View source for Pennsylvania General Assembly

{{short description|Legislative branch of the state government of Pennsylvania}}
{{Missing information|the legislature's legislative process|date=September 2020}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color   = 
| name               = Pennsylvania General Assembly
| native_name        = 
| native_name_lang   = 
| transcription_name = 
| legislature        = 
| coa_pic            = Coat of arms of Pennsylvania.svg
| coa_res            = 
| coa_alt            = 
| coa_caption        = Coat of arms
| logo_pic           = 
| logo_res           = 
| logo_alt           = 
| logo_caption       = 
| house_type         = Bicameral
| body               = 
| jurisdiction       = 
| houses             = [[Pennsylvania State Senate|Senate]]<br />[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| term_limits        = None
| foundation         = {{Start date and age|1682|05|05}}
| disbanded          = <!--{{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}}-->
| preceded_by        = [[Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly]]
| succeeded_by       = 
| new_session        = {{Start date|2025|01|07}}
| leader1_type       = [[Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania|President of the Senate]]
| leader1            = [[Austin Davis (politician)|Austin Davis]]
| party1             = ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]])
| election1          = January 17, 2023
| leader2_type       = [[President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate|Senate President pro tempore]]
| leader2            = [[Kim Ward]]
| party2             = ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| election2          = January 3, 2023
| leader4_type       = [[Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] 
| leader4            = [[Joanna McClinton]] 
| party4             = ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]]) 
| election4          = February 28, 2023
| seats              = 253
| house1             = [[Pennsylvania State Senate|Senate]]
| house2             = [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives|House]]
| structure1         = PA_Senate_25.svg
| structure1_res     = 250px
| structure1_alt     = 
| structure2         = Pennsylvania House of Representatives 2024 3.svg
| structure2_res     = 250px
| structure2_alt     = 
| political_groups1 =
'''Majority'''
*{{color box|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}}} [[Pennsylvania Republican Party|Republican]] (27)
'''Minority'''
*{{color box|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}}} [[Pennsylvania Democratic Party|Democratic]] (23)
| political_groups2 =
'''Majority'''
*{{color box|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}}} [[Pennsylvania Democratic Party|Democratic]] (102)
'''Minority'''
*{{color box|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}}} [[Pennsylvania Republican Party|Republican]] (101)
| committees1        = 
| committees2        = 
| joint_committees   = 
| term_length        = [[Pennsylvania State Senate|Senate]]: 4 years<br>[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives|House]]: 2 years
| authority          = 
| salary             = $102,844/year + per diem
| seats1_title       = Senators
| seats1             = 50
| seats2_title       = State Representatives
| seats2             = 203
| seats3_title       = 
| seats3             = 
| seats4_title       = 
| seats4             = 
| seats5_title       = 
| seats5             = 
| seats6_title       = 
| seats6             = 
| seats7_title       = 
| seats7             = 
| seats8_title       = 
| seats8             = 
| voting_system1     = [[First-past-the-post voting|First-past-the-post]]
| voting_system2     = [[First-past-the-post voting|First-past-the-post]]
| first_election1    = 
| first_election2    = 
| first_election3    = 
| last_election1     = [[2024 Pennsylvania Senate election|{{End date|2024|11|05}}]] <br />(odd-numbered districts)
| last_election2     = [[2024 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election|{{End date|2024|11|05}}]]
| last_election3     = 
| next_election1     = [[2026 Pennsylvania Senate election|{{End date|2026|11|03}}]] <br />(even-numbered districts)
| next_election2     = [[2026 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election|{{End date|2026|11|03}}]]
| next_election3     = 
| redistricting      = politician commission
| motto              = ''Virtue, Liberty and Independence''
| session_room       = Pennsylvania State Capitol Front Panorama.jpg
| session_res        = 275px
| session_alt        = 
| meeting_place      = [[Pennsylvania State Capitol]]<br /> [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]]
| session_room2      = 
| session_res2       = 
| session_alt2       = 
| meeting_place2     = 
| website            = {{URL|https://www.legis.state.pa.us}}
| constitution       = [[Constitution of Pennsylvania]]
| footnotes          = 
}}

