Pennsylvania HB 703: A Joint Resolution proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the election and qualifications of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Bill Text

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 723
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 703
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, REICHARD, PICKETT, KAUFFMAN, KRUPA,
MOUL AND KUTZ, FEBRUARY 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 24, 2025
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the election and
qualifications of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
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 Article IV be amended by adding a section to read:
§ 4.2. Secretary of the Commonwealth.
A Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be chosen by the
qualified electors of the Commonwealth on the day the general
election is held for the Auditor General, State Treasurer and
Attorney General. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall hold
office during four years from the third Tuesday of January next
ensuing his or her election and shall not be eligible to serve
continuously for more than two successive terms. The Secretary
of the Commonwealth shall be the chief elections officer of the
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Commonwealth and shall exercise such powers and perform such
duties as may be imposed by law.
(2) That section 5 of Article IV be amended to read:
§ 5. Qualifications of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary
of the Commonwealth and Attorney General.
No person shall be eligible to the office of Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or Attorney
General except a citizen of the United States, who shall have
attained the age of 30 years, and have been seven years next
preceding his election an inhabitant of this Commonwealth,
unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the
United States or of this Commonwealth. No person shall be
eligible to the office of Attorney General except a member of
the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
(3) That section 6 of Article IV be amended to read:
§ 6. Disqualification for offices of Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney
General.
No member of Congress or person holding any office (except of
attorney-at-law or in the National Guard or in a reserve
component of the armed forces of the United States) under the
United States or this Commonwealth shall exercise the office of
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or
Attorney General.
(4) That section 17 of Article IV be amended to read:
§ 17. Contested elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney General;
when succeeded.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside upon the
trial of any contested election of Governor, Lieutenant
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Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or Attorney General and
shall decide questions regarding the admissibility of evidence,
and shall, upon request of the committee, pronounce his opinion
upon other questions of law involved in the trial. The Governor,
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney
General shall exercise the duties of their respective offices
until their successors shall be duly qualified.
Section 2. Upon approval of the addition of section 4.2 of
Article IV of the Constitution of Pennsylvania by the qualified
electors, there shall be a vacancy in the office of the
Secretary of the Commonwealth which shall be filled as provided
in section 4.2 of Article IV of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania.
Section 3. The following procedure applies to the proposed
constitutional amendments in this joint resolution:
(1) Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of
the 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.
(2) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of
the 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. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
submit the amendments 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 section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania.
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