A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for removal of civil officers.

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1512
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1320
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DAVANZO, COOK, ROWE AND STAATS, APRIL 28, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, APRIL 28, 2025
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, further providing for removal of civil
officers.
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 7 of Article VI be amended to read:
§ 7. Removal of civil officers.
(a) All civil officers shall hold their offices on the
condition that they behave themselves well while in office, and
shall be removed on conviction of misbehavior in office or of
any infamous crime. Appointed civil officers, other than judges
of the courts of record, may be removed at the pleasure of the
power by which they shall have been appointed. [All] Except as
provided under subsection (b), all civil officers elected by the
people, except the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, members of
the General Assembly and judges of the courts of record, shall
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be removed by the Governor for reasonable cause, after due
notice and full hearing, on the address of two-thirds of the
Senate.
(b) The General Assembly shall provide, by uniform general
law or by classification, for the removal of elected officers of
a municipality. Elected officers shall be removed only for cause
as defined by the General Assembly. Cause shall include
absenteeism from meetings and dereliction of duty. The
authorization provided by this subsection shall not preclude the
use of provisions in this Constitution for the disqualification,
impeachment or removal of municipal officers.
Section 2. The following procedure applies to the proposed
constitutional amendment in this joint resolution:
(1) Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of
the 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.
(2) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of
the 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. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
submit the amendment to the qualified electors of this
Commonwealth at the first general or municipal election which
meets the requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
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