The '''Pennsylvania General Assembly''' is the legislature of the U.S. [[commonwealth (U.S. state)|commonwealth]] of [[Pennsylvania]]. The legislature convenes in the [[Pennsylvania State Capitol|State Capitol]] building in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]]. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the [[Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly]] and was [[unicameral]]. Since the [[Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776|Constitution of 1776]], the legislature has been known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly became a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature in 1791.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 State & Legislative Partisan Composition |url=https://documents.ncsl.org/wwwncsl/About-State-Legislatures/2023-November-State-Legislative-Partisan-Composition-11-28-23.pdf |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=National Conference of State Legislatures}}</ref>

==Membership==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2023}}
The General Assembly has 253 members, consisting of a [[Pennsylvania State Senate|Senate]] with 50 members and a [[Pennsylvania House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] with 203 members, making it the second-largest state legislature in the nation, behind [[New Hampshire General Court|New Hampshire]], and the largest full-time legislature.

Senators are elected for a term of four years. Representatives are elected for a term of two years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/PDF/00/00.PDF |website=Pennsylvania General Assembly |access-date=30 August 2018 |pages=Article II Section 3: Terms of Members}}</ref> The Pennsylvania general elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. A vacant seat must be filled by special election, the date of which is set by the presiding officer of the respective house.

Senators must be at least 25 years old, and Representatives at least 21 years old. They must be citizens and residents of the state for a minimum of four years and reside in their districts for at least one year. Individuals who have been convicted of felonies, including embezzlement, bribery, and perjury, are ineligible for election; the state Constitution also adds the category of "other infamous crimes," which can be broadly interpreted by state courts.  No one who has been previously expelled from the General Assembly may be elected.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.duq.edu/law/pa-constitution/constitutions/current.cfm#2 |title=CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA: Article II - The Legislature |access-date=2010-02-11 |date=2010-02-11 |work=Pennsylvania Constitution Web Page of the Duquesne University School of Law |publisher=Duquesne University School of Law |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814142653/http://www.duq.edu/law/pa-constitution/constitutions/current.cfm#2 |archive-date=2012-08-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Legislative districts are drawn every ten years, following the [[U.S. Census]]. They are drawn by a five-member commission, of which four members are the majority and minority leaders of each house (or their delegates). The fifth member, who chairs the committee, is appointed by the other four and may not be an elected or appointed official. If the leadership cannot decide on a fifth member, the State Supreme Court may appoint him or her.

While in office, legislators may not hold civil office. Even if a member resigns, the Constitution states that the legislator may not be appointed to civil office for the duration of the term to which the legislator was elected.

==Legislative sessions==
[[File:Laws of Pennsylvania 1853 title page.jpg|thumb|The title page of ''[[Laws of Pennsylvania]]'', published in 1853]]

The General Assembly is a continuing body within the term for which its representatives are elected. It convenes at 12 o'clock noon on the first Tuesday of January each year and then meets regularly throughout the year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/PDF/00/00.PDF |access-date=30 August 2018 |pages=Article II Section 4: Sessions}}</ref> Both houses adjourn on November 30 in even-numbered years, when the terms of all members of the House and half the members of the Senate expire.  Neither body can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |url=http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/PDF/00/00.PDF |pages=Article II Section 14: Adjournments}}</ref>

The [[Governor of Pennsylvania|governor]] may call a special session in order to press for legislation on important issues. As of 2017, only 35 special sessions have been called in the history of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite news|last=Esack|first=Steve|date=February 1, 2017|title=Pennsylvania Senate Democrats seek special hearings on property tax reform|url=http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-democrats-call-for-property-tax-special-session-20170201-story.html|work=The Morning Call|location=Harrisburg, PA|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-date=January 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102143140/https://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-democrats-call-for-property-tax-special-session-20170201-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Assembly meets in the [[Pennsylvania State Capitol]] in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]], which was completed in 1906. Under the [[Pennsylvania Constitution]], the Assembly must meet in the City of [[Harrisburg]] and can move only if given the consent of both chambers.

