PRINTER'S NO. 1941
No. 112 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY REED AND GEESEY, JULY 3, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JULY 9, 1979
In the House of Representatives, July 3, 1979
1 The Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has
2 filed petitions before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court requesting
3 their approval to convene a grand jury to investigate and take
4 action upon six major areas of criminal involvement within the
5 Commonwealth; and
6 WHEREAS, The Attorney General's petition is pursuant to the
7 provisions of Pennsylvania law enacted by the General Assembly
8 during the 1977-1978 session to allow prosecutors the
9 additionally needed tool of investigative grand juries; and
10 WHEREAS, The Attorney General's petition is being challenged
11 with regard to its constitutionality and to its propriety, as
12 well as on the ability to utilize such an investigative grand
13 jury for the six Statewide purposes enumerated in the Attorney
14 General's petition; and
15 WHEREAS, The House of Representatives believes the petition
16 of the Attorney General to be properly drawn pursuant to
17 provisions of the State's law and that the purposes for the
18 investigative grand jury are valid and in response to law
1 enforcement needs within Pennsylvania, and further, that the
2 petition is drawn within the confines of the Constitution of the
3 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
4 WHEREAS, The six major areas of criminal conduct enumerated
5 within the Attorney General's petitions threaten the peace and
6 dignity of the Commonwealth and constitute adverse impact on the
7 health and safety of the general public and thereby constitute a
8 threat to the people and the laws of the Commonwealth; and
9 WHEREAS, The Attorney General has probable cause to initiate
10 the petition filed before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court;
11 therefore be it
12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives expresses its
13 approval of the petition filed by the Attorney General before
14 the Supreme Court for the purposes enumerated in the petition
15 and that the House recommends approval by the court; it further
16 directs that counsel on behalf of the House file appropriate
17 petition to the court with copies of this resolution in addition
18 to whatever additional points with regard to the Attorney
19 General's petition's constitutionality and validity counsel will
20 provide in answer to the challenge of the Attorney General's
21 petition now before the court.
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