PRINTER'S NO. 272
No. 270 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, COSTA, WAGNER, MUSTO, KASUNIC, KITCHEN,
SCHWARTZ, BODACK, TARTAGLIONE AND HUGHES, FEBRUARY 5, 2001
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 5, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for
3 oaths for judicial officers.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 3151 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 3151. Oath of office.
9 Each judicial officer shall, before entering on the duties of
10 his office, take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation
11 before a person authorized to administer oaths:
12 "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support,
13 obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the
14 Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I will discharge
15 the duties of my office with fidelity."
16 Any person refusing to take the oath or affirmation shall
17 forfeit his office. [A] Except as set forth in section 3116
18 (relating to effect of failure to obtain certificate), an
1 appointed judicial officer shall be sworn [upon his appointment
2 or] within 30 days of the Governor's issuance of a commission
3 unless the appointee is unable to be sworn because of a medical
4 emergency, and thereafter need not be sworn in any matter
5 referred to him. An elected judicial officer shall be sworn upon
6 election, and after each retention election, and thereafter need
7 not be sworn in any matter referred to him.
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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