==History==

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has a lengthy history as one of the most openly [[Political corruption|corrupt]] state legislatures in the United States, going back over two centuries to the era of the [[Thirteen Colonies]].<ref name="Hale_Page_155">{{cite book |last1=Hale |first1=George E. |editor1-last=Dagnes |editor1-first=Alison |editor2-last=Sachleben |editor2-first=Mark |title=Scandal: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Consequences, Outcomes, and Significance of Political Scandals |date=2014 |publisher=New York |location=Bloomsbury |pages=155–177 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WZLFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA155 |access-date=November 30, 2023 |chapter=The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Explaining the Persistence of Scandal in the Pennsylvania General Assembly|isbn=978-1-62356-222-9 }}</ref> In 1794, while visiting [[western Pennsylvania]], [[Alexander Hamilton]] wrote to [[Rufus King]]: "The political putrefaction of Pennsylvania is greater than I had any idea of".<ref name="Hale_Page_155" /><ref name="Chernow_Page_476">{{cite book |last1=Chernow |first1=Ron |authorlink1=Ron Chernow |title=Alexander Hamilton |date=2005 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=New York |isbn=9781101200858 |page=476 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4z5eL5SGjEoC&pg=PA476 |access-date=November 30, 2023}}</ref> 

During the 19th century, the culture of corruption in the General Assembly got so bad that from 1866 to 1873, about 8,700 of 9,300 acts passed in that timeframe were local or special acts.<ref name="Hale_Page_160">{{cite book |last1=Hale |first1=George E. |editor1-last=Dagnes |editor1-first=Alison |editor2-last=Sachleben |editor2-first=Mark |title=Scandal: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Consequences, Outcomes, and Significance of Political Scandals |date=2014 |publisher=New York |location=Bloomsbury |pages=155–177 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WZLFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA160 |access-date=November 30, 2023 |chapter=The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Explaining the Persistence of Scandal in the Pennsylvania General Assembly|isbn=978-1-62356-222-9 }} (At p. 160.)</ref> The frustration of the people of the Commonwealth with its legislature finally boiled over in 1871 and resulted in a 1873 constitutional convention and a 1874 constitutional amendment.<ref name="Hale_Page_160" />    One of the amendment's reforms was to prohibit the General Assembly from writing [[Single-subject rule|statutes covering more than one subject]].<ref name="Hale_Page_160" />  

Unfortunately, the amendment (today found at Section 3 of Article III of the Pennsylvania Constitution) was so poorly written that it also prevented the General Assembly from undertaking a comprehensive [[codification (law)|codification]] of the Commonwealth's statutes until another amendment was pushed through in 1967 to provide the necessary exception.<ref>[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=13027978022865592456&hl=en ''City of Philadelphia v. Commonwealth''], 838 A. 2d 566 (Pa. 2003).  This decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania expressly acknowledges that (1) the constitutional amendment occurred because of the General Assembly's problems with corruption, especially logrolling; and (2) the general view that enactment of a comprehensive codification was hindered by the perception that it would have violated the pre-1967 version of Section 3.</ref>  This is why Pennsylvania remains the only U.S. state that has not yet completed a comprehensive codification of its general statutory law. Since 1970, Pennsylvania has been undertaking its first official codification process,<ref>[https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/PDF/1970/0/0230..PDF Consolidated Pennsylvania Statutes Act], Act 230, Public Law 707 (Nov. 25, 1970).</ref> resulting in the ''[[Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes]]''.<ref name="bieber343">{{cite book|title=Prince's Bieber Dictionary of Legal Citations|page=343|first=Mary Miles|last=Prince|year=2001|edition=6th|publisher=Wm. S. Hein Publishing|isbn=1-57588-669-3|lccn=2001024375|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l9H53oq_GRMC&pg=PA343}}</ref><ref name="palrb_faq">{{cite web|title=Pennsylvania Session Laws &gt; FAQ|publisher=Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau|access-date=15 August 2013|url=http://www.palrb.us/faq/faq.php}}</ref> With over 300 years of uncodified statutes to go through, the codification process is still not yet complete after over five decades of work.

