PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 259
No. 258 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY GERLACH, JANUARY 29, 1997
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JANUARY 29, 1997
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for a referendum on reelection of
3 members.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
7 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
8 That Article II be amended by adding a section to read:
9 § 18. Referendum on reelection of members.
10 A member of the Senate or House of Representatives who has
11 completed 12 years of legislative service may be a candidate for
12 reelection to the same political office if a majority of voters
13 in his legislative or senatorial district by referendum permit
14 the member to be a candidate for that office. The referendum
15 that shall be placed on the ballot during the general election
16 of the year preceding the year when the member will complete 12
17 years of service shall read:
18 Senator or Representative (fill in name) will have
1 completed 12 years of legislative service as your Senator
2 or Representative for the (fill in name) district at the
3 completion of next year's general election on (fill in
4 date). Under Pennsylvania law, Senator or Representative
5 (fill in name) may not be a candidate for the office of
6 State Senator or Representative unless a majority of
7 voters in this senatorial or legislative district permit
8 him or her to be a candidate for reelection to this
9 office. If a majority of voters of this senatorial or
10 legislative district vote to allow him or her to run for
11 this office in next year's election, then he or she will
12 be permitted to place his or her name on the ballot as a
13 candidate for reelection to this office for additional
14 six two-year terms or three four-year terms. Based on
15 this law, please answer the following question:
16 Should Senator or Representative (fill in name) be
17 permitted to be a candidate for reelection to the
18 office of Senator or Representative in next year's
19 election if he or she so chooses? ( ) Yes ( ) No.
20 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
21 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment.
28 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
29 proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
6 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
7 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
8 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
9 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
10 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
11 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
12 Pennsylvania.
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