Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1968 – Legislative History
(a) The Governor shall appoint a Secretary of Education and such other officers as he shall be authorized by law to appoint. The appointment of the Secretary of Education and of such other officers as may be specified by law, shall be subject to the consent of two-thirds or a majority of the members elected to the Senate as is specified by law.
(b) The Governor shall fill vacancies in offices to which he appoints by nominating to the Senate a proper person to fill the vacancy within 90 days of the first day of the vacancy and not thereafter. The Senate shall act on each executive nomination within 25 legislative days of its submission. If the Senate has not voted upon a nomination within 15 legislative days following such submission, any five members of the Senate may, in writing, request the presiding officer of the Senate to place the nomination before the entire Senate body whereby the nomination must be voted upon prior to the expiration of five legislative days or 25 legislative days following submission by the Governor, whichever occurs first. If the nomination is made during a recess or after adjournment sine die, the Senate shall act upon it within 25 legislative days after its return or reconvening. If the Senate for any reason fails to act upon a nomination submitted to it within the required 25 legislative days, the nominee shall take office as if the appointment had been consented to by the Senate. The Governor shall in a similar manner fill vacancies in the offices of Auditor General, State Treasurer, justice, judge, justice of the peace and in any other elective office he is authorized to fill. In the case of a vacancy in an elective office, a person shall be elected to the office on the next election day appropriate to the office unless the first day of the vacancy is within two calendar months immediately preceding the election day in which case the election shall be held on the second succeeding election day appropriate to the office.
(c) In acting on executive nominations, the Senate shall sit with open doors. The votes shall be taken by yeas and nays and shall be entered on the journal. [Source: 1977 Pa. Laws 365]
Bill Histories
| 1976 Bill History Joint Resolution No. 3 |
SB 1273 By Senators NOLAN, SMITH and MESSINGER. Printer’s No. 1521.
A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania providing for the election of the Attorney
General and providing for his qualifications.
Referred to RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, Feb. 2, 1976
Reported as committed, Feb. 10, 1976
First consideration, Feb. 10, 1976
Second consideration, March 1, 1976
Third consideration and final passage, March 8, 1976 (41-8)
In the House
Referred to JUDICIARY, March 10, 1976
Reported as committed, June 16, 1976
First consideration, June 16, 1976
Laid on the table, June 16, 1976
Removed from table, June 21, 1976
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, June 21, 1976
(Remarks see House Journal), June 21, 1976
Re-reported as committed, June 29, 1976
Second consideration, June 29, 1976
Third consideration and final passage, June 30, 1976 (183-7)
Signed in Senate, June 30, 1976
Signed in House, June 30, 1976
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, July 1, 1976
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 3
Passed Sessions of 1976
| 1977 Bill History Joint Resolution No. 4 |
HB 84 By Representatives DOYLE, CIMINI, GIAMMARCO, MRKONIC, PITTS, POLITE,
PRATT, ZELLER, ZORD, MELUSKEY, PRENDERGAST, BUTERA, O’CONNELL,
F. TAYLOR, BRANDT, MANDERINO, MORRIS, LEVI, COLE, FREIND, DORR, BROWN,
RYAN and CALTAGIRONE.
Printer’s No. 94.
A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the election of the Attorney
General and providing for his qualifications.
Referred to JUDICIARY, Feb. 7, 1977
Reported as committed, Feb. 15, 1977
First consideration, Feb. 15, 1977
Laid on the table, Feb. 15, 1977
Removed from table, March 1, 1977
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, March 1, 1977
Re-reported as committed, April 18, 1977
Second consideration, May 23, 1977
Third consideration and final passage, June 1, 1977 (184-12)
(Remarks see House Journal Page 902-906), June 1, 1977
In the Senate
Referred to CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND FEDERAL RELATIONS, June 6, 1977
Resolution to discharge committee from further consideration of this
bill defeated, July 28, 1977 (19-30)
Reported as committed, Oct. 31, 1977
First consideration, Oct. 31, 1977
Second consideration, Nov. 14, 1977
Third consideration and final passage, Nov. 15, 1977 (38-11)
(Remarks see Senate Journal Page 1090-1091), Nov. 15, 1977
Signed in House, Nov. 16, 1977
Signed in Senate, Nov. 16, 1977
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Nov. 21, 1977
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 4
Passed Sessions of 1976 and 1977
Approved by the Electorate, May 16, 1978 (1,017,830 – 206,528)