PUBLIC NOTICE
Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania
Tuesday, August 2, 2022 — THE DERRICK. – The News-Herald — A5
This notice contains information about proposed amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania, based on separate joint resolutions of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly of Pennsylvania first proposed the amendments during the 2021-2022 session of the legislature. If a majority of the Senators and Representatives elected at the upcoming November 8, 2022, General Election approve one or more of the proposed amendments for a second time during the 2023-2024 session, the approved proposed amendment(s) will be published again and submitted to the voters of Pennsylvania as ballot questions, as required by Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution. If one or more of the ballot questions are approved by a majority of the people voting on them, the amendment(s) will become law.
This public notice is part of the process of amending the Constitution of Pennsylvania. The Secretary of the Commonwealth is required to publish a copy of the joint resolutions proposing the amendments. The text of the joint resolutions are included below this notice.
Words that appear in bold print are the changes to the words of the Constitution that are proposed by the General Assembly. If an amendment is approved, the words underlined would be added to the Constitution and the words in [brackets] would be deleted.
If you need help reading this advertisement or need the text of the proposed amendments in an alternative format, call or write the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Elections, Room 210 North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120, 1-877-868-3772, RA-Elections@pa.gov.
Leigh M. Chapman,
Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth
JOINT RESOLUTION 2021–2
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for courts to be open and suits against the Commonwealth.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
That Section 11 of Article I be amended to read: § 11. Courts to be open; suits against the Commonwealth.
(a) All courts shall be open; and every man for an injury done him in his lands, goods, person or reputation shall have remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay. Suits may be brought against the Commonwealth in such manner, in such courts and in such cases as the Legislature may by law direct.
(b) An individual for whom a statutory limitations period has already expired, or whose claim would otherwise be barred or limited by a statutory cap on damages, sovereign immunity or by governmental or official immunity, shall have a period of two years, without bar or limitation by such caps or immunities, from the time that this subsection becomes effective to commence an action arising from childhood sexual abuse, in such cases as provided by law at the time that this subsection becomes effective.
Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment.
(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, 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 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth 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.
JOINT RESOLUTION 2022–1
Proposing separate and distinct amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing that there is no constitutional right to taxpayer-funded abortion or other right relating to abortion; further providing for action on concurrent orders and resolutions, for Lieutenant Governor, and for qualification of electors; and providing for election audits.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following separate and distinct amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with Article XI:
(1)That Article I be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 30. Abortion.
This constitution does not grant the right to taxpayer-funded abortion or any other right relating to abortion.
(2) That section 9 of Article III be amended to read:
§ 9. Action on concurrent orders and resolutions.
Every order, resolution or vote, to which the concurrence of both Houses may be necessary, except on the questions of adjournment, disapproval of a regulation or termination or extension of a disaster emergency declaration as declared by an executive order or proclamation, or portion of a disaster emergency declaration as declared by an executive order or proclamation, shall be presented to the Governor and before it shall take effect be approved by him, or being disapproved, shall be repassed by two-thirds of both Houses according to the rules and limitations prescribed in case of a bill.
(3) That section 4 of Article IV be amended to read:
§ 4. Lieutenant Governor.
A Lieutenant Governor shall be chosen jointly with the Governor by the casting by each voter of a single vote applicable to both offices, for the same term, and subject to the same provisions as the Governor[;he]. Each candidate for Governor, having been nominated under the laws of this Commonwealth, shall, subject to the approval of the political party or political body, if any, nominating such candidate, select a candidate for Lieutenant Governor within such time before the gubernatorial general election as the General Assembly shall prescribe by law. A person may not seek election to both offices simultaneously. The Lieutenant Governor shall be President of the Senate. As such, [he] the Lieutenant Governor may vote in case of a tie on any question except the final passage of a bill or joint resolution, the adoption of a conference report or the concurrence in amendments made by the House of Representatives.
(4) That section 1 of Article VII be amended to read:
§ 1. Qualifications of electors.
(a) Every citizen 21 years of age, possessing the following qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections subject, however, to such laws requiring and regulating the registration of electors as the General Assembly may enact.
1. He or she shall have been a citizen of the United States at least one month.
2. He or she shall have resided in the State 90 days immediately preceding the election.
3. He or she shall have resided in the election district where he or she shall offer to vote at least 60 days immediately preceding the election, except that if qualified to vote in an election district prior to removal of residence, he or she may, if a resident of Pennsylvania, vote in the election district from which he or she removed his or her residence within 60 days preceding the election.
(b) In addition to the qualifications under subsection (a) of this section, a qualified elector shall provide a valid identification at each election in accordance with the following:
1. When voting in person, the qualified elector shall present a valid identification before receiving a ballot to vote in person.
2. When not voting in person, the qualified elector shall provide proof of a valid identification with his or her ballot.
(c) If a qualified elector does not possess a valid identification, he or she shall, upon request and confirmation of identity, be furnished with a governmentissued identification at no cost to the qualified elector.
(d) For purposes of this section, the term “valid identification” means an unexpired government-issued identification, unless otherwise provided for by law.
(5) That Article VII be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 15. Election audits.
The General Assembly shall by statute provide for the auditing of elections and election results by the Auditor General. In years when the Auditor General stands for election to any office, an Independent Auditor shall conduct the audit.
Section 2. (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 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of these proposed constitutional amendments. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall:
(1) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under section 1(1) 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.
(2) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under section 1(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.
(3) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under section 1 (3) 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.
(4) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under section 1(4) 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.
(5) Submit the proposed constitutional amendment under section 1(5) 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.
• PUBLIC NOTICE • PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF PENNSYLVANIA PAID FOR WITH PENNSYLVANIA TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS FUNDED IN WHOLE BY THE GENERAL FUND