H0111B1699A01205 MSP:BTW 05/09/17 #90 A01205
AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 111
Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE DIAMOND
Printer's No. 1699
Amend Bill, page 1, line 3, by striking out the period after
"judges" and inserting
; and, in the Judiciary, further providing for the Supreme
Court, the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court and for
judicial districts and boundaries.
Amend Bill, page 2, by inserting between lines 24 and 25
(2) That section 2 of Article V be amended to read:
§ 2. Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court (a) shall be the highest court of the
Commonwealth and in this court shall be reposed the supreme
judicial power of the Commonwealth;
(b) shall consist of seven justices, to be selected from
seven judicial districts which shall be established by law, one
of whom shall be the Chief Justice; and
(c) shall have such jurisdiction as shall be provided by
law.
(3) That section 3 of Article V be amended to read:
§ 3. Superior Court.
The Superior Court shall be a statewide court, and shall
consist of [the number of judges, which shall be not less than
seven judges] 15 judges, to be selected from 15 judicial
districts which shall be established by law, and have such
jurisdiction as shall be provided by this Constitution or by the
General Assembly. One of its judges shall be the president
judge.
(4) That section 4 of Article V be amended to read:
§ 4. Commonwealth Court.
The Commonwealth Court shall be a statewide court, and shall
consist of [the number of judges] nine judges, to be selected
from nine judicial districts which shall be established by law,
and have such jurisdiction as shall be provided by law. One of
its judges shall be the president judge.
(5) That section 11 of Article V be amended to read:
§ 11. Judicial districts; boundaries.
[The number and boundaries of judicial districts shall be
changed by the General Assembly only with the advice and consent
of the Supreme Court.]
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(a) The number of judges and justices of the Supreme Court,
the Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court selected from each
judicial district shall provide every resident of this
Commonwealth with approximately equal representation on a court.
Each judicial district shall be composed of compact and
contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as
practicable. One judge or justice shall be selected for each
judicial district. Unless absolutely necessary, no county, city,
incorporated town, borough, township or ward may be divided in
forming a judicial district.
(b) The General Assembly shall, by law, establish:
(1) The judicial districts from which justices of the
Supreme Court and the judges of the Superior Court and the
Commonwealth Court are selected.
(2) A transition to an appellate court judiciary selected
from judicial districts.
(3) The effect of set judicial districts upon eligibility to
seek retention election.
(4) The order in which judicial districts shall elect
justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Superior Court
and the Commonwealth Court.
(5) The decennial realignment of the appellate judicial
districts based on the Federal decennial census, beginning in
2021 and occurring each ten years thereafter.
(c) Residency qualification for appointment to the Supreme
Court, the Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court shall be
established by the General Assembly.
(d) Except as provided under subsection (b) and section
7(b), the number and boundaries of all other judicial districts
shall be established by the General Assembly by law, with the
advice and consent of the Supreme Court.
Amend Bill, page 2, line 25, by striking out "(2)" and
inserting
(6)
Amend Bill, page 5, line 26, by striking out "(3)" and
inserting
(7)
Amend Bill, page 9, line 17, by inserting after "Court"
for a judicial district established under section 11
Amend Bill, page 9, line 27, by striking out "geographic,"
Amend Bill, page 10, by inserting between lines 2 and 3
(2) be a resident of the judicial district where the vacancy
exists, subject to any requirement established by law regarding
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judicial districts;
Amend Bill, page 10, line 3, by striking out "(2)" and
inserting
(3)
Amend Bill, page 10, line 5, by striking out "(3)" and
inserting
(4)
Amend Bill, page 10, line 17, by striking out "(4)" and
inserting
(8)
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