Senator Vogel applauds House actions to reduce General Assembly

Senator Elder Vogel applauded the House of Representatives’ passage of two bills Tuesday (December 17) that would reduce the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

House Bill 1234 would reduce the House of Representatives to 153 members from 203 and was passed by a vote of 148-50. House Bill 1716 would reduce the Senate to 38 members from its current 50 and was passed by a vote of 150-48.

Senator Vogel is the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 324, a proposal to reduce the size of the General Assembly by 40 percent, decreasing the Senate to 30 Senatorial districts and the House of Representatives to 121 districts. SB 324 is currently before the Senate State Government Committee.

“I want to applaud and congratulate the members of the House of Representatives for their overwhelming vote in support of bills to reduce the size of the state legislature,” said Senator Vogel.  “I am well aware of how difficult it is to get legislators to vote for bills that could in reality get rid of their own jobs. However, I have received overwhelming support from my constituents on this issue.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to get legislation passed in the Senate.”

Any change in the composition of the General Assembly requires an amendment to the state constitution, which means the same bill must be debated and passed by both the House and Senate in two consecutive sessions, and subsequently approved by referendum vote of the people of Pennsylvania.

CONTACT:

Joe Weidner
(724) 774-0444

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