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Pennsylvania Constitution
237 sections across 15 articles.
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§ 1
Art.
Preamble
§ 1
Inherent rights of mankind
Art.
I
§ 2
Political powers
Art.
I
§ 3
Religious freedom
Art.
I
§ 4
Religion
Art.
I
§ 5
Elections
Art.
I
§ 6
Trial by jury
Art.
I
§ 7
Freedom of press and speech; libels
Art.
I
§ 8
Security from searches and seizures
Art.
I
§ 9
Rights of accused in criminal prosecutions
Art.
I
§ 10
Initiation of criminal proceedings; twice in jeopardy; eminent domain
Art.
I
§ 11
Courts to be open; suits against the Commonwealth
Art.
I
§ 12
Power of suspending laws
Art.
I
§ 13
Bail, fines and punishments
Art.
I
§ 14
Prisoners to be bailable; habeas corpus
Art.
I
§ 15
Special criminal tribunals
Art.
I
§ 16
Insolvent debtors
Art.
I
§ 17
Ex post facto laws; impairment of contracts
Art.
I
§ 18
Attainder
Art.
I
§ 19
Attainder limited
Art.
I
§ 20
Right of petition
Art.
I
§ 21
Right to bear arms
Art.
I
§ 22
Standing army; military subordinate to civil power
Art.
I
§ 23
Quartering of troops
Art.
I
§ 24
Titles and offices
Art.
I
§ 25
Reservation of powers in people
Art.
I
§ 26
No discrimination by Commonwealth and its political subdivisions
Art.
I
§ 27
Natural resources and the public estate
Art.
I
§ 28
Prohibition against denial or abridgment of equality of rights because of sex
Art.
I
§ 29
Prohibition against denial or abridgment of equality of rights because of race and ethnicity
Art.
I
§ 1
Legislative power
Art.
II
§ 2
Election of members; vacancies
Art.
II
§ 3
Terms of members
Art.
II
§ 4
Sessions
Art.
II
§ 5
Qualifications of members
Art.
II
§ 6
Disqualification to hold other office
Art.
II
§ 7
Ineligibility by criminal convictions
Art.
II
§ 8
Compensation
Art.
II
§ 9
Election of officers; judge of election and qualifications of members
Art.
II
§ 10
Quorum
Art.
II
§ 11
Powers of each house; expulsion
Art.
II
§ 12
Journals; yeas and nays
Art.
II
§ 13
Open sessions
Art.
II
§ 14
Adjournments
Art.
II
§ 15
Privileges of members
Art.
II
§ 16
Legislative districts
Art.
II
§ 17
Legislative Reapportionment Commission. (a) In each year following the year of the Federal decennial census, a Legislative Reapportionment Commission shall be constituted for the purpose of reapportioning the Commonwealth
Art.
II
§ 1
Passage of laws
Art.
III
§ 2
Reference to committee; printing
Art.
III
§ 3
Form of bills
Art.
III
§ 4
Consideration of bills
Art.
III
§ 5
Concurring in amendments; conference committee reports
Art.
III
§ 6
Revival and amendment of laws
Art.
III
§ 7
Notice of local and special bills
Art.
III
§ 8
Signing of bills
Art.
III
§ 9
Action on concurrent orders and resolutions
Art.
III
§ 10
Revenue bills
Art.
III
§ 11
Appropriation bills
Art.
III
§ 12
Legislation designated by Governor at special sessions
Art.
III
§ 13
Vote denied members with personal interest
Art.
III
§ 14
Public school system
Art.
III
§ 15
Public school money not available to sectarian schools
Art.
III
§ 16
National Guard to be organized and maintained
Art.
III
§ 17
Appointment of legislative officers and employees
Art.
III
§ 18
Compensation laws allowed to General Assembly
Art.
III
§ 19
Appropriations for support of widows and orphans of persons who served in the armed forces
Art.
III
§ 20
Classification of municipalities
Art.
III
§ 21
Land title registration
Art.
III
§ 22
State purchases
Art.
III
§ 23
Change of venue
Art.
III
§ 24
Paying out public moneys
Art.
III
§ 25
Emergency seats of government
Art.
III
§ 26
Extra compensation prohibited; claims against the Commonwealth; pensions
Art.
III
§ 27
Changes in term of office or salary prohibited
Art.
III
§ 28
Change of permanent location of State Capital
Art.
III
§ 29
Appropriations for public assistance, military service, scholarships
Art.
III
§ 30
Charitable and educational appropriations
Art.
III
§ 31
Delegation of certain powers prohibited
Art.
III
§ 32
Certain local and special laws
Art.
III
§ 1
Executive Department
Art.
IV
§ 2
Duties of Governor; election procedure; tie or contest
Art.
IV
§ 3
Terms of office of Governor; number of terms
Art.
IV
§ 4
Lieutenant Governor
Art.
IV
§ 5
Qualifications of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General
Art.
IV
§ 6
Disqualification for offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General
Art.
IV
§ 7
Military power
Art.
