Pennsylvania General Assembly

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Pennsylvania General Assembly


General Information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 3, 2012
Website:   Official Legislature Page
Leadership
Senate President:   Joe Scarnati (R)
House Speaker:  Samuel Smith (R)
Majority Leader:   Dominic Pileggi (R) (Senate),
Mike Turzai (R) (House)
Minority leader:   Jay Costa (D) (Senate),
Frank Dermody (D) (House)
Structure
Members:  50 (Senate), 203 (House)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Art II, Sec 3, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary:   $21,612/year + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010
25 seats (Senate)
203 seats (House)
Next election:  November 4, 2012
25 seats (Senate)
203 seats (House)
Redistricting:  Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission has control

Contents

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is Pennsylvania's state legislature, seated at the state's capital, Harrisburg. It has been a bicameral legislature since 1790. The General Assembly consists of an upper house, the Pennsylvania State Senate, and a lower house, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Overview

The General Assembly has 253 members, making it the second-largest state legislature in the nation (behind New Hampshire) and the largest full-time legislature. It consists of the Pennsylvania State Senate with 50 members and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with 203 members.

The Pennsylvania general elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in every even-numbered year. A vacancy for a seat must be filled by special election. The presiding officer of the respective house sets the date for such elections.

Senators must be at least 25 years old and Representatives at least 21 years old. They must also be citizens and inhabitants of the state for a minimum of four years, living in their respective districts for at least one year. Individuals who have been convicted of various felonies including embezzlement bribery and perjury are ineligible for election. The Pennsylvania Constitution also adds the category of "other infamous crimes" which can be broadly interpreted by state courts. No one who has been previously expelled from the General Assembly may be elected in the future.

Legislative districts are drawn every 10 years following the U.S. Census. Districts are drawn by a five-member commission, of which four members are the majority and minority leaders of both houses (or their delegates). The fifth member (and chairperson of the committee) is appointed by the other four and may not be an elected or appointed official. If the leadership cannot decide upon a fifth member, the State Supreme Court may appoint the chairperson.

While in office, legislators cannot hold civil office. Even if a member resigns, the Pennsylvania Constitution states that the individual may not be appointed to civil office for the duration of the original term for which they were originally elected.

The Assembly meets in the Pennsylvania State Capitol which was completed in 1906. Under the Pennsylvania Constitution, the Assembly must meet in the City of Harrisburg and can only move if given the consent of both chambers.

Sessions

Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution establishes when the General Assembly is to meet. Section 4 of Article II states that the General Assembly is to convene its regular session on the first Tuesday of January each year.

Section 4 gives the Governor of Pennsylvania the authority to convene special sessions of the General Assembly either when he judges a special session to be in the public interest, or when a majority of each legislative House requests a special session.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the General Assembly will be in session from January 3 through a date to be determined by the General Assembly.

Major issues

Fiscal issues will headline the agenda, including a $750 million budget shortfall. Other issues include fees for natural gas drilling and regulations for small games of chance.[1]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the General Assembly will be in session from January 4 through a date to be determined by the General Assembly. [2]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the General Assembly convened its legislative session on January 5, and it remained in session throughout the year.[3]

Senate

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Senators are elected for four years. Senators terms are staggered with only half of the Senate contested at each election.

It is made up of 50 members who are elected by district from around the Commonwealth. The President of the Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania (currently Catherine Baker Knoll) who has no vote except in case of a tie.

Each member represents an average of 254,048 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[4] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 245,621.[5]


Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 20
     Republican Party 30
Total 50


House of Representatives

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house Pennsylvania General Assembly. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts. Elections are held in November of even numbered years.

Following the 2006 elections the house consists of 101 Republicans and 102 Democrats, giving the Democrats control of the House for the first time since 1994. In a compromise vote, a Republican was elected to preside over the Democratic controlled chamber.

Each member represents an average of 62,573 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[6] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 60,498.[7]

Party As of February 2012
     Democratic Party 91
     Republican Party 112
Total 203


Legislators

Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the Pennsylvania Legislature are paid $79,613/year during legislative sessions. Per diem is tied to the federal rate.[8]

The $79,613/year that Pennsylvania legislators are paid as of 2011 is an increase over the $78,314.66/year they were paid during legislative sessions in 2010 and $73,613/year in 2007. Per diem has increased from $129/day in 2007 to $154 GSA method and $163 High/Low Method in 2010, but is tied to the federal rate in 2011.[9][10]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Pennsylvania legislators assume office in January.

2005 pay raise controversy

In the early morning hours of July 7, 2005, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed pay increases for state lawmakers, judges, and top executive-branch officials.[11]

The vote took place at 2 a.m. without public review or commentary and Governor Ed Rendell signed the bill into law. The raise increased legislators' base pay from 16% to 34% depending on position.[12]

Provisions

The pay raise included a provision allowing legislators to take their raises immediately in the form of "unvouchered expenses." This provision was included due to the Pennsylvania Constitution's clause prohibiting legislators from taking salary increases in the same term as which they are passed. State courts have ruled similar legislation to be constitutional on three separate occasions.

Reaction

Anger over the raise spawned several grass-roots movements, some geared toward voting out incumbents [1] and some seeking support for a Constitutional Convention or a reduction in the size of the legislature. [2] [3].

Political aftermath

The first victim of the public uproar was Supreme Court Justice Russell M. Nigro who became the first Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice to be denied retention. Nigro asserted that he had not taken part in the pay raise. However, critics noted that Chief Justice Ralph Cappy helped draft the bill and that prior Court opinions upheld such practices.

On November 16, 2005, Governor Rendell signed a repeal of the pay raise after a near unanimous vote for repeal; only House Minority Whip Mike Veon voted against the repeal.[13]

Despite the repeal, a total of 17 legislators were defeated in the 2006 primary elections including Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer and Senate Majority Leader David J. Brightbill. They were the first top-ranking Pennsylvania legislative leaders to lose a primary election since 1964.

The November 2006 General Election claimed several more members who supported the pay raise including Reps. Gene McGill, Mike Veon, Matt Wright, Tom Gannon and Matthew Good.[14] The defeats were attributed to anger over the pay raise.

Joint legislative committees

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has ten joint legislative service agencies:

External links

References

  1. ↑ Herald-Mail, "New legislative session brings old challenges in Pa.," January 4, 2012
  2. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  3. ↑ 2010 session dates for Pennsylvania legislature
  4. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  5. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  6. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  7. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  8. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  9. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  10. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  11. ↑ http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2005&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1521
  12. ↑ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05320/607333.stm
  13. ↑ http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_450776.html
  14. ↑ http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/14597854.htm
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