Constitution of Pennsylvania

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The Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776

WE, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

Articles and schedules

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• Article I: Declaration of Rights
• Article II: The Legislature
• Article III: Legislation
• Article IV: The Executive
• Article V: The Judiciary
• Article VI: Public Officers
• Article VII: Elections
• Article VIII: Taxation and Finance
• Article IX: Local Government
• Article X: Private Corporations
• Article XI: Amendments
• [Schedule NO. 1 (Adopted with the Constitution)](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Supreme law of Pennsylvania, United States

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives chamber in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with the portrait Apotheosis of Pennsylvania visible on the far wall of the chamber

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within the American state of Pennsylvania. All acts of the General Assembly, the governor, and each governmental agency are subordinate to it. Since 1776, Pennsylvania's Constitution has undergone five versions. Pennsylvania held constitutional conventions in 1776, 1789–90, 1837–38, 1872–73, and 1967–68.[1][2] The current Constitution entered into force in 1968, and has been amended numerous times.

The Constitution may only be amended if a proposed modification receives a majority vote of two consecutive sessions of the General Assembly and then is approved by the electorate. Emergency amendments are permitted by a vote of two-thirds of the General Assembly and an affirmative vote by the electorate within one month. In such emergency situations, commonwealth election officials are required to publish notice of the referendum on a proposed amendment in a minimum of two newspapers in every county. In an event that more than one emergency amendment is proposed, each additional amendment is to be voted on separately.[3]