IV
§ 8
Appointing power. (a) The Governor shall appoint a Secretary of Education and such other officers as he shall be authorized by law to appoint
Art.
IV
§ 9
Pardoning power; Board of Pardons. (a) In all criminal cases except impeachment the Governor shall have power to remit fines and forfeitures, to grant reprieves, commutation of sentences and pardons; but no pardon
Art.
IV
§ 10
Information from department officials
Art.
IV
§ 11
Messages to the General Assembly
Art.
IV
§ 12
Power to convene and adjourn the General Assembly
Art.
IV
§ 13
When Lieutenant Governor to act as Governor
Art.
IV
§ 14
Vacancy in office of Lieutenant Governor
Art.
IV
§ 15
Approval of bills; vetoes
Art.
IV
§ 16
Partial disapproval of appropriation bills
Art.
IV
§ 17
Contested elections of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General; when succeeded
Art.
IV
§ 18
Terms of office of Auditor General and State Treasurer; number of terms; eligibility of State Treasurer to become Auditor General
Art.
IV
§ 19
State seal; commissions
Art.
IV
§ 20
Disaster emergency declaration and management. (a) A disaster emergency declaration may be declared by executive order or proclamation of the Governor upon finding that a disaster has occurred or that the occurrence or threat
Art.
IV
§ 1
Unified judicial system
Art.
V
§ 2
Supreme Court
Art.
V
§ 3
Superior Court
Art.
V
§ 4
Commonwealth Court
Art.
V
§ 5
Courts of common pleas
Art.
V
§ 6
Community courts; Philadelphia Municipal Court. (a) In any judicial district a majority of the electors voting thereon may approve the establishment or discontinuance of a community court. Where a community court is approved, one
Art.
V
§ 7
Justices of the peace; magisterial districts. (a) In any judicial district, other than the City of Philadelphia, where a community court has not been established or where one has been discontinued there shall be one justice
Art.
V
§ 8
Other courts
Art.
V
§ 9
Right of appeal
Art.
V
§ 10
Judicial administration. (a) The Supreme Court shall exercise general supervisory and administrative authority over all the courts and justices of the peace, including authority to temporarily assign judges
Art.
V
§ 11
Judicial districts; boundaries
Art.
V
§ 12
Qualifications of justices, judges and justices of the peace. (a) Justices, judges and justices of the peace shall be citizens of the Commonwealth. Justices and judges, except the
Art.
V
§ 13
Election of justices, judges and justices of the peace; vacancies. (a) Justices, judges and justices of the peace shall be elected at the municipal election next preceding the
Art.
V
§ 14
Judicial Qualifications Commission. (a) Should the method of judicial selection be adopted as provided in section 13(d), there shall be a Judicial Qualifications Commission, composed of four non-lawyer electors
Art.
V
§ 15
Tenure of justices, judges and justices of the peace. (a) The regular term of office of justices and judges shall be ten years and the regular term of office for judges of the municipal court in the City of Philadelphia and of justices of
Art.
V
§ 16
Compensation and retirement of justices, judges and justices of the peace. (a) Justices, judges and justices of the peace shall be compensated by the Commonwealth as provided by law. Their
Art.
V
§ 17
Prohibited activities. (a) Justices and judges shall devote full time to their judicial duties, and shall not engage in the practice of law, hold office in a political party or political organization, or
Art.
V
§ 18
Suspension, removal, discipline and other sanctions. (a) There shall be an independent board within the Judicial Branch, known as the Judicial Conduct Board, the composition, powers and duties of which shall be as follows:
Art.
V
§ 1
The Supreme Court
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 2
The Superior Court
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 3
Commonwealth Court
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 4
The courts of common pleas
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 5
Orphans' court judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 6
Courts of common pleas in multi-county judicial districts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 7
Community courts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 8
Justices, judges and justices of the peace
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 9
Associate judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 10
Retention election of present justices and judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 11
Selection of president judges. (a) Except in the City of Philadelphia, section 10(d) of the article shall become effective upon the expiration of the term of the present president judge, or upon earlier vacancy
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 12
Magistrates, aldermen and justices of the peace
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 13
Magisterial districts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 14
Magisterial districts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 15
Prothonotaries, clerks of courts, clerks of orphans' courts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 16
Courts and judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 17
Courts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 18
Judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 19
President judges
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 20
President judges; court divisions
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 21
Inferior courts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 22
Causes, proceedings, books and records
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 23
Judicial Qualifications Commission
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 24
Judicial discipline. (a) The members of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Board shall vacate their offices 90 days after the adoption of the amendment to section 18 of this article, and all proceedings
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 25
Dispensing with trial by jury
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 26
Writs of certiorari
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 27
Judicial districts
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 28
Referendum
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 29
Persons specially admitted by local rules
Art.
V-Schedule
§ 1
Selection of officers not otherwise provided for in Constitution
Art.
VI
§ 2
Incompatible offices
Art.
VI
§ 3
Oath of office
Art.
VI
§ 4
Power of impeachment
Art.
