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The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
of
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. All acts of the
General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of pres ...
, the
governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, and each governmental agency are subordinate to it. Since 1776, Pennsylvania's Constitution has undergone five versions. The current Constitution
entered into force In law, coming into force or entry into force (also called commencement) is the process by which legislation, regulations, treaties and other legal instruments come to have legal force and effect. The term is closely related to the date of ...
in 1968, and has been
amended Amend as a verb means to change or modify something, as in: *Constitutional amendment, a change to the constitution of a nation or a state *Amend (motion), a motion to modify a pending main motion in parliamentary procedure Amend as a surname may ...
numerous times. The Constitution may only be
amended Amend as a verb means to change or modify something, as in: *Constitutional amendment, a change to the constitution of a nation or a state *Amend (motion), a motion to modify a pending main motion in parliamentary procedure Amend as a surname may ...
if a proposed modification receives a
majority vote A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Websterelectorate Electorate may refer to: * The people who are eligible to vote in an election, especially their number e.g. the term ''size of (the) electorate'' * The dominion of a Prince-elector in the Holy Roman Empire until 1806 * An electoral district or c ...
. Emergency amendments are permitted by a vote of two-thirds of the General Assembly and an affirmative vote by the electorate within one month. In such emergency situations, commonwealth election officials are required to publish notice of the
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a Representative democr ...
on a proposed amendment in a minimum of two newspapers in every county. In an event that more than one emergency amendment is proposed, each additional amendment is to be voted on separately.


The Constitution (1968, as amended)

The current Constitution of Pennsylvania comprises the following concise Preamble, and Articles and Schedules:


Preamble


Articles and Schedules

* Article I. Declaration of Rights * Article II. The Legislature * Article III. Legislation * Article IV. The Executive * Article V. The Judiciary * Article VI. Public Officers * Article VII. Elections * Article VIII. Taxation and Finance * Article IX. Local Government * Article X. Private Corporations * Article XI. Amendments * Schedule No. 1 (Adopted with the Constitution) * Schedule No. 2 (Amendments of November 2, 1909)


History

Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:23 hi bill
''Law Weekly'' 324 (March 27, 2000). Jenkinslaw.org. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.
1776 Events January–February * January 1 – American Revolutionary War – Burning of Norfolk: The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces. * Januar ...

1790
an

Prior to that, the colonial
Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to Wi ...
was governed for a century by a book titled Frame of Government, written by
William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...
, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701.23 Pennsylvania Law Weekly 324 (March 27, 2010
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The unicameral legislature established in 1776 was abolished in 1790 in favor of a bicameral legislature.


See also

* Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 *
Law of Pennsylvania The law of Pennsylvania consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, regulatory and case law. The '' Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes'' form the general statutory law. Sources The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the fore ...


References


External links


The Constitution of the Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania's Constitutions and the Amendment Process - Where it Began, Where it is NowPennsylvania Constitution Web PageText of 1776 Constitution
{{Constitutions of the United States Pennsylvania Constitution - Current