PRINTER'S NO. 1073
No. 73 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY JOSEPHS, L. I. COHEN, McCALL, YOUNGBLOOD, LEVDANSKY, COWELL, COY, MUNDY, MANDERINO, BISHOP, ROEBUCK, STURLA, BEBKO-JONES, ROONEY, STABACK, BROWNE, STEELMAN, TRELLO, CURRY, PISTELLA, PLATTS, ITKIN, RICHARDSON, EVANS, WASHINGTON AND BOSCOLA, MARCH 6, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 6, 1995
A RESOLUTION 1 Condemning acts of violence committed at women's health care 2 facilities and requesting the Governor to make a report to 3 the General Assembly. 4 WHEREAS, The right to peaceably express one's political and 5 moral views is basic to our democracy; and 6 WHEREAS, The United States of America, through the First 7 Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, preserves 8 the right to express dissenting views provided that such dissent 9 is expressed in a manner that does not cause injury to person or 10 property; and 11 WHEREAS, There is no right under the First Amendment to use 12 violence to express one's political or moral views; and 13 WHEREAS, It is unacceptable for anyone to use violence 14 against someone with an opposing viewpoint; and 15 WHEREAS, There have been an alarming number of violent 16 incidents committed at women's health care facilities, including 17 the recent murders in Brookline, Massachusetts, and Pensacola,
1 Florida, as well as a bombing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the 2 fall of 1993; and 3 WHEREAS, It is the policy of this Commonwealth that political 4 differences are to be settled by lawful and peaceful means and 5 not through acts of violence; therefore be it 6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives reaffirm its 7 support for the laws of this Commonwealth and this nation and 8 condemn those who engage in violent activity to express their 9 political views; and be it further 10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives request the 11 Governor to report, within 30 days, as to the specific steps 12 that are being taken by the Executive Branch to protect the 13 safety and security of women's health care facilities, as well 14 as the safety and security of the employees of those facilities; 15 and be it further 16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives request the 17 Governor to make recommendations, within 30 days, as to what 18 further action may be necessary to protect the safety and 19 security of women's health care facilities and their employees. A12L82SFG/19950H0073R1073 - 2 -