PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 804
No. 720 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY REINARD, ARMSTRONG, J. BAKER, MARSICO, BARRAR,
HENNESSEY, PIPPY AND E. Z. TAYLOR, FEBRUARY 14, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, FEBRUARY 14, 2001
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of
2 Pennsylvania, providing for concurrence of two-thirds of all
3 members of each House for the passage of measures imposing
4 new taxes or license fees; and further providing for
5 Commonwealth indebtedness.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby resolves as follows:
8 Section 1. The following amendments to the Constitution of
9 Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with Article XI:
10 (1) That section 4 of Article III be amended to read:
11 § 4. Consideration of bills.
12 Every bill shall be considered on three different days in
13 each House. All amendments made thereto shall be printed for the
14 use of the members before the final vote is taken on the bill
15 and before the final vote is taken, upon written request
16 addressed to the presiding officer of either House by at least
17 25% of the members elected to that House, any bill shall be read
18 at length in that House. No bill shall become a law, unless on
19 its final passage the vote is taken by yeas and nays, the names
1 of the persons voting for and against it are entered on the
2 journal, and a majority of the members elected to each House is
3 recorded thereon as voting in its favor. No tax or license fee
4 or increase of any tax or license fee shall be imposed except
5 pursuant to an act of the General Assembly adopted with the
6 concurrence of two-thirds of all members of each House.
7 (2) That section 7 of Article VIII be amended by adding a
8 subsection to read:
9 § 7. Commonwealth indebtedness.
10 * * *
11 (e) To make up for insufficient revenues, the General
12 Assembly may, where necessary, increase the rate of taxes and
13 fees after the failure to pay, when due, the principal and
14 interest on the debt.
15 Section 2. That no inconvenience may arise from changes in
16 Article III of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, it is hereby
17 declared that this amendment shall not apply to any tax or
18 license fee authorized by an act of the General Assembly but not
19 effective on the effective date of this amendment.
20 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
21 Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the
22 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
23 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
24 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
25 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
26 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
27 passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.
28 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these
29 proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the
30 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
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1 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
2 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
3 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
4 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
5 these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the
6 Commonwealth shall submit the proposed constitutional amendments
7 under section 1 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth
8 as a single ballot question at the first primary, general or
9 municipal election occurring at least three months after the
10 proposed constitutional amendments are passed by the General
11 Assembly.
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