Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes cutting 50 members from 203-seat House of Representatives
Updated: Mar. 29, 2011, 8:39 p.m. |
Published: Mar. 29, 2011, 7:39 p.m.
Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com
View full sizeMARK PYNES, The Patriot-News/fileThe Pennsylvania state Capitol near the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pa.
Pennsylvania House Speaker Sam Smith envisions a state House of Representatives with 50 fewer members 10 years from now.
He has introduced House Bill 153 to amend the state Constitution to cut the 203-member House to 153 members. It does not include any proposed alteration in the state's 50-member Senate.
Smith suggests that the downsizing of the House will make it operate more efficiently.
After eight years of serving as the House Republican floor leader, Smith said, "It became pretty clear to me regardless of the issue, the ability to build a consensus ... was somewhat exacerbated by the fact there was 203 people."
He hopes to have hearings held on the proposal this summer with a possible House vote this fall, allowing the Senate next spring to consider it.
He said the constitutional amendment process can take four to five years to complete since it requires a bill to pass both chambers in two consecutive sessions and then be put to the voters for approval. If this proposal were ratified by the voters, Smith said he envisions it taking effect in the redistricting process that occurs after the 2020 census.