SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PASSAGE - J.R. 1982-1
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1026, 1964, 2058 PRINTER'S NO. 3280
No. 902 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY ITKIN, McVERRY, DAWIDA, COWELL, PISTELLA,
VAN HORNE, MARKOSEK, TRELLO, OLASZ, DeLUCA AND PRESTON,
MAY 2, 1983
SENATOR O'CONNELL, STATE GOVERNMENT, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
AMENDED, JUNE 25, 1984
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, further providing for absentee ballots. <--
3 PERMITTING THE USE OF SUPPRESSED VOLUNTARY ADMISSIONS OR <--
4 CONFESSIONS TO IMPEACH A DEFENDANT'S CREDIBILITY.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby resolves as follows:
7 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
8 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
9 That section 14, Article VII be amended to read: <--
10 § 14. Absentee voting.
11 The Legislature shall, by general law, provide a manner in
12 which, and the time and place at which, qualified electors who
13 may, on the occurrence of any election, be absent from the State
14 or county of their residence, because their duties, occupation
15 or business require them to be elsewhere or who, on the
16 occurrence of any election, are unable to attend at their proper
17 polling places because of illness or physical disability or who
1 can not vote because of election day duties, in the case of a
2 county employe, may vote, and for the return and canvass of
3 their votes in the election district in which they respectively
4 reside.
5 THAT SECTION 9 OF ARTICLE I BE AMENDED TO READ: <--
6 § 9. RIGHTS OF ACCUSED IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS.
7 IN ALL CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS THE ACCUSED HATH A RIGHT TO BE
8 HEARD BY HIMSELF AND HIS COUNSEL, TO DEMAND THE NATURE AND CAUSE
9 OF THE ACCUSATION AGAINST HIM, TO MEET THE WITNESSES FACE TO
10 FACE, TO HAVE COMPULSORY PROCESS FOR OBTAINING WITNESSES IN HIS
11 FAVOR, AND, IN PROSECUTIONS BY INDICTMENT OR INFORMATION, A
12 SPEEDY PUBLIC TRIAL BY AN IMPARTIAL JURY OF THE VICINAGE; HE
13 CANNOT BE COMPELLED TO GIVE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIMSELF, NOR CAN HE
14 BE DEPRIVED OF HIS LIFE, LIBERTY OR PROPERTY, UNLESS BY THE
15 JUDGMENT OF HIS PEERS OR THE LAW OF THE LAND. THE USE OF A
16 SUPPRESSED VOLUNTARY ADMISSION OR VOLUNTARY CONFESSION TO
17 IMPEACH THE CREDIBILITY OF A PERSON MAY BE PERMITTED AND SHALL
18 NOT BE CONSTRUED AS COMPELLING A PERSON TO GIVE EVIDENCE AGAINST
19 HIMSELF.
20 SECTION 2. THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE SUBMITTED BY THE
21 SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS
22 THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AT THE PRIMARY, MUNICIPAL OR GENERAL
23 ELECTION NEXT HELD AFTER THE ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLE
24 XI, SECTION 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
25 PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.
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