HB 703 — A Joint Resolution proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the election and qualifications of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
                                                       PRINTER'S NO.   723

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 703
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, REICHARD, PICKETT, KAUFFMAN, KRUPA,
        MOUL AND KUTZ, FEBRUARY 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 24, 2025


                              A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1   Proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the
 2      Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the election and
 3      qualifications of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby resolves as follows:
 6      Section 1.    The following integrated amendments to the
 7   Constitution of Pennsylvania are proposed in accordance with
 8   Article XI:
 9      (1)   That Article IV be amended by adding a section to read:
10   § 4.2.   Secretary of the Commonwealth.
11      A Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be chosen by the
12   qualified electors of the Commonwealth on the day the general
13   election is held for the Auditor General, State Treasurer and
14   Attorney General. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall hold
15   office during four years from the third Tuesday of January next
16   ensuing his or her election and shall not be eligible to serve
17   continuously for more than two successive terms. The Secretary
18   of the Commonwealth shall be the chief elections officer of the
 1   Commonwealth and shall exercise such powers and perform such
 2   duties as may be imposed by law.
 3      (2)    That section 5 of Article IV be amended to read:
 4   § 5.    Qualifications of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary
 5                of the Commonwealth and Attorney General.
 6      No person shall be eligible to the office of Governor,
 7   Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or Attorney
 8   General except a citizen of the United States, who shall have
 9   attained the age of 30 years, and have been seven years next
10   preceding his election an inhabitant of this Commonwealth,
11   unless he shall have been absent on the public business of the
12   United States or of this Commonwealth. No person shall be
13   eligible to the office of Attorney General except a member of
14   the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
15      (3)    That section 6 of Article IV be amended to read:
16   § 6.    Disqualification for offices of Governor, Lieutenant
17                Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney
18                General.
19      No member of Congress or person holding any office (except of
20   attorney-at-law or in the National Guard or in a reserve
21   component of the armed forces of the United States) under the
22   United States or this Commonwealth shall exercise the office of
23   Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or
24   Attorney General.
25      (4)    That section 17 of Article IV be amended to read:
26   § 17.    Contested elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
27                Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney General;
28                when succeeded.
29      The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall preside upon the
30   trial of any contested election of Governor, Lieutenant

20250HB0703PN0723                   - 2 -
 1   Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth or Attorney General and
 2   shall decide questions regarding the admissibility of evidence,
 3   and shall, upon request of the committee, pronounce his opinion
 4   upon other questions of law involved in the trial. The Governor,
 5   Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the Commonwealth and Attorney
 6   General shall exercise the duties of their respective offices
 7   until their successors shall be duly qualified.
 8      Section 2.   Upon approval of the addition of section 4.2 of
 9   Article IV of the Constitution of Pennsylvania by the qualified
10   electors, there shall be a vacancy in the office of the
11   Secretary of the Commonwealth which shall be filled as provided
12   in section 4.2 of Article IV of the Constitution of
13   Pennsylvania.
14      Section 3.   The following procedure applies to the proposed
15   constitutional amendments in this joint resolution:
16          (1)   Upon the first passage by the General Assembly of
17      the amendments, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
18      proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
19      requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
20      of Pennsylvania.
21          (2)   Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of
22      the amendments, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
23      proceed immediately to comply with the advertising
24      requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
25      of Pennsylvania. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall
26      submit the amendments to the qualified electors of this
27      Commonwealth as a single ballot question at the first
28      primary, general or municipal election which meets the
29      requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution
30      of Pennsylvania.

20250HB0703PN0723                  - 3 -