PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2974
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1776
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY SAMUELSON, GILLEN, PROBST, SMITH-WADE-EL, WEBSTER,
RABB, HANBIDGE, HILL-EVANS, SOLOMON, CERRATO, FREEMAN,
SAPPEY, WARREN, KIM, SHUSTERMAN, WAXMAN, HOWARD, CONKLIN,
DALEY, BRIGGS, D. WILLIAMS, MUNROE, STURLA, FRIEL,
HOHENSTEIN, OTTEN, KINSEY, MARKOSEK, KENYATTA, ISAACSON,
N. NELSON, HOGAN, KRAJEWSKI, CURRY, GUENST, VITALI AND BOYD,
APRIL 17, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 17, 2024
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing integrated and distinct amendments to the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, repealing provisions
relating to Legislative Reapportionment Commission and
providing for Independent Redistricting Commission and for
redistricting criteria.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following integrated amendments to the
Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with
Article XI:
(1) That section 17 of Article II be repealed:
[§ 17. Legislative Reapportionment Commission.
(a) In each year following the year of the Federal decennial
census, a Legislative Reapportionment Commission shall be
constituted for the purpose of reapportioning the Commonwealth.
The commission shall act by a majority of its entire membership.
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(b) The commission shall consist of five members: four of
whom shall be the majority and minority leaders of both the
Senate and the House of Representatives, or deputies appointed
by each of them, and a chairman selected as hereinafter
provided. No later than 60 days following the official reporting
of the Federal decennial census as required by Federal law, the
four members shall be certified by the President pro tempore of
the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to
the elections officer of the Commonwealth who under law shall
have supervision over elections.
The four members within 45 days after their certification
shall select the fifth member, who shall serve as chairman of
the commission, and shall immediately certify his name to such
elections officer. The chairman shall be a citizen of the
Commonwealth other than a local, State or Federal official
holding an office to which compensation is attached.
If the four members fail to select the fifth member within
the time prescribed, a majority of the entire membership of the
Supreme Court within 30 days thereafter shall appoint the
chairman as aforesaid and certify his appointment to such
elections officer.
Any vacancy in the commission shall be filled within 15 days
in the same manner in which such position was originally filled.
(c) No later than 90 days after either the commission has
been duly certified or the population data for the Commonwealth
as determined by the Federal decennial census are available,
whichever is later in time, the commission shall file a
preliminary reapportionment plan with such elections officer.
The commission shall have 30 days after filing the
preliminary plan to make corrections in the plan.
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Any person aggrieved by the preliminary plan shall have the
same 30-day period to file exceptions with the commission in
which case the commission shall have 30 days after the date the
exceptions were filed to prepare and file with such elections
officer a revised reapportionment plan. If no exceptions are
filed within 30 days, or if filed and acted upon, the
commission's plan shall be final and have the force of law.
(d) Any aggrieved person may file an appeal from the final
plan directly to the Supreme Court within 30 days after the
filing thereof. If the appellant establishes that the final plan
is contrary to law, the Supreme Court shall issue an order
remanding the plan to the commission and directing the
commission to reapportion the Commonwealth in a manner not
inconsistent with such order.
(e) When the Supreme Court has finally decided an appeal or
when the last day for filing an appeal has passed with no appeal
taken, the reapportionment plan shall have the force of law and
the districts therein provided shall be used thereafter in
elections to the General Assembly until the next reapportionment
as required under this section 17.
(f) Any district which does not include the residence from
which a member of the Senate was elected whether or not
scheduled for election at the next general election shall elect
a Senator at such election.
(g) The General Assembly shall appropriate sufficient funds
for the compensation and expenses of members and staff appointed
by the commission, and other necessary expenses. The members of
the commission shall be entitled to such compensation for their
services as the General Assembly from time to time shall
determine, but no part thereof shall be paid until a preliminary
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plan is filed. If a preliminary plan is filed but the commission
fails to file a revised or final plan within the time
prescribed, the commission members shall forfeit all right to
compensation not paid.
(h) If a preliminary, revised or final reapportionment plan
is not filed by the commission within the time prescribed by
this section, unless the time be extended by the Supreme Court
for cause shown, the Supreme Court shall immediately proceed on
its own motion to reapportion the Commonwealth.
