Pennsylvania’s state lawmakers will make a short visit to Harrisburg for their swearing-in Tuesday.
The House will elect a Speaker, the Senate will elect a President Pro Tem, and both chambers will adopt rules for the coming two-year session.
“This is all pretty much routine – scripted,” said House Chief Clerk Tony Barbush.
Sometimes people go off-book.
2007 was an odd ceremony, marking the first known time a member of the minority party was elected House Speaker after a contested election on the floor. 1997 brought a brief diversion when a House member tried unsuccessfully to make a verbal amendment to the rules after noting with dismay that the press gallery had been removed from the House floor.
In 1973, a House member had to stay late for his swearing-in (the Speaker made a brief joke about paying the judges overtime). The member hadn’t entered the House chamber on time because he was protesting the lack of seats for the 150 constituents who had come to see him.
After-parties in the caucus rooms are paid for with a combination of campaign funds and other donations, legislative aides say. Individual members are recommended to use campaign funds to pay for personal parties.
Both chambers plan to return to session January 20th for another swearing-in – that of Gov.-elect Tom Wolf.
