- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
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"Pennsylvania State House" and "Pennsylvania House" redirect here. For the building in Philadelphia, see Independence Hall. For the former hotel in Ohio, see Pennsylvania House (Springfield, Ohio).
Pennsylvania House of Representatives Pennsylvania General Assembly 
Type Type Lower house Term limits None New session started January 4, 2011 Leadership Speaker of the House Sam Smith, (R)
since January 4, 2011Majority Leader Mike Turzai, (R)
since January 4, 2011Minority Leader Frank Dermody, (D)
since January 4, 2011Structure Members 203 
Political groups Republican Party (112)
Democratic Party (91)Length of term 2 years Authority Article II, section 1, Pennsylvania Constitution Salary $78,314/year[1] Elections Last election November 2, 2010
(203 seats)Next election November 6, 2012
(203 seats)Meeting place 
House of Representatives Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaWebsite 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]
Following the 2010 elections, the house consisted of 112 Republicans, 91 Democrats. Republican Sam Smith was elected Speaker of the House on January 4, 2011. In 2002, a State Representative district had an average population of 60,498 residents.
The house is the second largest state legislature in the United States (behind the New Hampshire House of Representatives). It is considering a proposal to reduce its size to 153 after 2020.[4]
Contents
Hall of the House
The Hall of the House contains important symbols to 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 is common 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. [1]
Speaker of the House
Main article: Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesThe speakership is the oldest elected state-wide 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 his 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.
Composition
Results of the November 2, 2010 elections:
Affiliation Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)Total Democratic Republican Vacant End of previous legislature 104 98 203 0 Begin 90 112 202 1 February 15 91 203 0 Latest voting share 44.8% 55.2% Gender Composition
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has only 33 women out of 203 total representatives in 2011.[5] This is only 16%, which is below the national average of 23.1% women in all statewide legislative positions.
House of Representatives Leadership
As of January 4, 2010[6]
Speaker of the House of Representatives: Sam Smith (R)
Majority Party (R) Leadership Position Minority Party (D) Mike Turzai Floor Leader Frank Dermody Stan Saylor Whip Mike Hanna Sandra Major Caucus Chairperson Dan Frankel Mike Vereb Caucus Secretary Jennifer Mann Bill Adolph Appropriations Committee Chairman Joe Markosek Dick Stevenson Caucus Administrator Ron Buxton Dave Reed Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Main article: Members of the Pennsylvania House of RepresentativesSee also
References
- ^ The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 3-7.
- ^ Article II, section 2, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- ^ Article II, section 16, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- ^ http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/04/04/missouri-senate-oks-advances-move-shrink-house/
- ^ http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/levels_of_office/documents/stleg.pdf
- ^ "Officers". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house/officers.cfm. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
Sources
- Trostle, Sharon, ed (2009). The Pennsylvania Manual. 119. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. ISBN 0-8182-0334-X.
External links
Media related to Pennsylvania House of Representatives at Wikimedia CommonsMembers of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Sam Smith (R) • Majority Leader: Mike Turzai (R) • Minority Leader: Frank Dermody (D)- Pat Harkins (D)
- Florindo Fabrizio (D)
- John Hornaman (D)
- Curt Sonney (R)
- John R. Evans (R)
- Brad Roae (R)
- Mark Longietti (D)
- Dick Stevenson (R)
- Chris Sainato (D)
- Jaret Gibbons (D)
- Brian L. Ellis (R)
- Daryl Metcalfe (R)
