Pennsylvania HR 590: A Resolution celebrating the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Constitution of Pennsylvania.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3791
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 590
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY McCLINTON, BRADFORD AND TOPPER, JULY 22, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, JULY 22, 2026
A RESOLUTION
Celebrating the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of
the Constitution of Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The first Constitution of Pennsylvania was drafted
by the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference at Carpenters' Hall in
Philadelphia and adopted on September 28, 1776; and
WHEREAS, This historic document was created during the dawn
of American independence and stood as one of the most radically
democratic and progressive state constitutions of the
Revolutionary era; and
WHEREAS, By 1776, many Pennsylvanians supported overthrow of
elite control of the Pennsylvania General Assembly for a more
democratic body; and
WHEREAS, On May 15, 1776, the Continental Congress, which
served as the provisional government and legislative body that
coordinated the 13 colonies' resistance to British rule and led
the United States through the American Revolutionary War, issued
a resolution to the colonies to call constitutional conventions
and write new constitutions; and
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WHEREAS, On June 18, 1776, in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia,
there was a call for a constitutional convention "to form a
Government for the Province of Pennsylvania, under the authority
of the people"; and
WHEREAS, On July 15, 1776, a Constitutional Convention was
formed in Philadelphia with Benjamin Franklin serving as
president, George Ross serving as vice president and John Morris
serving as secretary; and
WHEREAS, As one Pennsylvania delegate explained, the
Convention was determined not to pay the least regard to former
Constitutions and was resolved to reject everything...to clear
away every part of the old rubbish...and begin upon a clean
foundation; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of Pennsylvania of 1776 established
a profound precedent by expanding voting rights to all tax-
paying freemen, eliminating restrictive property ownership
requirements and creating a strong Declaration of Rights that
predated the United States Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, The foundational principles of freedom, equality and
self-governance laid down in 1776 served as a vital template for
other states; and
WHEREAS, The 1776 Constitution of Pennsylvania featured a
unicameral legislature, a supreme executive council instead of a
Governor and expanded voting rights; and
WHEREAS, It also established a unique Council of Censors
meant to monitor government adherence to the Constitution; and
WHEREAS, By 1790, this system proved too chaotic and
unbalanced, leading to calls for a more structured government
and the first of five revisions of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania; and
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WHEREAS, There have been five revisions of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania, in 1776, 1790, 1838, 1874 and 1968; and
WHEREAS, The 1790 Constitution of Pennsylvania established a
bicameral legislature, created a strong Governor with veto power
and instituted an independent judiciary appointed by the
Governor; and
WHEREAS, As the population grew and Jacksonian democratic
ideals spread, a new constitutional convention was called in
1838 to make government more directly accountable to the public;
and
WHEREAS, The 1838 version of the Constitution of Pennsylvania
limited the Governor's power by making many formerly appointed
offices, including judges and county officials, elective; and
WHEREAS, Following the Civil War, industrialization and rapid
corporate growth led to widespread corruption within State
government, which the 1874 Constitution of Pennsylvania aimed to
curb; and
WHEREAS, The 1874 Constitution of Pennsylvania lengthened the
Governor's term, established strict regulations against
legislative corruption and corporate favoritism and created the
office of Lieutenant Governor; and
WHEREAS, As society modernized, the 1874 Constitution of
Pennsylvania became heavily cluttered and outdated; and
WHEREAS, The 1968 Constitution of Pennsylvania streamlined
government and vastly improved structural clarity; and
WHEREAS, It reorganized the court system into a unified
judicial system, allowed the Governor to serve consecutive terms
and gave the General Assembly more organizational flexibility;
and
WHEREAS, The 1968 version of the Constitution of Pennsylvania
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remains the active constitution of the Commonwealth today,
though it has been updated through various amendments over the
years; and
WHEREAS, The enduring legacy of Pennsylvania's constitutional
history continues to protect the inherent rights, public
education and free elections of all residents of this
Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of R