All local members of the state House of Representatives voted last week for two bills that would begin the process of reducing the size of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
House Bill 153 would reduce the size of the House from 203 to 151 members, while H.B. 384 would reduce the size of the Senate from 50 to 37 members. Both bills require a constitutional amendment and must be passed identically in both chambers in two consecutive sessions before going to a public referendum. House Bill 153 passed 139–56. House Bill 384 passed 146–49.
The bills now head to the Senate for consideration.
Republican Reps. Gene DiGirolamo, Scott Petri and Frank Farry and Democratic Reps. Steve Santarsiero, John Galloway and Tina Davis voted in favor of the bills.
“While I voted in favor of reducing the size of the state legislature as a step toward needed reform in state government, I am disappointed that the measure did not include a provision to reform our redistricting process,” Santarsiero said. “I remain convinced that the most effective remedy to the ills of our legislative process requires a mixture of redistricting reform, comprehensive campaign finance reform and strengthening the role of rank-and-file members of the legislature.”
