Pennsylvania Constitution
From Ballotpedia
| Pennsylvania Constitution |
|---|
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| Preamble |
| Articles |
| I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • Schedule 1 • Schedule 2 |
The Pennsylvania Constitution is the state constitution of Pennsylvania.
- The current Pennsylvania Constitution was adopted in 1968.
- Pennsylvania has had five state constitutions.
- The current state constitution has 11 articles.
- The current Pennsylvania Constitution has been amended 44 times.[1]
- Voters last approved a new amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution on May 18, 2021, when voters approved four constitutional amendments.
The Pennsylvania Constitution can be amended with a legislative constitutional amendment, which also requires voter approval.
A state constitution is the fundamental document that outlines a state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.
Background
Pennsylvania became the second state on December 12, 1787. Pennsylvania has had five state constitutions:
- Constitution of 1776;
- Constitution of 1790;
- Constitution of 1838;
- Constitution of 1874; and
- Constitution of 1968.
According to the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the state Constitutional Convention of 1967-1968 made significant changes to the state's judicial system, such as establishing a unified judicial system, creating the intermediate appellate Commonwealth Court, creating the Philadelphia Municipal Court, permitting local home rule, changing the legislative reapportionment process, and making the governor and lieutenant governor eligible for a second term.[2]
Preamble
- See also: Preambles to state constitutions
The preamble to the Pennsylvania Constitution states:
| WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.[3] |
Article I: Declaration of Rights
- See also: Article I, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article I of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Declaration of Rights" and consists of 28 sections and a preamble.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article II: The Legislature
- See also: Article II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "The Legislature" and consists of 17 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article III: Legislation
- See also: Article III, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article III of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Legislation" and consists of 32 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article IV: The Executive
- See also: Article IV, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article IV of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "The Executive" and consists of 19 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article V: The Judiciary
- See also: Article V, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article V of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "The Judiciary."
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article VI: Public Officers
- See also: Article VI, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article VI of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Public Officers" and consists of seven sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article VII: Elections
- See also: Article VII, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article VII of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Elections" and consists of 14 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article VIII: Taxation and Finance
- See also: Article VIII, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article VIII of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Taxation and Finance" and consists of 17 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article IX: Local Government
- See also: Article IX, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article IX of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Local Government" and consists of 14 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article X: Private Corporations
- See also: Article X, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article X of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Private Corporations" and consists of four sections.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Article XI: Amendments
- See also: Article XI, Pennsylvania Constitution
Article XI of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled Amendments and consists of a single section.
Click here to read this article of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Amending the Pennsylvania Constitution
The Pennsylvania Constitution provides for one mechanism for amending the state's constitution—a legislative process. However, the state constitution does not mention a constitutional convention process, and the legislature has called constitutional conventions in the past. Pennsylvania requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.
Initiative
- See also: Initiated constitutional amendment
In Pennsylvania, citizens do not have the power to initiate ballot measures at the state level.
Legislature
According to Article XI, the state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot for voters to decide. A simple majority vote is required during two successive legislative sessions for the Pennsylvania State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 102 votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Pennsylvania State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
When the Legislature finds that a "major emergency threatens or is about to threaten the Commonwealth," a constitutional amendment can be referred to the ballot with a two-thirds vote during one legislative session.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ From 1969 to 2023, voters had approved 46 amendments. However, the state Supreme Court ruled that two were unconstitutional and were not added to the Pennsylvania Constitution.
- ↑ Pennsylvania Bar Association, "Pennsylvania's Constitution: A Brief History," accessed November 19, 2023
- ↑ PA.gov, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," accessed March 30, 2014
