PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE PRINTER'S NO. 166
No. 164 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY WAGNER, JANUARY 20, 1999
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 20, 1999
A JOINT RESOLUTION 1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth 2 of Pennsylvania, reducing the number of members of the 3 General Assembly. 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 section 16 of Article II be amended to read: 9 § 16. Legislative districts. 10 The Commonwealth shall be divided into [50] 30 senatorial and 11 [203] 123 representative districts, which shall be composed of 12 compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population 13 as practicable. Each senatorial district shall elect one 14 Senator, and each representative district one Representative. 15 Unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, 16 borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a 17 senatorial or representative district.
1 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General 2 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the 3 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to 4 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article 5 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the 6 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in 7 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after 8 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment. 9 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this 10 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the 11 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the 12 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the 13 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required 14 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such 15 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of 16 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the 17 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment 18 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first 19 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three 20 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by 21 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in 22 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of 23 Pennsylvania. 24 Section 3. This amendment shall apply to the reapportionment 25 following the 2002 decennial census. A11L83JLW/19990S0164B0166 - 2 -