Pennsylvania SB 33: A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in elections, further providing for absentee voting.

Bill Text

2019-2020 Regular Session SB 33 PN 0010 Bill Text (HTM) 

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PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE

PRINTER'S NO. 10 

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL 

No.

33 

Session of 

2019 

INTRODUCED BY SCHWANK, FONTANA, BREWSTER, HUGHES, COSTA, STREET 

AND COLLETT, JANUARY 11, 2019 

REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 11, 2019 

A JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania, in elections, further providing for absentee 

voting.

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 14 of Article VII be amended to read:

§ 14. Absentee voting.

(a) The Legislature shall, by general law, provide a manner 

in which, and the time and place at which, qualified electors 

[who may, on the occurrence of any election, be absent from the 

municipality of their residence, because their duties, 

occupation or business require them to be elsewhere or who, on 

the occurrence of any election, are unable to attend at their 

proper polling places because of illness or physical disability 

or who will not attend a polling place because of the observance 

of a religious holiday or who cannot vote because of election 

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day duties, in the case of a county employee,] may vote apart 

from physically appearing at their designated polling place on 

the day of an election, and for the return and canvass of their 

votes in the election district in which they respectively 

reside.

(b) For purposes of this section, "municipality" means a 

city, borough, incorporated town, township or any similar 

general purpose unit of government which may be created by the 

General Assembly.

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 

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three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is 

passed by the General Assembly.

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