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Proposal Would Reduce PA General Assembly to Single-Chamber Body

On the heels of plans to shrink the size of the state Legislature is another to dissolve its bicameral structure.

Democratic Rep. Jaret Gibbons of Beaver County wants Pennsylvania to go back to its roots, when it had a single chamber General Assembly.

He says he doesn’t see why the only state with a unicameral legislature should be Nebraska, "who’s been doing this since the 30s."

"The first session since when they did this, they saw a 50 percent reduction in savings," Gibbons said. "My estimate is at least about 30 to 35 percent reduction we can save by doing this."

That would make it an estimated $90 million in savings for the General Assembly, which spent about $307 million last year.

The plan would dissolve the two chambers and reduce the number of legislators from 253 to 201.
    
Gibbons acknowledges it would be difficult to gain support for the proposal.

Last session, it died in committee.