HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- Two Democratic Party members of the Pennsylvania State House Representatives announced they are resigning.
According to the Office of the Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, both Rep. Donna Bullock (D-195th) and Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D-201st) both resigned.
Bullock resigned on Monday, July 15 after first winning a special election for the seat in 2015. She previously worked as a lawyer and a special assistant to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke. In the State House, she had previously served as Assistant Deputy Whip and Chief Deputy Whip.
According to a release by Project HOME, which is a non-profit organization focused on ending the cycle of homelessness and poverty; they announced back on June 18 that Bullock was selected by the board of trustees to become the new CEO.
Kinsey resigned on Tuesday, noting it was his "great honor to serve the northwest community as the Representative for the 201st Legislative District." A member of the State House since 2013, Kinsey had served as the chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and co-chairman of the House Bipartisan Caucus.
Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton says that special elections to fill these two vacancies have been scheduled for Tuesday, September 17.
With the resignations of these two Democratic representatives, Republicans now temporarily hold the majority in the House 101 to 100; although House rules state the following:
"Majority Party" shall mean the political party that won the greater number of elections for the 203 seats in the House of Representatives in the general election preceding the term of service that began on the first day of December next after the general election. If a vacancy shall occur during the term, the political party that won that seat at the last election shall remain the party that won that seat until any subsequent special election is held to fill that seat. Following a special election during the term, the number of elections won by each political party for the 203 seats in the House of Representatives shall be redetermined as provided in this definition. Nothing in this definition shall preclude an individual elected to hold a seat in the House of Representatives from changing their political party registration.
Pennsylvania House Rules
The State House will reconvene on September 23.
This is a developing story. abc27 news will keep you updated as we learn more.