Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1968
Rights of Accused in Criminal Prosecutions
In all criminal prosecutions the accused hath a right to be heard by himself and his counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to [meet the witnesses face to face] be confronted with the witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and, in prosecutions by indictment or information, a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the vicinage; he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor can he be deprived of his life, liberty or property, unless by the judgment of his peers or the law of the land. The use of a suppressed voluntary admission or voluntary confession to impeach the credibility of a person may be permitted and shall not be construed as compelling a person to give evidence against himself. [Source: 2003 Pa. Laws 459].
Bill Histories
| 2002 Bill History Joint Resolution No. 1 |
SB 211 By Senators GREENLEAF, JUBELIRER, MELLOW, PICCOLA, COSTA, GERLACH,
O’PAKE, SCHWARTZ, M. WHITE, ARMSTRONG, BELL, DENT, HOLL, THOMPSON,
TOMLINSON, WAGNER, WAUGH, KITCHEN, RHOADES, SCARNATI, LEMMOND and
KASUNIC.
Printer’s No. 93.
A Joint Resolution proposing separate amendments to the Constitution of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for rights of accused
in criminal prosecutions and for judicial administration.
Referred to JUDICIARY, Jan. 26, 2001
Reported as committed, June 5, 2001
First consideration, June 5, 2001
Second consideration, June 6, 2001
Third consideration and final passage, June 11, 2001 (48-1)
In the House
Referred to JUDICIARY, June 13, 2001
Reported as committed, Dec. 10, 2001
First consideration, Dec. 10, 2001
Laid on the table, Dec. 10, 2001
Removed from table, Dec. 10, 2001
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Dec. 10, 2001
Re-reported as committed, Dec. 10, 2001
Second consideration, Dec. 11, 2001
Third consideration and final passage, Jan. 23, 2002 (190-3)
(Remarks see House Journal Page 35), Jan. 23, 2002
Signed in Senate, Jan. 28, 2002
Signed in House, Jan. 28, 2002
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Jan. 29, 2002
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1
Passed Sessions of 2002
| 2003 Bill History Joint Resolution No. 1 |
SB 55 By Senators GREENLEAF, JUBELIRER, PICCOLA, WAGNER, LEMMOND, O’PAKE, THOMPSON, KITCHEN, M. WHITE, LOGAN, ORIE, KASUNIC, EARLL, TARTAGLIONE,
TOMLINSON, CORMAN, WAUGH, WOZNIAK, COSTA and C. WILLIAMS.
Printer’s No. 49.
A Joint Resolution proposing separate amendments to the Constitution of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for rights of accused
in criminal prosecutions and for judicial administration.
Referred to JUDICIARY, Jan. 24, 2003
Reported as committed, Jan. 27, 2003
First consideration, Jan. 27, 2003
Second consideration, Jan. 29, 2003
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Feb. 3, 2003
Re-reported as committed, Feb. 3, 2003
Third consideration and final passage, Feb. 3, 2003 (46-1)
Vote on final passage reconsidered, Feb. 3, 2003
Final passage, Feb. 3, 2003 (47-0)
(Remarks see Senate Journal Page 69), Feb. 3, 2003
In the House
Referred to JUDICIARY, Feb. 4, 2003
Reported as committed, Feb. 11, 2003
First consideration, Feb. 11, 2003
Laid on the table, Feb. 11, 2003
Removed from table, Feb. 12, 2003
Second consideration, Feb. 12, 2003
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Feb. 12, 2003
Re-reported as committed, June 17, 2003
Third consideration and final passage, June 23, 2003 (191-4)
(Remarks see House Journal Page 1067), June 23, 2003
Signed in Senate, June 24, 2003
Signed in House, June 25, 2003
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, June 25, 2003
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1
Passed Sessions of 2002 and 2003
Approved by the Electorate, Nov. 4, 2003
Vote by Electorate, See History, Section “O”