PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2309
No. 1731 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY DePASQUALE, BELFANTI, CAPPELLI, CASORIO, CONKLIN,
CRUZ, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, GEORGE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HORNAMAN, JAMES, KORTZ, MAHONEY, MANDERINO, MARKOSEK,
MOUL, MURT, MYERS, READSHAW, SABATINA, SAYLOR, SIPTROTH,
SOLOBAY, SWANGER, THOMAS, WATERS, WHEATLEY, YOUNGBLOOD AND
DALEY, JULY 13, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JULY 13, 2007
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for a right of notification and
3 restitution for crime victims.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby resolves as follows:
6 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
7 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
8 That Article I be amended by adding a section to read:
9 § 29. Notification and restitution for crime victims.
10 All persons who are the victims of criminal activity shall
11 have the right to be notified of the criminal proceedings
12 pertaining to the case against the persons accused of the
13 crimes. All persons who suffer losses as a result of criminal
14 activity shall have the right to restitution from the persons
15 convicted of the crimes resulting in the losses unless there is
16 a compelling and extraordinary reason to the contrary.
1 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
2 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
3 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
4 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
5 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
6 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
7 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
8 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
9 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
10 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
11 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
12 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
13 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
14 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
15 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
16 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
17 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
18 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
19 primary, general or municipal election which meets the
20 requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article
21 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least
22 three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is
23 passed by the General Assembly.
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