PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1159
No. 1037 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, MASLAND, ARMSTRONG, GEORGE, MELIO,
SCHRODER, LYNCH, FICHTER, NAILOR, FLICK, ZUG, WAUGH, LEH,
HERSHEY, ROBERTS, FAIRCHILD, FARGO, MILLER, RAYMOND, EGOLF,
TULLI, PLATTS, ROHRER, TRELLO, CORRIGAN, BOSCOLA, GEIST,
BROWNE, McNAUGHTON, LAUGHLIN AND BARD, MARCH 25, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, MARCH 25, 1997
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for tax increase limitations.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby resolves as follows:
5 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
6 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
7 That Article VIII be amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 18. Tax increase limitations.
9 (a) Taxes instituted by the Commonwealth require the
10 affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each
11 House of the General Assembly.
12 (b) Tax rate increases of greater than the inflation rate,
13 as determined by the United States Department of Labor, imposed
14 by the Commonwealth require the affirmative vote of two-thirds
15 of the members elected to each House of the General Assembly.
16 (c) Tax base expansions imposed by the Commonwealth require
1 the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
2 each House of the General Assembly.
3 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
4 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
5 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
6 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
7 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
8 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
9 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
10 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
11 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
12 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
13 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
14 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
15 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
16 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
17 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
18 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
19 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
20 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
21 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
22 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
23 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
24 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
25 Pennsylvania.
26 Section 3. The addition of section 18 of Article VIII of the
27 Constitution of Pennsylvania shall become effective beginning
28 with the first fiscal year commencing more than six months
29 following approval of this section by the electorate.
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