(i) Any reapportionment plan filed by the commission, or
ordered or prepared by the Supreme Court upon the failure of the
commission to act, shall be published by the elections officer
once in at least one newspaper of general circulation in each
senatorial and representative district. The publication shall
contain a map of the Commonwealth showing the complete
reapportionment of the General Assembly by districts, and a map
showing the reapportionment districts in the area normally
served by the newspaper in which the publication is made. The
publication shall also state the population of the senatorial
and representative districts having the smallest and largest
population and the percentage variation of such districts from
the average population for senatorial and representative
districts.]
(2) That Article II be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 18. Independent Redistricting Commission.
(a) In each year of the Federal decennial census, an
Independent Redistricting Commission shall be constituted for
the purpose of redistricting the Commonwealth. The commission
shall adopt a redistricting plan for legislative and
congressional districts on the basis of each Federal decennial
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census in accordance with this section and such laws as the
General Assembly may enact to implement this section.
(b) The commission shall consist of 11 members, as follows:
(1) Four voters who are registered with the largest
political party in this Commonwealth based on registration.
(2) Four voters who are registered with the second-largest
political party in this Commonwealth based on registration.
(3) Three voters who are not registered with either of the
two largest political parties in this Commonwealth based on
registration, with no more than one from any specific minor
party.
(c) Each commissioner shall be a voter who has:
(1) been continuously registered in Pennsylvania with the
same political party or unaffiliated with a political party in
the five years immediately preceding the date of his or her
appointment; and
(2) voted in at least two of the last three Statewide
general elections immediately preceding the date of his or her
appointment.
(d) No person shall be eligible for appointment who is or
has been at any time in the past five years:
(1) A declared candidate for partisan Federal, State or
local office.
(2) An elected or appointed official to Federal, State or
local office, which shall not include local precinct election
officials.
(3) An officer or member of the governing body of a
national, State or local political party.
(4) A paid consultant or employee of a Federal, State or
local elected official or political candidate of a Federal,
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State or local political candidate's campaign or of a political
party, legislative caucus or action committee.
(5) A registered lobbyist.
(e) No person shall be eligible for appointment who is a
parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, sibling or spouse of any
individual disqualified under subsection (d).
(f) For five years after the date of appointment, a
commissioner shall be ineligible to hold elective office at the
State, county or city level. For 10 years after the date of
appointment, a commissioner shall be ineligible to hold or be a
candidate for any elective office for which the districts are
enacted by this commission.
(g) For five years after the date of appointment, a
commissioner shall be ineligible to hold appointive Federal,
State or local public office, to serve as paid staff for the
General Assembly or any individual legislator or to register as
a Federal, State or local lobbyist in this Commonwealth.
(h) The commission in whole shall reflect the Commonwealth's
geographic and demographic diversity, including, but not limited
to, racial, ethnic and gender diversity, to the greatest extent
practicable.
(i) The secretary shall administer an application process
for individuals seeking appointment to the commission as
follows:
(1) The secretary shall design an application form which
shall clearly state the legal obligations and expectations of
potential commissioners.
(2) Beginning January 1 in each year ending in zero, the
secretary shall provide public notice of the application
process, commissioner qualifications and the selection process.
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Notice shall be widely distributed in order to reach as many
potential applicants as is feasible, including, but not limited
to, the following:
(i) On the home page of all publicly accessible Internet
websites of Commonwealth agency communications platforms.
(ii) In the 10 most prominent print or online media outlets
in this Commonwealth and in at least one prominent print
publication in every county as determined by circulation or
online readership.
(iii) On local television stations during local news
broadcasts in this Commonwealth.
(iv) In media outlets that serve specific racial and ethnic
communities in this Commonwealth, with specific attention to
underserved or underrepresented populations.
(v) Through community groups that work with underserved or
underrepresented populations.
(3) The secretary shall continue to accept applications
until June 1 of each year ending in zero or, if the following is
not satisfied by June 1, until the following is met:
(i) At least 80 eligible individuals who are registered with
the largest political party in this Commonwealth have applied.
(ii) At least 80 eligible individuals who are registered
with the second-largest political party in this Commonwealth
have applied.
(iii) At least 80 eligible individuals who are not
registered with the largest political party or second-largest
political party in this Commonwealth have applied.
