TheConstitution of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within theCommonwealth ofPennsylvania. All acts of theGeneral Assembly, thegovernor, 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 Constitutionentered into force in 1968, and has beenamended numerous times.
The Constitution may only beamended if a proposed modification receives amajority vote of two consecutive sessions of the General Assembly and then is approved by theelectorate. 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 thereferendum 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]
The current Constitution of Pennsylvania comprises the following concise Preamble, and Articles and Schedules:
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.
Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:[4]1776,1790,1838,1874, and1968. Prior to that, the colonialProvince of Pennsylvania was governed for a century by a book titledFrame of Government, written byWilliam Penn, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701.[5]
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