PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2168
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1910
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY KEEFER, RYAN, GROVE, STAMBAUGH, WARNER, KAUFFMAN,
ECKER, BERNSTINE AND SMITH, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
A JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, in the judiciary, further providing for
judicial administration.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby resolves as follows:
Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
That section 10(c) of Article V be amended to read:
ยง 10. Judicial administration.
* * *
(c) [The] Except as provided by law, the Supreme Court shall
have the power to prescribe general rules governing practice,
procedure and the conduct of all courts, justices of the peace
and all officers serving process or enforcing orders, judgments
or decrees of any court or justice of the peace, including the
power to provide for assignment and reassignment of classes of
actions or classes of appeals among the several courts as the
needs of justice shall require, and for admission to the bar and
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to practice law, and the administration of all courts and
supervision of all officers of the Judicial Branch, if such
rules are consistent with this Constitution and neither abridge,
enlarge nor modify the substantive rights of any litigant, nor
affect the right of the General Assembly to determine the
jurisdiction of any court or justice of the peace, nor suspend
nor alter any statute of limitation or repose. [All laws shall
be suspended to the extent that they are inconsistent with rules
prescribed under these provisions. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this section, the] The General Assembly may by
statute provide for the manner of testimony of child victims or
child material witnesses in criminal proceedings, including the
use of videotaped depositions or testimony by closed-circuit
television.
* * *
Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
(b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
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this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
primary, general or municipal election which meets the
requirements of and is in conformance with section 1 of Article
XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and which occurs at least
three months after the proposed constitutional amendment is
passed by the General Assembly.
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