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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Ruth
A. Myers |
State Rep. Dante Santoni |
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Committee approves Santoni measure
to allow school board members to also serve as constables
HARRISBURG, March 14 – School board members would be allowed to run for the office of constable under a measure introduced by state Rep. Dante Santoni, D-Berks. The bill (H.B. 503) was moved out of the House Education Committee during a committee meeting today, and is one step closer to becoming law.
“The way the law is written now, any school board member who is elected constable must resign from the school board,” Santoni explained. “We run the risk of losing members who are qualified and dedicated to the school districts they serve, and I simply think that it’s not a conflict of interest to hold both positions simultaneously. Neither job diminishes one’s ability to do the other.”
Santoni said he became aware of current law several years ago when a local school board member was elected to constable and later had to resign from the board. Few people were aware of the statute, but once discovered, local authorities had no choice but to enforce it.
The office of constable is among the oldest law enforcement officer positions in the world, and constables have served Pennsylvania since the days of William Penn. They are elected to six-year terms. Under state law, they are sworn law enforcement officers elected to their positions with the authority to carry out an arrest anywhere in the state. Constables are the only law enforcement officials authorized at polling places on Election Day.
More information on the history and duties of state constables is available online at www.pastateconstable.com.
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Attention Radio News Directors: an actuality from Rep. Santoni is available by calling 1-800-452-3001. Enter PA126 (7-2-126) and the pound sign (#) at the menu prompt to get today’s sound. You can also download the sound in .mp3 format by visiting www.pahouse.com/mediacenter.