Rep. Bizzarro talks with Chairman Rob Matzie and Rep. Pam Snyder on the House floor.

It’s getting too easy to change the state constitution, according to a pair of Democratic House members who want to make the process a bit harder.

Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, and Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Green/Fayette/Washington, have proposed House Bill 2340 to provide more of a speed bump to the already lengthy process to change the constitution. The legislation is co-sponsored by a host of Democrats in the House.

Currently, a constitutional change requires identical legislation to be approved by a simply majority of the House and the Senate in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approved by voters statewide.

“Changes to the state constitution, while sometimes necessary, require serious forethought, debate, and participation from more than just a simple majority of elected members,” Bizzarro and Snyder wrote in their legislative memorandum.

Since 1968, the year Pennsyvlania’s current constitution went into effect after a statewide constitutional convention, voters have rejected six of the 49 proposed amendments that reached them, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The newspaper reported 14 of those ballot questions appeared on the ballot in presidential or gubernatorial election years when turnout is usually at its highest in the state.

Since the 2021-22 session began, 69 changes to the state constitution have been proposed, according to the Inquirer. In an op-ed in the Erie Times, Bizzarro said 61 have come from Republicans and eight from Democrats.

“For this reason, we plan to introduce a joint resolution to amend the state constitution to require future proposed amendments be approved by at least two-thirds of members in each chamber of the General Assembly,” Bizzarro and Snyder wrote. “The voters will still have the ultimate say in amending the state constitution when presented with a ballot question, but this important change will better ensure the voices of those we represent are heard at the beginning of the amendment process in Harrisburg. Pennsylvanians need elected leaders who put them first. This necessary change to the way we consider and pass proposed amendments to our state constitution ensures that more diverse voices have a say in the amendment process.”