania occurring on September 23,
2019, through February 28, 2020.
WHEREAS, Over the course of this Commonwealth's history,
there have been five versions of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania that were ratified in 1776, 1790, 1838, 1874 and
1968; and
WHEREAS, On September 28, 1776, the first Constitution of
Pennsylvania was adopted by a Constitutional Convention in
Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The principal drafters of the first Constitution of
Pennsylvania included Benjamin Franklin, George Bryan and James
Cannon; and
WHEREAS, The 1874 version of the Constitution of Pennsylvania
was adopted on November 3, 1873, by a Constitutional Convention,
ratified by voters in this Commonwealth at a special election
held on December 16, 1873, and went into effect on January 1,
1874; and
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WHEREAS, A proposed amendment to the Constitution of
Pennsylvania must be approved by any of the following:
(1) A majority of the Senate and a majority of the House
of Representatives in two consecutive sessions and ratified
by the voters of this Commonwealth.
(2) A majority of the members of a Constitutional
Convention called by the voters in this Commonwealth and
submitted to and ratified by the voters of this Commonwealth;
and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of Pennsylvania was last amended on
November 7, 2017, when voters in this Commonwealth ratified an
amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania regarding tax
exclusion for homestead property; and
WHEREAS, The Senate Library's collection includes a nine-
volume set of books titled, "Reference Manuals," issued by the
1968 Constitutional Convention; and
WHEREAS, The Senate Library's collection includes copies of
all five versions of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and the
proceedings of each Constitutional Convention; and
WHEREAS, The Senate Library has many resources for legal
research on the Constitution of Pennsylvania, including, "The
Pennsylvania Constitution: A Treatise on Rights and Liberties"
by Ken Gormley and "Pennsylvania Constitutional Law" by Robert
E. Woodside; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the Senate Library's
exhibition on the history of the Constitution of Pennsylvania
occurring on September 23, 2019, through February 28, 2020.
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