PA House Bill Would Restrict Governor's Powers

HARRISBURG, PA — The state House Government Committee has approved a bill that would change the state constitution and limit a governor's authority under certain circumstances. The full House likely will now debate the measure.

Rep. Jason Ortitay of South Fayette in southwestern Pennsylvania sponsored the legislation, which would take away the responsibility of writing and advertising a proposed constitutional amendment from the governor's Department of State and transfer it to the House chief clerk or Senate secretary.

Ortitay cited the state department’s error earlier this year by failing to advertise a constitutional amendment that sought to open a two-year window for child sex abuse survivors to file civil suits against their abuser.

Republican leaders in both chambers have complained about partisan issues in the wording of two proposed constitutional amendments that seek to limit the governor’s powers in emergency declarations. They say they are written in a way to encourage voters to vote against them.

“This is a constitutional amendment to end the administrative role the executive branch has in this process,” Ortitay said in a memo to colleagues. “This process belongs in the hands of the General Assembly both in the publication and the wording of the ballot questions.”

The committee also approved a resolution by Ortita, that would assemble a committee to investigate erroneous advertising of the long-anticipated constitutional amendment of interest to child sex abuse survivors.

The state department’s failure to advertise the amendment led to former Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar’s resignation in February.