Pennsylvania Constitution

Pennsylvania Constitution
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.
• 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.

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.

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.

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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.

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Article III: Legislation

See also: Article III, Pennsylvania Constitution

Article III of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Legislation" and consists of 32 sections.

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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.

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Article V: The Judiciary

See also: Article V, Pennsylvania Constitution

Article V of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "The Judiciary."

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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.

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Article VII: Elections

See also: Article VII, Pennsylvania Constitution

Article VII of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled "Elections" and consists of 14 sections.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Article XI: Amendments

See also: Article XI, Pennsylvania Constitution

Article XI of the Pennsylvania Constitution is entitled Amendments and consists of a single section.

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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

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

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

• State constitution
• Constitutional amendment
• Constitutional convention