Article II

Of the Legislation

Sec 1

The Legislative power of this Commonwealth shall be vested in a General Assembly, which consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

Sec 2

Members of the General Assembly shall be chosen at the general election every second year. There term of service shall begin on the day of next after their election. Whenever a vacancy shall occur in either house, the presiding officer thereof shall issue a writ of election to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the term.

Sec 3

Senators shall be elected for the term of four years, and Representatives for the term of two years.

Sec 4

The General Assembly shall meet at the capitol on the day of every second year and at other times when convened by the Governor but shall no adjourned annual session after the year 1889. And in the case of a called special session by the Governor the subject of legislation to come before such special sessions shall be published with the proclaim-ation by the Governor or Secretary of the State and ono other subject save that so called shall be acted upon at such special or called session. Except that should a vacancy occur is the Unites State Senate, by death assignation or otherwise of either Senator from this State such vacancy may be filled by election at such special session or the Governor may call a session of the Legislature at anytime [sic] a vacancy in the Senatorial representation from the state may occur.

Sec 5

Senators shall be at least Twentyfive year of and Representatives twentyone years of age at the time of their election they shall have been citizens and inhabitants of the State four years, and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless about on business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective district during their term of service.

Sec 6

No Senator or Representative, shall during the time of which he shall have been elected, be appointed to any civil office under this Commonwealth, and no member of Congress or otherperson holding any office (except of Attorney at law or in the military) under the United States or this Commonwealth shall be a member of either house during his continuance in office.

Sec 7

No person hereafter convicted of embezzlement of public monies, bribery, per jury or other infamous crime, shall be eligible to the General Assembly, pr capable of holding any office of trust or profit in this commonwealth.

Sec 8

The members of the General Assembly shall receive such salary and milage for regular and special sessions as shall be fixed by law, and no other compensation whether for service upon Committees or otherwise. No member of the House shall, during the term for which he may have been elected, receive any increase of salary or milage, under any law passed during such term.

Sec 9

The Senate shall, at the beginning and close of each regular session and at such other times as may be necessary, elect one of its members Presi-dent protempore, who shall perform the duties of the Lieutenant Governor in any case of absence or disability of that officer, and whenever the said office of Lieutenant Governor shall be vacant. The House of Representatives shall elect one of its members as Speaker. Each House shall choose its other officer, and shall judge of the election and qualification of its members.

Sec 10

A majority of each House shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and may compel the attendance of absent members.

Sec 11

Each House shall have powers to determine the rules of its proceedings and punish its members of other persons for contempt or disorderly beha-vior its presence, to enforce obedience to its process, to protect its members against violence or offers or bribes, or private solicitation, nad with the concurrence of two thirds, to expel member, but not a second time for the same cause, and shall have all power necessary for the Legislature of a free State. A member xpelled for corruption shall not thereafter be eligible to either House, and punishment for contempt or disorderly behavior. Shall not bear indictment for the same offence.

Sec 12

Each House shall keep a journal of its procedings and from time to time publish the same xcept such parts as may require secrecy, and the yeays and nays of the members on any question shall at the desire of any two or three, be entered on the journal.

Sec 13

Neither House shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two other shall be sitting.

Sec 14

The members of the General Assembly shall in all cases kept Treasure, felony violation of their oath of office, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the sessions of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same, and for any speech or debate in either House they shall not be questioned in any other place.

Sec 15

The State shall be divided into Senatorial dis-tricts of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as maybe social number of senators may be changed, or increased from time to time as may be provided by law after the taking of the United States census at the end of each decade.

Sec 16

The members of the House of Representatives shall be apportioned among the several counties, on a ration obtained by dividing the population of the State as ascertained by the most recent census of the United States by the number of and the General Assembly at its first session after the adoption of this Constitution and immediately after each United States decennial census, shall apportion the State into Senatorial and Representative districts agreeable to the provisions of the next proceeding elections.

• Legislative Department [File No. 2, Convention] (introduced on 1889-09-05 10:00:00 - CREATE - e658318) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • None (introduced on 1889-09-05 10:00:00 - REPORT_PROPOSAL - e658319) [view current proposal at this moment]