- John Lawrence (R)
- Jim E. Marshall (R)
- Jim Christiana (R)
- Robert Matzie (D)
- Michele Brooks (R)
- Gene DiGirolamo (R)
- Jake Wheatley (D)
- Adam Ravenstahl (D)
- Dom Costa (D)
- Chelsa Wagner (D)
- Dan Frankel (D)
- Joseph Preston, Jr. (D)
- Joseph Markosek (D)
- Tim Hennessey (R)
- Dan Deasy (D)
- Mike Turzai (R)
- Bernie O'Neill (R)
- Randy Vulakovich (R)
- Steve Santarsiero (D)
- Anthony M. DeLuca (D)
- Frank Dermody (D)
- Paul Costa (D)
- Marc Gergely (D)
- Harry Readshaw (D)
- Thomas C. Creighton (R)
- William C. Kortz (D)
- Rick Saccone (R)
- John A. Maher (R)
- Ryan Aument (R)
- Matthew H. Smith (D)
- Scott W. Boyd (R)
- Mark Mustio (R)
- Nick Kotik (D)
- Jesse J. White (D)
- Keith J. Gillespie (R)
- Brandon Neuman (D)
- Peter Daley (D)
- Bill DeWeese (D)
- Timothy S. Mahoney (D)
- Deberah Kula (D)
- Robert Godshall (R)
- Eli Evankovich (R)
- Joseph Petrarca, Jr. (D)
- George Dunbar (R)
- Tim Krieger (R)
- Ted Harhai (D)
- Mike Reese (R)
- Jeff Pyle (R)
- Kate M. Harper (R)
- Dave L. Reed (R)
- Donna Oberlander (R)
- Scott Hutchinson (R)
- Kathy Rapp (R)
- Sam Smith (R)
- Martin Causer (R)
- Matt E. Baker (R)
- Carl Walker Metzgar (R)
- Matthew Bradford (D)
- Bryan Barbin (D)
- Frank Burns (D)
- Gary Haluska (D)
- Bud George (D)
- Matt Gabler (R)
- Mike Hanna (D)
- H. Scott Conklin (D)
- Dick Hess (R)
- Richard Geist (R)
- Jerry Stern (R)
- Mike Fleck (R)
- Adam Harris (R)
- Richard Mirabito (D)
- Garth Everett (R)
- Fred Keller (R)
- Mark Keller (R)
- Glen Grell (R)
- Sheryl M. Delozier (R)
- Rob Kauffman (R)
- Todd Rock (R)
- Dan Moul (R)
- Scott Perry (R)
- Ron E. Miller (R)
- Stan Saylor (R)
- Eugene DePasquale (D)
- Mike Sturla (D)
- John C. Bear (R)
- David Hickernell (R)
- Gordon Denlinger (R)
- Bryan Cutler (R)
- Mauree Gingrich (R)
- RoseMarie Swanger (R)
- Ron Buxton (D)
- Sue Helm (R)
- Ron Marsico (R)
- John D. Payne (R)
- Kurt A. Masser (R)
- Lynda Schlegel-Culver (R)
- David R. Millard (R)
- Tina Pickett (R)
- Sandra Major (R)
- Kenneth J. Smith (D)
- Kevin P. Murphy (D)
- Sid Michaels Kavulich (D)
- Edward Staback (D)
- Tarah Toohil (R)
- Karen Boback (R)
- Michael B. Carroll (D)
- Gerald R. Mullery (D)
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- Doyle Heffley (R)
- Neal Goodman (D)
- Jerry Knowles (R)
- Mike Tobash (R)
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- Mark M. Gillen (R)
- Jim A. Cox (R)
- David M. Maloney (R)
- Justin Simmons (R)
- Jennifer Mann (D)
- Joseph F. Brennan (D)
- Doug Reichley (R)
- Steve Samuelson (D)
- Robert L. Freeman (D)
- Joe Emrick (R)
- Marcia Hahn (R)
- Michael Peifer (R)
- John Galloway (D)
- Tina M. Davis (D)
- Frank Farry (R)
- Marguerite Quinn (R)
- Kathy Watson (R)
- Paul Clymer (R)
- Tom Quigley (R)
- Marcy Toepel (R)
- Michael F. Gerber (D)
- Tim Briggs (D)
- Mike Vereb (R)
- Todd Stephens (R)
- Tom Murt (R)
- Josh Shapiro (D)
- Lawrence Curry (D)
- Curt Schroder (R)
- Dan Truitt (R)
- Warren Kampf (R)
- L. Chris Ross (R)
- Thaddeus Kirkland (D)
- Stephen Barrar (R)
- Joe Hackett (R)
- Nicholas Miccarelli III (R)
- Nicholas Micozzie (R)
- Margo L. Davidson (D)
- Bill Adolph (R)
- Greg Vitali (D)
- Duane Milne (R)
- Tom Killion (R)
- Dennis M. O'Brien (R)
- Brendan F. Boyle (D)
- Kerry Benninghoff (R)
- Kevin J. Boyle (D)
- Michael McGeehan (D)
- John Sabatina, Jr. (D)
- Michael H. O'Brien (D)
- Mario Scavello (R)
- John J. Taylor (R)
- Scott Petri (R)
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- William F. Keller (D)
- Maria Donatucci (D)
- Kenyatta Johnson (D)
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- James R. Roebuck, Jr. (D)
- Rosemary M. Brown (R)
- Vanessa L. Brown (D)
- Ronald Waters (D)
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- Will Tallman (R)
- Pamela A. Delissio (D)
- Michelle F. Brownlee (D)
- Seth Grove (R)
- Jewell Williams (D)
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- Cherelle Parker (D)
- John L. Myers (D)
- Mark B. Cohen (D)
- Dwight E. Evans (D)
Republican (112) • Democratic (91) • Pennsylvania General Assembly • Pennsylvania House of Representatives • Pennsylvania State SenateCategories:- Pennsylvania General Assembly
- State lower houses in the United States
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