(4) An applicant must disclose, under the penalty of
perjury, the following information pertaining to the five years
before the submission of an application:
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(i) Political party registration.
(ii) An explanation of why the applicant desires to serve on
the commission.
(iii) Relevant leadership and community experiences.
(iv) All reportable political contributions to candidates
for Federal, State or municipal office or to any committee
supporting or opposing the election of candidates to Federal,
State or municipal office.
(v) Contractual and other financial interests with the
Commonwealth and with any other government-related entity.
(5) Applicants under paragraph (4) may include up to four
letters of recommendation with their application.
(6) The secretary shall determine the eligibility of
applicants to serve on the commission. If the documentation
submitted by an applicant is insufficient to determine whether
the applicant is eligible, the applicant shall be notified of
elements lacking and allowed seven days from the date of
notification to cure the application. Following the cure
deadline applicants determined or deemed to be ineligible shall
be notified of the reasons why they will not be included in the
final pool of applicants to be considered for appointment to the
commission.
(7) Once ineligible applicants have been excluded, the
secretary shall separate applications into three pools
consisting of those who are:
(i) registered with the largest political party in this
Commonwealth based on registration;
(ii) registered with the second-largest political party in
this Commonwealth based on registration; and
(iii) not registered with either of the two largest
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political parties in this Commonwealth based on registration.
(j) Once separated, each applicant pool shall be narrowed by
the State Ethics Commission to the most qualified 60 applicants
as reflective of the diversity of the Commonwealth as possible.
In narrowing pools, the State Ethics Commission shall consider
applicant submissions, letters of recommendation, relevant
publicly available information and geographic, gender, racial
and ethnic diversity.
(k) Once pools are narrowed, the State Ethics Commission
shall provide the lists of applicants to the leaders of the
General Assembly. No later than July 15 of each year ending in
zero, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate and
the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives may each strike up to two applicants from each
subpool.
(l) Members of the commission shall be selected as follows:
(1) No later than August 1 of each year ending in zero, the
secretary shall convene a public event, made available to public
view through all appropriate technologies, for the random
selection of the first eight commissioners.
(2) (i) Names shall be drawn at random by the secretary or
designee in the following order:
(A) Three from the largest party pool.
(B) Three from the second-largest party pool.
(C) Two from the unaffiliated or minor party pool.
(ii) If a choice from the unaffiliated or minor party pool
is a second from a specific minor party, that choice shall be
set aside and another name drawn.
(3) Following the public drawing of the first eight
candidates, the State Ethics Commission shall have 15 days to
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select an additional candidate from each pool to further balance
commission demographics to reasonably reflect the racial,
geographic and gender diversity of the Commonwealth and, if
possible, add needed skills or experience that may be lacking in
the randomly selected eight commissioners.
(m) Commissioners shall be compensated at the rate of $250
per day, plus reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in
connection with the duties performed pursuant to this section,
for each day attending commission meetings or otherwise carrying
out the responsibilities of the commission. The rate of
compensation shall be adjusted annually for inflation.
(n) The commission may remove one of its members in the
event of substantial neglect of duty, gross misconduct in office
or inability to discharge the duties of office. Removal shall
require seven affirmative votes from the other members, after
the member has been served written notice and provided an
opportunity to respond. Substantial neglect of duty includes
repeated failure to attend voting meetings without reasons
deemed excusable by the chair.
(o) A vacancy in the commission shall be filled within 14
days from the time the commission is notified of the vacancy
using the same pool of applicants from which the vacating member
was chosen. The State Ethics Commission shall narrow the pool to
demographics reasonably reflecting the commissioner to be
replaced, and the secretary shall randomly select a new
commissioner. If none of the remaining applicants are available
for service, the secretary shall fill the vacancy from a new
pool of applicants created from the same voter registration
category as the vacating member.
(p) The secretary shall establish a publicly accessible
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communications platform for the commission. Once the
commissioners have been appointed and a communications
technology manager has been hired by the secretary, the
commission shall assume responsibility for managing and updating
the platform.
(q) The communications platform shall include, but not be
limited to, all of the following information:
(1) A description of the role of the commission.
(2) Timely information about the application process.
(3) Prominently posted information about the time, place and
purpose of commission meetings.
(4) Precinct-level shapefiles and census block equivalency
files.
