PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
                                                       PRINTER'S NO. 789

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 752 Session of 1995


        INTRODUCED BY SHAFFER, RHOADES, BELL, HART, CORMAN AND FISHER,
           MARCH 10, 1995

        REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MARCH 10, 1995

                               A JOINT RESOLUTION

     1  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
     2     of Pennsylvania, further providing for trial by jury and
     3     waiver of this right.

     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, section 6, be amended to read:
     9  § 6.  Trial by jury.
    10     Trial by jury shall be as heretofore, and the right thereof
    11  remain inviolate. The General Assembly may provide, however, by
    12  law, that a verdict may be rendered by not less than five-sixths
    13  of the jury in any civil case. Furthermore, in criminal cases
    14  the accused may waive the right to a jury trial only with the
    15  consent of the Commonwealth.
    16     Section 2.  (a)  Upon the first passage by the General
    17  Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the


     1  Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
     2  comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
     3  XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
     4  required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
     5  which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
     6  passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
     7     (b)  Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
     8  proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
     9  Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
    10  advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
    11  Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
    12  advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
    13  newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
    14  this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
    15  Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
    16  to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
    17  primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
    18  months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
    19  the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
    20  conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
    21  Pennsylvania.






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