PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE PRINTER'S NO. 767
No. 685 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, CLARK, PLATTS AND ROSS, MARCH 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 10, 1997
A JOINT RESOLUTION 1 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of 2 Pennsylvania, limiting terms of members; and providing for a 3 referendum on reelection of members. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby resolves as follows: 6 Section 1. The following amendments to the Constitution of 7 Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with Article XI: 8 (1) That section 3 of Article II be amended to read: 9 § 3. Terms of members. 10 Senators shall be elected for the term of four years and 11 Representatives for the term of two years. Consecutive terms of 12 office for each Senator or Representative shall not exceed eight 13 years unless authorized by referendum. 14 (2) That Article II be amended by adding a section to read: 15 § 18. Referendum on reelection of members. 16 A member of the Senate or House of Representatives who has 17 completed eight years of legislative service may be a candidate 18 for reelection to the same political office if a majority of
1 voters in his legislative or senatorial district by referendum 2 permit the member to be a candidate for that office. The 3 referendum that shall be placed on the ballot during the 4 November election of the year preceding the year when the member 5 will complete eight years of service shall read: 6 Senator or Representative (fill in name) will have 7 completed eight years of legislative service as your 8 Senator or Representative for the (fill in number) 9 district at the completion of next year's November 10 election on (fill in date). Under Pennsylvania law, 11 Senator or Representative (fill in name) may not be a 12 candidate for the office of State Senator or 13 Representative unless a majority of voters in this 14 senatorial or legislative district permit him or her to 15 be a candidate for reelection to this office. If a 16 majority of voters of this senatorial or legislative 17 district vote to allow him or her to run for this office 18 in next year's election, then he or she will be permitted 19 to place his or her name on the ballot as a candidate for 20 reelection to this office for additional four two-year 21 terms or two four-year terms. Based on this law, please 22 answer the following question: 23 Should Senator or Representative (fill in name) be 24 permitted to be a candidate for reelection to the 25 office of Senator or Representative in next year's 26 election if he or she chooses? 27 Section 2. Service in the General Assembly, whether the 28 service constitutes a full term of office or a partial term of 29 office, performed prior to the effective date of the amendment 30 proposed in section 1 shall not be considered in determining the 19970H0685B0767 - 2 -
1 maximum number of consecutive full terms a senator or 2 representative may serve or in determining eligibility of a 3 senator or representative for election. 4 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General 5 Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the 6 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to 7 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article 8 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the 9 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in 10 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after 11 passage of these proposed constitutional amendments. 12 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these 13 proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the 14 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the 15 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the 16 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required 17 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such 18 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of 19 these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the 20 Commonwealth shall submit these proposed constitutional 21 amendments to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the 22 first primary, general or municipal election occurring at least 23 three months after the proposed constitutional amendments are 24 passed by the General Assembly which meets the requirements of 25 and is in conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the 26 Constitution of Pennsylvania. A10L83JRW/19970H0685B0767 - 3 -