PRINTER'S NO. 3711
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
862
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY KAUFFMAN, MAY 4, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MAY 4, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Adopting a temporary Rule of the House of Representatives
relating to powers and duties of standing committees to
issues subpoenas.
RESOLVED, That this resolution adopt a temporary rule to
apply notwithstanding provisions in the Rules of the House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That each standing committee may issue subpoenas
for documents or testimony. Notwithstanding any other rule of
the House, subpoenas issued under this rule shall be in the name
of the committee and shall be signed by the chair of the
committee and attested by another member of the committee who
voted in favor of either authorizing the subpoena or authorizing
the chair to issue subpoenas.
A subpoena issued by a standing committee may be served upon
any person and shall have the force and effect of a subpoena
issued out of the courts of this Commonwealth. Subpoenas shall
be served by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House or other person
designated by the committee when directed to do so by the
committee. Each subpoena shall be addressed to the witness and
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shall state that the proceeding is before a committee of the
House for which the witness is required to attend and testify at
a specified time and place; or to produce books, papers,
records, accounts, reports, documents and data and information
produced and stored by any electronic data processing system; or
both, as the committee may also require. Mileage and witness
fees shall be paid by the House to the witness in an amount
prescribed by law. A person who willfully neglects or refuses to
comply with a subpoena issued by the committee shall be subject
to the penalties provided by the laws of this Commonwealth with
respect to such willful neglect or refusal. The committee may
quash or modify the subpoena if it finds the subpoena to be
overly broad or without proper purpose. Each member of the
committee shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations
to witnesses appearing before the committee.
All such subpoenaed books, papers, records, accounts,
reports, documents and data and information produced and stored
by any electronic data processing system shall be returned to
the person from whom such material was subpoenaed when the
committee has completed its examination of such material. Such
material, or any information derived therefrom not a part of
public sessions of the committee, may not be turned over to any
person or authority without the consent of the person from whom
such material was subpoenaed; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, unless amended or revoked by the House,
except for the third paragraph of the second Resolved Clause of
this temporary rule, the temporary rule adopted in this
resolution shall expire upon the earlier of:
(1) the termination by executive order, proclamation or
operation of law of the declaration of disaster emergency
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issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020; or
(2) the end of the legislative term.
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