(5) Precinct-level results from Statewide primary and
general elections for the past 10 years.
(6) Legal description and shapefiles from previous
redistricting cycles for all relevant maps.
(7) Links to free, publicly accessible software tools
members of the public can use to create maps for submission and
quantitatively evaluate all proposed maps.
(8) A portal for the submission of proposed congressional
and legislative district maps.
(9) All congressional and legislative district maps or
portions of maps drawn by the commission or submitted by the
public.
(10) The underlying data used to create or evaluate maps in
a format easily usable for analysis.
(11) A portal for submission and curation of comments and
responses to any proposed maps or portions of maps.
(12) Means for members of the public to comment directly on
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specific submitted maps.
(13) A video archive of all meetings of the commission.
(14) Transcripts of all commission meetings.
(15) Reports providing analysis of all submitted maps using
respected, readily available tools assessing required criteria.
(r) The commission shall post any data regarding
congressional and legislative redistricting on the publicly
accessible communications portal at the same time the data is
made available to the commission and the data shall be
considered public record under applicable laws.
(s) The commission shall deem each incarcerated person as
residing at his or her last known place of residence, rather
than at the institution of his or her incarceration, except if
the last known place of residence is outside of this
Commonwealth. This reallocation of population data shall be
furnished prior to the drafting of any proposed maps and be made
available to the public.
(t) Actions by the commission shall be in a public meeting
by the affirmative vote of no less than seven commissioners,
including the following:
(1) At least two commissioners registered with the largest
political party in this Commonwealth.
(2) At least two commissioners registered with the second-
largest political party in this Commonwealth.
(3) At least two commissioners who are not registered with
the largest political party or second-largest political party in
this Commonwealth.
(u) No later than October 1 of each year ending in zero, the
secretary or designee shall convene a series of public meetings
of the commission for the purposes of orientation and training,
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including, but not limited to, the following topics:
(1) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-110, 52
U.S.C. § 10301 et seq.) and minority representation in
Pennsylvania.
(2) Mapping tools and respected analysis of district plans.
(3) Understanding redistricting criteria.
(4) Review of effective redistricting processes in other
states with independent citizens commissions.
(v) No later than January 10 of each year ending in one, the
commissioners shall select one of the commissioners to serve as
a chair and one of the commissioners to serve as vice chair. The
chair and vice chair may not be registered with the same
political party.
(w) The commission has the sole power to make its own rules
of procedure. The commission shall have procurement and
contracting authority and may hire staff and consultants for the
purposes of this section, including legal representation.
(x) The General Assembly shall appropriate funds sufficient
to compensate the commissioners and to enable the commission to
carry out its functions, operations and activities. The
commission shall furnish reports of expenditures, at least
annually, to the Governor and the General Assembly and shall be
subject to annual audit as provided by law.
(y) The commission shall have legal standing to prosecute an
action regarding the adequacy of resources provided for the
operation of the commission and to defend any action regarding
an adopted plan. The commission shall inform the General
Assembly if the commission determines that funds or other
resources provided for operation of the commission are not
adequate. The General Assembly shall provide adequate funding to
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allow the commission to defend any action regarding an adopted
plan.
(y.1) The following shall apply to commission meetings,
records and communications:
(1) The commission shall be considered a public body subject
to laws applicable to Commonwealth agencies, including open
meetings laws and laws allowing access to public records.
(2) The proceedings of the commission or committees shall be
contemporaneously broadcast on the publicly accessible
communication platform in a way that allows for public viewing
and public interaction. To ensure public participation, meetings
and hearings shall be widely advertised in multiple languages,
where necessary, and be held at times that allow for broad
attendance.
(3) Except for documents or communications subject to
attorney-client privilege, documents or communications created
or received by a commissioner, a commission staff member or a
consultant to the commission as a part of the commission's
duties under this section shall not be exempt by any privilege.
(4) Records pertaining to a commission's action on a
preliminary congressional or legislative district map or the
analysis of a preliminary map shall be publicly disclosed on the
commission's publicly accessible communication platform as soon
as practicable after the records are created.
(5) The commission shall develop a system for receiving
written comments from the public, including all electronic mail
formats and a comment portal on the publicly accessible Internet
website. The portal shall be able to facilitate real-time public
comment during live-streamed commission and committee meetings
and hearings. The comments shall be reviewed by the commission
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and committees and given consideration equal to in-person
testimony.