VI
§ 5
Trial of impeachments
Art.
VI
§ 6
Officers liable to impeachment
Art.
VI
§ 7
Removal of civil officers
Art.
VI
§ 1
Qualifications of electors
Art.
VII
§ 2
General election day
Art.
VII
§ 3
Municipal election day; offices to be filled on election days
Art.
VII
§ 4
Method of elections; secrecy in voting
Art.
VII
§ 5
Electors privileged from arrest
Art.
VII
§ 6
Election and registration laws
Art.
VII
§ 7
Bribery of electors
Art.
VII
§ 8
Witnesses in contested elections
Art.
VII
§ 9
Fixing election districts
Art.
VII
§ 10
Viva voce elections
Art.
VII
§ 11
Election officers
Art.
VII
§ 12
Disqualifications for service as election officer
Art.
VII
§ 13
Contested elections
Art.
VII
§ 14
Absentee voting. (a) The Legislature shall, by general law, provide a manner in which, and the time and place at which, qualified electors who may, on the occurrence of any election, be absent from the
Art.
VII
§ 1
Uniformity of taxation
Art.
VIII
§ 2
Exemptions and special provisions. (a) The General Assembly may by law exempt from taxation: (i) Actual places of regularly stated religious worship; (ii)
Art.
VIII
§ 3
Reciprocal exemptions
Art.
VIII
§ 4
Public utilities
Art.
VIII
§ 5
Exemption from taxation restricted
Art.
VIII
§ 6
Taxation of corporations
Art.
VIII
§ 7
Commonwealth indebtedness. (a) No debt shall be incurred by or on behalf of the Commonwealth except by law and in accordance with the provisions of this section
Art.
VIII
§ 8
Commonwealth credit not to be pledged
Art.
VIII
§ 9
Municipal debt not to be assumed by Commonwealth
Art.
VIII
§ 10
Audit
Art.
VIII
§ 11
Gasoline taxes and motor license fees restricted. (a) All proceeds from gasoline and other motor fuel excise taxes, motor vehicle registration fees and license taxes, operators' license fees and other excise taxes imposed on
Art.
VIII
§ 12
Governor's budgets and financial plan
Art.
VIII
§ 13
Appropriations. (a) Operating budget appropriations made by the General Assembly shall not exceed the actual and estimated revenues and surplus available in the same fiscal year
Art.
VIII
§ 14
Surplus
Art.
VIII
§ 15
Project "70"
Art.
VIII
§ 16
Land and Water Conservation and Reclamation Fund
Art.
VIII
§ 17
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,
Art.
VIII
§ 1
Local government
Art.
IX
§ 2
Home rule
Art.
IX
§ 3
Optional plans
Art.
IX
§ 4
County government
Art.
IX
§ 5
Intergovernmental cooperation
Art.
IX
§ 6
Area government
Art.
IX
§ 7
Area-wide powers
Art.
IX
§ 8
Consolidation, merger or boundary change
Art.
IX
§ 9
Appropriation for public purposes
Art.
IX
§ 10
Local government debt
Art.
IX
§ 11
Local reapportionment
Art.
IX
§ 12
Philadelphia debt
Art.
IX
§ 13
Abolition of county offices in Philadelphia. (a) In Philadelphia all county offices are hereby abolished, and the city shall henceforth perform all functions of county government within its area through officers selected in such
Art.
IX
§ 14
Definitions
Art.
IX
§ 1
Certain unused charters void
Art.
X
§ 2
Certain charters to be subject to the Constitution
Art.
X
§ 3
Revocation, amendment and repeal of charters and corporation laws
Art.
X
§ 4
Compensation for property taken by corporations under right of eminent domain
Art.
X
§ 1
Proposal of amendments by the General Assembly and their adoption
Art.
XI
§ 1
When to take effect
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 2
Former laws remain in force
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 3
Election of Senators
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 4
Election of Senators (continued)
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 5
Election of Governor
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 6
Election of Lieutenant Governor
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 7
Secretary of Internal Affairs
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 8
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 9
Eligibility of present officers
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 10
Judges of Supreme Court
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 11
Courts of record
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 12
Register's courts abolished
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 13
Judicial districts
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 14
Decennial adjustment of judicial districts
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 15
Judges in commission
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 16
President judges; casting lots; associate judges
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 17
Compensation of judges
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 18
Courts of Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties; organization in Philadelphia
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 19
Organization of courts in Allegheny County
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 20
When re-organization of courts to take effect
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 21
Causes pending in Philadelphia; transfer of records
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 22
Causes pending in Allegheny County
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 23
Prothonotary of Philadelphia County
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 24
Aldermen
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 25
Magistrates in Philadelphia
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 26
Term of present officers
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 27
Oath of office
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 28
County commissioners and auditors
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 29
Compensation of present officers
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 30
Renewal of oath of office
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 31
Enforcing legislation
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 32
An ordinance declared valid
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 33
City commissioners of Philadelphia
Art.
Schedule 1
§ 1
Adjustments of terms of public officers
Art.
Schedule 2