==General assembly leadership, 2023–2024==
===[[Pennsylvania State Senate]]===
'''[[President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate|President Pro Tempore]]:''' [[Kim Ward]] (R)
{| class="wikitable"
!Majority Party (R)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Senate Leadership|url=https://www.pasenategop.com/senate-leadership/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Pennsylvania Senate Republicans|language=en-US}}</ref>
! width="300" |Leadership Position
!Minority Party (D)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leadership|url=https://pasenate.com/senators/leadership/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Pennsylvania Senate Democrats|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Joe Pittman (politician)|Joe Pittman]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Floor Leader
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Jay Costa]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Ryan Aument]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Whip
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Anthony H. Williams]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Kristin Phillips-Hill]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Chairperson
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Wayne D. Fontana|Wayne Fontana]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Camera Bartolotta]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Secretary
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Maria Collett]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Scott Martin (Pennsylvania politician)|Scott Martin]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Appropriations Committee Chairperson
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Vincent Hughes]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Lisa Baker (Pennsylvania politician)|Lisa Baker]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Administrator
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Judy Schwank]]
|-
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Mario Scavello]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Policy Committee Chairperson
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Katie Muth]]
|}

===[[Pennsylvania House of Representatives]]===
'''[[Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]:''' [[Joanna McClinton]] ([[Democratic Party of Pennsylvania|D]])

{| class="wikitable"
!Majority Party (D)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leadership|url=https://pahouse.com/Members/Leadership |access-date=2023-02-08 |publisher=Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus|language=en}}</ref>
! width="300" |Leadership Position
!Minority Party (R)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leaders for the 2023-24 Session|url=http://www.pahousegop.com/leaders202122 |access-date=2023-02-08 |publisher=PA House Republican Caucus|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Matthew Bradford]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Floor Leader
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Bryan Cutler]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Dan Miller (Pennsylvania politician)|Dan Miller]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Whip
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Donna Oberlander]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Michael Schlossberg|Mike Schlossberg]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Chairperson
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[George Dunbar (Pennsylvania politician)|George Dunbar]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Tina Davis]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Secretary
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Martina White]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Jordan A. Harris|Jordan Harris]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Appropriations Committee Chairperson
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[James B. Struzzi II]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Leanne Krueger]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Caucus Administrator
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Kurt Masser]]
|-
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |[[Ryan Bizzarro]]
| style="text-align:center;" |Policy Committee Chairperson
| {{party shading/Republican}} |[[Martin Causer]]
|}

==See also==
* [[2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy]]
* [[Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly]], for the General Assembly before 1776
* [[Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus]]
* [[List of Pennsylvania state legislatures]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Wikisource portal}}
* [http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ Pennsylvania General Assembly]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120207213132/http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/VC/visitor_info/creating/legislative.htm Legislative Process]
* {{citation |url=https://www.pa.gov/guides/open-government/#LawsandtheLegislature |work=Open Government Resources |title=Laws and the Legislature |publisher= Commonwealth of Pennsylvania }}
* [https://sshelco-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/search?query=creator,contains,Pennsylvania.%20General%20Assembly,OR&query=sub,contains,Pennsylvania.%20General%20Assembly,AND&tab=alma_tab&search_scope=alma_scope&sortby=rank&vid=STLIBPA&lang=en_US&mode=advanced&offset=0 Catalog] of the [[State Library of Pennsylvania]]

{{Pennsylvania Senate}}
{{Pennsylvania State Senators}}
{{Pennsylvania House of Representatives info}}
{{Pennsylvania House of Representatives}}
{{United States legislatures}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Pennsylvania General Assembly| ]]
[[Category:Bicameral legislatures]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex]]