(6) A commissioner, commission staff member or consultant to
the commissioner may not communicate with any outside persons
attempting to influence the map drawing process outside of
public meetings and public comment periods. To the extent that a
commissioner, commission staff member or consultant to the
commissioner receives a communication described under this
paragraph, the communication shall be publicly disclosed on the
commission's publicly accessible Internet website as soon as
practicable after the communication is received.
(y.2) The following shall apply to public hearings of the
commission:
(1) To identify communities of interest and obtain other
information relevant to the drawing of congressional and
legislative districts, the commission shall seek public input.
Before any proposed district maps are drawn, the commission
shall hold no less than eight public hearings across this
Commonwealth to solicit testimony from a representative cross-
section of this Commonwealth's population. The commission shall
provide at least 14 days' notice before a public hearing is held
as specified under paragraph (2). At least one hearing shall be
held in each of the four largest cities in this Commonwealth by
population, in central locations easily accessible by public
transportation. Remaining hearings shall be located to balance
accessibility in remaining portions of this Commonwealth.
(2) The commission shall adequately advertise a public
hearing and schedule a public hearing in a manner to encourage
attendance, including scheduling the public hearings outside of
regular work hours and using technology that allows for real-
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time, virtual participation and feedback in the public hearing.
The commission shall record a public hearing and post a video of
the public hearing on the commission's publicly accessible
communication platform within three days of the public hearing.
(z) The commission shall provide a meaningful opportunity
for all persons to participate in the redistricting process,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Issuing notices in multiple languages.
(2) Ensuring that adequate translation services are
available at public hearings.
(3) Complying with all Federal and State law protections for
individuals with disabilities.
(4) If the initial public input during the commission's
public hearings does not appear to represent the diversity of
this Commonwealth, the commission shall take remedial steps,
including, but not limited to, conducting additional outreach,
holding additional public hearings and identifying
underrepresented communities.
(z.1) The following shall apply to the consideration and
approval of redistricting plans:
(1) No later than July 1 of each year ending in one, or no
later than 60 days after population data for the Commonwealth as
determined by the Federal decennial census are available,
whichever comes first, the commission shall complete and provide
for public review at least one proposed redistricting plan for
each type of district.
(2) All proposed redistricting plans and supporting reports
shall be made available to the public through the commission's
publicly accessible communication portal.
(3) Accompanying reports shall include statistical data
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regarding compliance with criteria, comparison to top scoring
submissions and explanation of rationale, plus explanation of
ways public submissions and comment were incorporated.
(4) The commission, within 60 days following publication of
all preliminary plans as specified in paragraph (1), shall
schedule and conduct at least eight public hearings, in
different geographic regions of this Commonwealth, to receive
comment and recommended changes for the preliminary plans. At
least one hearing shall be held in each of the four largest
cities in this Commonwealth by population, in central locations
easily accessible by public transportation. Remaining hearings
shall be located to balance accessibility in remaining portions
of this Commonwealth. The public communication portal shall
provide opportunity for public comment or partial maps
submissions suggesting alterations on each preliminary plan.
(5) No later than October 1 of each year ending in one, or
no later than 120 days after population data for the
Commonwealth as determined by the Federal decennial census are
available, whichever comes first, the commission shall approve a
final redistricting plan for each category. Final plans must be
accompanied by reports which shall include statistical data
regarding compliance with criteria, comparison to top scoring
submissions and explanation of rationale, plus explanation of
ways public submissions and comment were incorporated.
(6) Upon approval, the commission shall certify the
resulting redistricting plan to the secretary, which plan shall
constitute the certified final plan.
(z.2) If the commission does not complete and approve a
final redistricting plan by November 1, the following shall
apply:
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(1) The commission shall consider proposed plans for each
category of district separately from all other categories.
(2) Each commissioner or group of commissioners may propose
one redistricting plan in each category. Each proposed
redistricting plan shall be accompanied by a written report that
demonstrates the plan's compliance with all applicable Federal
and State laws, including redistricting criteria.
(3) All proposed plans and supporting written reports shall
be made available for public review and comment for a period of
10 days.
