Article III, § 26 — Extra compensation prohibited; claims against the Commonwealth; pensions

No bill shall be passed giving any extra compensation to any public officer, servant, employee, agent or contractor, after services shall have been rendered or contract made, nor providing for the payment of any claim against the Commonwealth without previous authority of law: Provided, however, That nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prohibit the General Assembly from authorizing the increase of retirement allowances or pensions of members of a retirement or pension system now in effect or hereafter legally constituted by the Commonwealth, its political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, after the termination of the services of said member. (Nov. 8, 1955, P.L.2055, J.R.1) Rejection of Proposed 1981 Amendment. The question of amending section 26 to permit the General Assembly to authorize the increase of retirement benefits or pensions payable to beneficiaries who are spouses of members of a retirement or pension system, as more fully set forth in Joint Resolution No.2 of 1981, was submitted to the electors at the municipal election on November 3, 1981, and was rejected. Section 1 of Article XI prohibits the submission of an amendment more often than once in five years.