In dates of elections and primaries and special elections, further providing for elections on proposed constitutional amendments.
Summary
HB1488 amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to change when proposed constitutional amendments are submitted to voters. Under current law, such amendments may be placed on either a municipal or general election ballot if legally eligible; this bill removes the municipal election option and requires proposed constitutional amendments to be submitted at the first general election at which they may legally appear, provided that election is at least three months after the amendment is approved a second time by both chambers of the General Assembly.
The bill also preserves the existing requirement that constitutional amendment questions be printed on the ballot or ballot labels in brief form, with the wording determined by the Secretary of the Commonwealth and approved by the Attorney General. The measure would take effect 60 days after enactment and would apply to amendments already proposed as well as those proposed in the future that have not yet been submitted to voters.
Impact
HB1488 would directly amend Section 605 of the Pennsylvania Election Code, narrowing the timing of constitutional amendment referenda by eliminating submission at municipal elections and limiting them to general elections. This would affect the scheduling of ballot questions statewide, the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s ballot preparation duties, county election administration, and the timing by which voters can consider proposed constitutional changes.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so there is no documented debate or voting pattern to gauge legislative sentiment. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to be a procedural election-administration measure rather than a policy change on the substance of constitutional amendments.
Contention
Because no discussion transcripts or votes are available, no specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of disagreement, based on the bill’s language, could include whether removing municipal elections reduces voter access or delays constitutional amendment consideration, versus whether concentrating amendment votes in general elections improves turnout, consistency, or public awareness.