PRIOR PASSAGE - J.R. 1, 1982
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 321 PRINTER'S NO. 503
No. 299 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, HESS, BRIGHTBILL, PECORA, ANDREZESKI,
SHAFFER, HELFRICK AND ROCKS, FEBRUARY 22, 1983
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, MARCH 14, 1983
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, permitting the use of suppressed voluntary
3 admissions or confessions to impeach a defendant's
4 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 9 of Article I be amended to read:
10 § 9. Rights of accused in criminal prosecutions.
11 In all criminal prosecutions the accused hath a right to be
12 heard by himself and his counsel, to demand the nature and cause
13 of the accusation against him, to meet the witnesses face to
14 face, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his
15 favor, and, in prosecutions by indictment or information, a
16 speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage; he
17 cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he
18 be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the
1 judgment of his peers or the law of the land. The use of a
2 suppressed voluntary admission or voluntary confession to
3 impeach the credibility of a person may be permitted and shall
4 not be construed as compelling a person to give evidence against
5 himself.
6 SECTION 2. THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT SHALL BE SUBMITTED BY THE <--
7 SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS
8 THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH AT THE PRIMARY, MUNICIPAL OR GENERAL
9 ELECTION NEXT HELD AFTER THE ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLE
10 XI, SECTION 1, OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
11 PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.
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