Support Reform of PA House Rules

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has returned to session on Tuesday, February 21 in  a special session to consider both a statutory change and a constitutional amendment that would open a window for survivors of sexual abuse to sue those whose who harmed them. Next week the House of Representatives will hold a regular session to discuss other issues.

The first task is to pass new and equitable rules for the operation of the House for the special session this week and the regular session next week. Speaker Mark Rozzi created a workgroup to reform those rules, and its members have heard testimony from citizens all over the state. They proposed rules for the special session.

The rules for the general session will, we think, be proposed by leaders of the House next week.  We still don’t know exactly they will propose but we are optimistic at least about the rules that the Democrats will put forward.

First, create rules that enhance democracy in the House.

Second, create rules that stop legislation by constitutional amendment.

Use this online tool to tell your legislator to support Speaker Rozzi’s efforts to reform the House rules that attain these goals.

Too often in the last ten years, we have seen the Republican leadership use the existing rules to block a majority of legislators—and often a bipartisan majority—from acting. We should encourage the majority party to work to build majorities for legislation in the House instead of allowing the it to block them.

And, too often in the last five years, we have seen the Republican leadership seek to bypass the Pennsylvania Constitution’s legislative process with constitutional amendments. If legislators want the people to enact legislation by popular vote, they should give us, not just the majority party, the right to put issues on the ballot.

Contact your legislator saying you support House rules that enhance democracy in the House. Click here for a brief discussion of these issues. Click here for a longer analysis of the rules the PA House needs.

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