HB 1897 — A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for election of members and vacancies.

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
                                                     PRINTER'S NO.     2367

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1897
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SCOTT, PROBST, OTTEN, SANCHEZ, CERRATO, FRIEL AND
        GREEN, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025


                              A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1   Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
 2      of Pennsylvania, further providing for election of members
 3      and vacancies.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    The following amendment to the Constitution of
 7   Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
 8      That section 2 of Article II be amended to read:
 9   § 2.   Election of members; vacancies.
10      (a)   Members of the General Assembly shall be chosen at the
11   general election every second year. Their term of service shall
12   begin on the first day of December next after their election.
13   Whenever a vacancy shall occur in either House, the presiding
14   officer thereof shall issue a writ of election to fill such
15   vacancy for the remainder of the term.
16      (b)   At the beginning of each term, each member of the
17   General Assembly shall provide the Chief Clerk of their
18   respective House with a list of three individuals who may be
 1   appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from the death of the
 2   member. If a vacancy occurs due to the death of a member, the
 3   presiding officer of the House in which that member served shall
 4   appoint one of the individuals from the list provided by the
 5   member who shall fill the vacancy until an individual is
 6   selected through a special election to fill the office for the
 7   remainder of the term. Each individual listed by the member or
 8   appointed under this section shall be qualified and eligible to
 9   serve as a member of the General Assembly pursuant to this
10   article.
11      Section 2.   The following procedure applies to the proposed
12   constitutional amendment in this joint resolution:
13          (1)   Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of
14      the amendment, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
15      proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
16      requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
17      of Pennsylvania.
18          (2)   Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of
19      the amendment, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
20      proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
21      requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
22      of Pennsylvania. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
23      submit the amendment to the qualified electors of this
24      Commonwealth at the first general or municipal election which
25      meets the requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
26      Constitution of Pennsylvania.




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