PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2777
No. 2016 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, BOYD, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, DALEY, DALLY,
DeLUCA, DIVEN, GILLESPIE, GOOD, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HERMAN,
KAUFFMAN, LEVDANSKY, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McILHATTAN,
R. MILLER, MUSTIO, NAILOR, PISTELLA, READSHAW, REED, RUBLEY,
SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SHANER, SOLOBAY,
R. STEVENSON, T. STEVENSON, TANGRETTI, TIGUE, TRUE, WILT,
CRAHALLA, BASTIAN, TURZAI, MACKERETH AND WANSACZ,
OCTOBER 13, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 13, 2005
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for legislative districts.
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 section 16 of Article II be amended to read:
8 § 16. Legislative districts.
9 The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 40 senatorial and
10 [203] 151 representative districts, which shall be composed of
11 compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population
12 as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one
13 Senator, and each representative district one Representative.
14 Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town,
1 borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a
2 senatorial or representative district.
3 Section 2. The first elections after reapportionment of the
4 Commonwealth under section 17 of Article II of the Constitution
5 of Pennsylvania to conform to the amendment under section 1 of
6 this Joint Resolution shall be held in the year 2012. The terms
7 of all Senators in office in 2012 shall expire November 30,
8 2012. At the first meeting of the Senate in 2013, the Senators
9 shall draw lots to determine the length of initial terms, 20 of
10 which shall be for two years and 20 of which shall be for four
11 years.
12 Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
13 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
14 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
15 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
16 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
17 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
18 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
19 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
20 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
21 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
22 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
23 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
24 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
25 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
26 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
27 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
28 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
29 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
30 primary, general or municipal election which meets the
20050H2016B2777 - 2 -
1 requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article
2 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least
3 three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is
4 passed by the General Assembly.
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