Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts.[2][3]
Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania General Assembly | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 5, 2021 |
| Leadership | |
Speaker pro tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 203 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority
Minority
|
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article II, section 1, Pennsylvania Constitution |
| Salary | $90,335/year[1] |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 3, 2020 (203 seats) |
Next election | November 8, 2022 (203 seats) |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| House of Representatives Chamber Pennsylvania State Capitol Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | |
| Website | |
| Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
It is the largest full-time state legislature in the country. The New Hampshire House of Representatives is larger but only serves part-time.
Qualifications
According to the Pennsylvania Constitution, representatives must be at least 21 years old. They must be citizens and residents of the state for a minimum of four years and reside in their districts for at least one year.
Hall of the House
The Hall of the House contains important symbols of Pennsylvania history and the work of legislators.
- Speaker's Chair: a throne-like chair of rank that sits directly behind the Speaker's rostrum. Architect Joseph Huston designed the chair in 1906, the year the Capitol was dedicated.
- Mace: the House symbol of authority, peace, order and respect for law rests in a pedestal to the right of the Speaker. Its base is solid mahogany, intricately carved and capped by a brass globe engraved with the Pennsylvania coat of arms. An American Eagle perches on top. The tradition of the mace may date to the Roman Republic when attendants of Roman consuls carried bundles of sticks wrapped around an axe to enforce order. The tradition may also come directly from Pennsylvania's English heritage.
- Murals: a colorful panorama of Pennsylvania history appear in murals by Edwin Austin Abbey. The most commanding of the series hangs behind the Speaker's rostrum and dominates the wall behind the Speaker. It is called The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania
- Ceiling: a work of art in itself with its ornate geometry of gold leaf buttoned at the center by a charming painted illustration. In "The Hours", Abbey represents the passage of time in the form of 24 maidens revolving in an endless circle amidst the moon, the sun and the stars of the Milky Way.[4]
Speaker of the House
The speakership is the oldest elected statewide office in the Commonwealth. Since its first session in 1682—presided over by William Penn—over 130 house members have been elevated to the speaker's chair. The house cannot hold an official session in the absence of the speaker or their designated speaker pro tempore. Speaker Leroy Irvis was the first African American elected speaker of any state legislature in the United States since Reconstruction. Speaker Dennis O'Brien was the only minority-party Speaker known in Pennsylvania and only the second known nationwide. Pennsylvania has never had a female speaker.
Republican Bryan Cutler was elected Speaker of the House on June 22, 2020, replacing outgoing speaker Mike Turzai, who had resigned to take a job with a Pittsburgh-based natural gas company.[5]
Current composition
In 2012, a State Representative district had an average population of 60,498 residents.[6]
Partisan breakdown
as of January 31, 2022:
| 88 | 3 | 112 |
| Democratic | Republican |
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| End of 2020 | 110 | 93 | 203 | 0 |
| Begin 2021–2022 session | 112 | 90 | 202 | 1 |
| May 19, 2021 | 113 | 90 | 203 | 0 |
| June 9, 2021 | 113 | 89 | 202 | 1 |
| July 22, 2021 | 113 | 88 | 201 | 2 |
| November 18, 2021 | 113 | 90 | 203 | 0 |
| January 4, 2022 | 112 | 89 | 201 | 2 |
| January 31, 2022 | 112 | 88 | 200 | 3 |
| Latest voting share | 56% | 44% | ||
Leadership
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Bryan Cutler (R)
| Majority party (R)[7] | Leadership position | Minority party (D)[8] |
| Kerry Benninghoff | Floor Leader | Joanna McClinton |
| Donna Oberlander | Whip | Jordan Harris |
| George Dunbar[9] | Caucus Chairperson | Dan Miller |
| Martina White | Caucus Secretary | Tina Davis |
| Stan Saylor | Appropriations Committee Chairman | Matt Bradford |
| Kurt Masser | Caucus Administrator | Mike Schlossberg |
| Martin Causer | Policy Committee Chairman | Ryan Bizzarro |
Membership, 2021–2022
as of January 31, 2022:
- A vacancy was created when Jake Wheatley resigned to work for Mayor Gainey.
- A vacancy was created when Ed Gainey was elected Mayor of Pittsburgh.
- Marty Flynn resigned on June 9, 2021 after being elected to the Pennsylvania Senate.
- A vacancy was created when Tarah Toohil was elected a judge on the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.
- Margo Davidson resigned on July 23, 2021 after being charged with theft of state funds.
Past composition of the House of Representatives
- Republican representativeDemocratic representativeVacant seat
January 2019
Committees
As of August 9, 2021:[10]
See also
- Pennsylvania State Senate
- Project Vote Smart (Pennsylvania State Legislative information and voting records is the link to the Pennsylvania section.)
- List of Pennsylvania state legislatures
Notes
- Rep. Freeman previously served from 1983 to 1994.
- Rep. Neilson previously served from 2012 to 2014.
References
- Specific
- "Comparison of state legislative salaries – Ballotpedia". Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Article II, section 2, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- Article II, section 16, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Pennsylvania General Assembly". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on December 18, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2007.
- Murphy, Jan (June 22, 2020). "Lancaster County Rep. Bryan Cutler elected speaker of Pa. House of Representatives". PennLive. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- "2012 Revised Final Reapportionment Plan" (PDF). Legislative Reapportionment Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. June 8, 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- Cole, John (November 10, 2020). "PA House Leadership Race Chatter". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- "House Democrats elect leaders for upcoming legislative session". Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus. November 12, 2020. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- Cole, John (January 26, 2021). "Dunbar Elected House GOP Caucus Chairman". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- "House Committees". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- General
- Trostle, Sharon, ed. (2009). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 119. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. ISBN 978-0-8182-0334-3.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pennsylvania House of Representatives. |
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- State House of Pennsylvania information and voting records This link leads to information about elected officials and candidates in Pennsylvania on the website "Project Vote Smart." This web site provides such information for all states in the US.
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| Elections | ||
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