(4) After the close of the public comment period, the
commission shall vote on all proposed plans as follows:
(i) Each commissioner shall rank the plans submitted in each
category according to preference, with each redistricting plan
being assigned a point value inverse to its ranking among the
number of choices in a category, giving the lowest-ranked
redistricting plan one point and the highest-ranked
redistricting plan a point value equal to the number of plans
submitted in that category.
(ii) The redistricting plan or plans receiving the lowest
combined ranking in each category shall be eliminated.
(iii) The commission shall repeat the process until only one
redistricting plan remains in each category.
(5) Upon approval of plans for all categories, the
commission shall certify the resulting combined redistricting
plan to the secretary, and that redistricting plan shall
constitute the certified final plan.
(z.3) The final plan shall have the force of law and the
districts provided in the final plan shall be used thereafter in
elections to the General Assembly and the United States Congress
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until the next redistricting as required under this section.
(z.4) The Department of State shall provide support to the
commission in the performance of its duties.
(z.5) The term of office of each member of the commission
expires upon the appointment of the first member of the
succeeding commission.
(z.6) A district that does not include the residence from
which a member of the Senate was elected whether or not
scheduled for election at the next general election shall elect
a Senator at the election.
(z.7) The following words and phrases when used in this
section shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commission." The Independent Redistricting Commission.
"Commissioner" or "member." A member of the Independent
Redistricting Commission.
"Federal decennial census." The decennial census required by
Federal law to be conducted by the United States Census Bureau
in every year ending in zero.
"Final plan." A plan for both congressional and legislative
redistricting filed with the secretary.
"Redistricting plan." A plan for congressional or
legislative redistricting, or a plan for both congressional and
legislative redistricting.
"Secretary." The Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Section 2. The following distinct amendment to the
Constitution of Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with
Article XI:
That Article II be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 19. Redistricting criteria.
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(a) In addition to the requirements of section 16, the
following shall apply:
(1) Districts shall comply with the United States
Constitution and comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(Public Law 89-110, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 et seq.) and other Federal
laws.
(2) A redistricting plan may not:
(i) Purposefully or unduly favor or disfavor any incumbent
elected official, candidate or prospective candidate for
elective office.
(ii) Provide a disproportionate advantage to any political
party. A disproportionate advantage to a political party shall
be determined by using accepted measures of partisan fairness.
(3) Districts shall provide racial minorities an equal
opportunity to participate in the political process and may not
dilute or diminish their ability to elect candidates of choice
whether alone or in coalition with others.
(4) Districts shall respect communities of interest to the
extent practicable and after compliance with the requirements of
paragraphs (1) and (2).
(5) Senatorial and representative districts shall be drawn
with the fewest number of divisions to counties, municipalities
and wards within a population deviation of 2.5% above or below
the ideal population. A county may not contain more senatorial
districts than the number required by the population plus one. A
county may not contain more representative districts than the
number required by the population plus two. A precinct may not
be split in the drawing of district lines.
(6) Congressional districts shall be drawn with the fewest
number of divisions to counties, municipalities and wards within
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a population deviation of .25% above or below the ideal
population. A county may not contain more congressional
districts than the number required by the population plus one. A
precinct may not be split in the drawing of district lines.
(7) The boundaries of each district shall be contiguous.
Boundaries shall be drawn using a single nonintersecting
continuous line. A county or municipal fragment or enclave
containing less than 50 persons shall be considered contiguous
to the district if the remainder of the county or municipality
is wholly within the same district.
(8) To the extent possible without violating the preceding
criteria, districts shall be compact in form as determined
through standard compactness measures and district boundaries
shall conform to natural boundaries existing in the physical
geography of an area.
(b) (Reserved).
Section 3. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
Assembly of these proposed constitutional amendments, the
Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
passage of these proposed constitutional amendments.
(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of these
proposed constitutional amendments, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
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newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall:
(1) Submit the proposed constitutional amendments under
section 1 of this resolution to the qualified electors of
this Commonwealth as a single ballot question at the first
primary, general or municipal election which meets the
requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of
Article XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which
occurs at least three months after the proposed
constitutional amendments are passed by the General Assembly.
(2) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under
section 2 of this resolution to the qualified electors of
this Commonwealth as a separate ballot question at the first
primary, general or municipal election which meets the
requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of
Article XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which
occurs at least three months after the proposed
constitutional amendment is passed by the General Assembly.
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