Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1968 – Legislative History
Special emergency legislation.
(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Constitution to the contrary, the General Assembly shall have the authority to enact laws providing for tax rebates, credits exemptions, grants-in-aid, State supplementations, or otherwise provide special provisions for individuals, corporations, associations or nonprofit institutions, including nonpublic schools (whether sectarian or nonsectarian) in order to alleviate the danger, damage, suffering or hardship faced by such individuals, corporations, associations, institutions or nonpublic schools as a result of Great Storms or Floods of September 1971, of June 1972, or of 1974, or of 1975 or of 1976.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article III, section 29 subsequent to a Presidential declaration of an emergency or of a major disaster in any part of this Commonwealth, the General Assembly shall have the authority by a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each House to make appropriations limited to moneys required for Federal emergency or major disaster relief. This subsection may apply retroactively to any Presidential declaration of an emergency or of a major disaster in 1976 or 1977. [Source: 1977 Pa. Laws 362]
Bill Histories
| 1977 Bill History Joint Resolution No. 2 |
HB 304 By Representatives PETRARCA, STEWART, A. K. HUTCHINSON, LAUDADIO,
LIVENGOOD and REED.
Prior Printer’s Nos. 324, 799, 808, 1839. Printer’s No. 1861.
A Joint Resolution proposing an emergency Constitutional amendment to
the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania providing that special
emergency legislation may be enacted when Federal emergency or disaster
assistance is available.
Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT, Feb. 9, 1977
Reported as amended, March 23, 1977
First consideration, March 23, 1977
Laid on the table, March 23, 1977
Removed from table, March 28, 1977
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, March 28, 1977
Re-reported as amended, March 29, 1977
Adopted, March 29, 1977 (172-25)
(Remarks see House Journal Page 468-499), March 29, 1977
In the Senate
Referred to CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND FEDERAL RELATIONS,
March 30, 1977
Reported as amended, July 25, 1977
First consideration, July 25, 1977
Second consideration, July 26, 1977
Amended on third consideration, July 27, 1977
Third consideration and final passage, July 28, 1977 (43-3)
In the House
House concurred in Senate amendments, July 29, 1977 (179-0)
Signed in House, July 29, 1977
Signed in Senate, July 29, 1977
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Aug. 2, 1977
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 2
Passed Sessions of 1977
Approved by the Electorate, Nov. 8, 1977 (1,066,563 – 428,388)