We are in this sad situation because back in 2020, former SOS Kathy Boockvar's staff, who were jammed up dealing with insurrectionists (including GOP members in the PA state legislature AND those who were in Congress from PA), trying to throw out the ballots of voters in the state in fall 2020 (where lawsuits continued into 2021), forgot to prepare an announcement of the Amendment to appear in the media (print I believe) per law, ahead of it appearing on the primary ballot in 2021.
Thus the deadline was missed for it to go on the ballot in 2021 when it should have.
Because of that, she ended up stepping down.
That timing for the ballot initiative would have completed the process of the earlier bill passing 2 consecutive legislative sessions before being eligible for a referendum.
Fast-forward to this year 2023 - Republicans STILL control the state Senate with the loon Kim Ward in charge, who some keep wanting to praise, but who was involved in stoking the insurrection by supporting the crap that Mastriano did in 2020 with Ghouliani.
THEY passed a bill on party lines that not only had the sexual assault Amendment on it, but ADDED "poison pill" Amendments to modify the state Constitution to implement voter suppression by instituting draconian Voter ID requirements (most likely the type that failed in court when Corbett was promoting it in 2011/2012) AND they added an Amendment to further circumvent the Governor's role by neutering the ability of a Governor to draft regulations, giving the legislature the authority to overturn them.
IOW, the loon GOP here, including their leaders like Kim Ward, are pushing hard for implementing the "independent state legislature" theory promoted by the criminal John Eastman, and are now engaged in efforts to overthrow the Executive Branch not only here in PA, but other states.
I.e., GOP who are not in states with a trifecta for their party, have been on a rampage to change the state Constitutions to neuter any Governors who are Democrats.
We are now in an era where the GOP have been radicalized in the states and that must be taken into account when proceeding with any further legislative efforts and who is in control.
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