Bill Text: PA HB2052 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: 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.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-5)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-10-16 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HB2052 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB2052-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2826
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2052 Session of2009
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
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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.
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