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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. John Galloway State
Rep. Chris King |
  
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Galloway, King say proposed special session on reform is not enough
Lawmakers call for constitutional convention, say legislature unlikely to fully reform itself
HARRISBURG, July 17 – State Reps. John Galloway and Chris King, both D-Bucks, today called an effort by some legislators to convene a special session of the legislature on reform a "stunt" and said real reform can only be achieved through a constitutional convention.
Galloway and King have proposed legislation that would put before voters the question of whether to call a convention. In the same election, voters would elect 150 delegates to the convention: three from each state senatorial district. Public officials and lobbyists would be prohibited from serving as delegates. Funding for the convention would come from the legislative reserve accounts of each of the four caucuses.
"While special sessions are sometimes used by the legislature as a tool to take a comprehensive look at issue-based legislation, results can be mixed and limited, as shown by the 2002 special session on property tax reform. Senator Piccola's suggestion to call for a special session on reform would not bring about meaningful reform. What is needed is a full constitutional convention that would take an in-depth look at our state constitution, invite public input, and put every aspect of reform on the table and create real solutions to the problem," Galloway said.
"While we have come up with great reforms in the 2007-08 session, I still don't believe we've been able to go far enough," King said. "Our idea is different because a convention would allow the legislature to make sweeping reforms by using more direct input from those affected most – our taxpayers."
In the 2007-08 session, the legislature has achieved some reforms, such as a landmark open-records law and reforms to House rules. However, Galloway and King said a constitutional convention could break logjams on not only reform, but other issues such as property taxes that have been inadequately addressed in regular session. For example, Senate inaction this year effectively killed a House-passed constitutional amendment (H.B. 1947) that would have to be enacted before school property taxes could be eliminated on primary homes and farms.
Under the legislation, if state voters approved a call for a constitutional convention:
· Proposed changes to the constitution would require passage by a two-thirds majority of convention delegates; and
· Proposed changes approved by the constitutional convention delegates would have to be submitted to voters during the next general election.
King and Galloway said that, by using a constitutional convention, the process of reforming the legislature would be less affected by political agendas.
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