PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1971
No. 1616 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY HUTCHINSON, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, BARD, BARRAR,
BENNINGHOFF, CORRIGAN, EGOLF, FARGO, FICHTER, FLICK, FORCIER,
GEIST, GEORGE, GODSHALL, HARHAI, HARHART, HESS, LAUGHLIN,
LEH, LYNCH, MASLAND, MELIO, METCALFE, R. MILLER, S. MILLER,
NAILOR, PETRARCA, PLATTS, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROHRER, SAYLOR,
SERAFINI, STEVENSON, TRUE, WILT AND ZUG, JUNE 9, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, JUNE 9, 1999
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.
1 (c) Tax base expansions imposed by the Commonwealth require
2 the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to
3 each House of the General Assembly.
4 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
5 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment.
12 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
13 proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
20 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
21 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
22 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
23 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
24 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
25 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
26 Pennsylvania.
27 Section 3. The addition of section 18 of Article VIII of the
28 Constitution of Pennsylvania shall become effective beginning
29 with the first fiscal year commencing more than six months
30 following approval of this section by the electorate.
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