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PRINTER'S NO. 249
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 17
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GROVE, GREINER, FREEMAN, REICHARD, JAMES AND
MENTZER, JANUARY 23, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 23, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Designating March 15, 2026, as "Legislative Branch Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, In 1682, at the order of William Penn, the first
Pennsylvania Assembly met in Upland, Chester County, consisting
of a representative from each of the counties of Bucks, Chester,
Philadelphia, New Castle, Sussex and Kent; and
WHEREAS, During the American Revolution, Pennsylvania's 1776
Constitutional Convention resulted in the creation of the
unicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Established by Pennsylvania's 1790 Constitutional
Convention, the Pennsylvania State Senate made the Pennsylvania
General Assembly a bicameral institution; and
WHEREAS, Since 1790, there have been three more
Constitutional Conventions in Pennsylvania, changing the
Pennsylvania General Assembly from a county-based representation
system to a population district-based representation system; and
WHEREAS, Of those who are considered our nation's founding
fathers, a number served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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and its predecessors, making Pennsylvania essential in the
formation of "a more perfect Union"; and
WHEREAS, From its inception until 1729, the Pennsylvania
General Assembly would meet wherever space was available; and
WHEREAS, In 1729, the Pennsylvania General Assembly voted to
fund the building of a state house, now known as Independence
Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the United
States Constitution were debated and signed; and
WHEREAS, Until 1799, both the State and national legislatures
would meet there; and
WHEREAS, Many of the Pennsylvania General Assembly's debates
shaped the nation's founding, including its decision to ratify
the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's leadership in this endeavor earned
its legislature a lasting reputation for foresight and
excellence; and
WHEREAS, As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania's
central role in early American governance gave rise to its
nickname as the "Keystone State," and the Pennsylvania General
Assembly was instrumental in securing this status by shaping
policies and decisions pivotal to the country's framework,
marking its legacy as the American democracy "keystone"; and
WHEREAS, Representing a large commonwealth with dignity, the
Pennsylvania General Assembly features a robust House of
Representatives with 203 members and a Senate with 50 members,
making it the largest full-time legislature in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Charismatic and groundbreaking, K. Leroy Irvis made
history in 1977 as the first African American to lead any state
House in the nation; and
WHEREAS, His tenure as speaker lasted nearly 15 years,
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leaving an enduring legacy which to this day inspires others;
and
WHEREAS, Heralding back to its establishment in 1682, the
Pennsylvania General Assembly is one of the oldest legislative
bodies in the United States; and
WHEREAS, This institution, celebrating 250 years under its
current official name, has weathered centuries of change while
maintaining its foundational role in shaping laws and policies
for this Commonwealth and the nation; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate March
15, 2026, as "Legislative Branch Day" in Pennsylvania.
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