09/29/2026
While the U.S. Constitution gets most of the attention, Pennsylvania's constitution is older, stronger, broader, and more protective of individual rights. Here are eight facts about the Pennsylvania Constitution that make it stand out from its federal counterpart:
1. Pennsylvania has its own Equal Rights Amendment.
Unlike the U.S. Constitution, which notoriously has no federal Equal Rights Amendment, the Pennsylvania Constitution has an ERA that states equality of rights cannot be denied or abridged because of s*x.
2. It's older than the U.S. Constitution.
Pennsylvania adopted its first constitution on September 28, 1776, more than a decade before the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787.
3. It has its own Bill of Rights.
The Pennsylvania Constitution begins with a robust Declaration of Rights. Pennsylvania courts have often recognized that these protections can be interpreted independently from, and sometimes more broadly than, the federal Constitution.
4. The Pennsylvania Constitution has an explicit racial equality amendment.
The Pennsylvania Constitution includes specific provisions prohibiting discrimination by the Commonwealth and guaranteeing equality regardless of race or ethnicity. The U.S. Constitution does not have similar anti-discrimination language.
5. It protects the environment.
Pennsylvania's Constitution guarantees the people a right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation of natural resources. There is no equivalent environmental rights provision in the U.S. Constitution.
6. It says all political power belongs to the people.
Article I declares that all power is inherent in the people and that government is founded on their authority and instituted for their benefit. That's a pretty important statement these days!
7. It's a powerful tool for protecting rights when federal protections fail.
State constitutions matter more than ever. When federal courts erode protections under the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions can provide independent safeguards for individual rights. That's why constitutional advocacy and judicial elections are so important in Pennsylvania.
8. The Pennsylvania Constitution protects the right to reproductive autonomy.
Earlier this year, in our Allegheny Repro victory, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania explicitly affirmed that the Pennsylvania Constitution protects our reproductive autonomy.
The Pennsylvania Constitution shapes our daily lives in ways most people never realize. At WLP, we work to secure the full promise of equality—for all of us—every day.
Happy Pennsylvania Constitution Day!
