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 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. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, 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. [Source: 1995 Pa. Laws 1151]
Bill Histories
| 1994 Bill History Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1 |
SB 218 By Senators GREENLEAF, LEWIS, CORMAN, HART, FISHER, MADIGAN,
ROBBINS, SALVATORE, SCHWARTZ and SHUMAKER.
Prior Printer’s No. 220. Printer’s No. 780.
A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for rights of accused in
criminal prosecutions.
Referred to JUDICIARY, Jan. 12, 1993
Reported as amended, March 23, 1993
First consideration, March 23, 1993
Second consideration, April 21, 1993
Third consideration and final passage, April 26, 1993 (49-0)
Vote on final passage reconsidered, April 26, 1993
Final passage, April 26, 1993 (48-1)
In the House
Referred to JUDICIARY, May 3, 1993
Reported as committed, May 24, 1993
First consideration, May 24, 1993
Laid on the table, May 24, 1993
Removed from table, May 25, 1993
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, May 25, 1993
Re-reported as committed, June 8, 1994
Second consideration, June 8, 1994
Third consideration and final passage, June 20, 1994 (197-0)
Signed in Senate, June 21, 1994
Signed in House, June 22, 1994
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, June 22, 1994
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1
Passed Sessions of 1994
| 1995 Bill History Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1 |
SB 11 By Senators GREENLEAF, FISHER, O’PAKE, HECKLER, GERLACH, TOMLINSON,
ULIANA, DELP, BELL, HOLL, JUBELIRER, LOEPER, SHAFFER, CORMAN, MELLOW,
BODACK, MUSTO, ARMSTRONG, BRIGHTBILL, BAKER, ROBBINS, LAVALLE, STEWART,
HELFRICK, LEMMOND, SALVATORE, TILGHMAN, MADIGAN, WENGER, PUNT, MOWERY,
PETERSON, ANDREZESKI, BELAN, SHUMAKER, RHOADES, STOUT, SCHWARTZ,
PORTERFIELD, STAPLETON, WAGNER, KASUNIC, TARTAGLIONE, DAWIDA,
AFFLERBACH and JONES.
Prior Printer’s Nos. 11, 49. Printer’s No. 65.
A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for rights of accused in
criminal prosecutions.
Referred to JUDICIARY, Jan. 24, 1995
Reported as committed, Feb. 7, 1995
First consideration, Feb. 7, 1995
Second consideration, Feb. 8, 1995
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Feb. 8, 1995
Re-reported as amended, Feb. 13, 1995
Third consideration and final passage, Feb. 14, 1995 (49-1)
(Remarks see Senate Journal Page 57), Feb. 14, 1995
In the House
Referred to JUDICIARY, Feb. 14,1995
Reported as committed, March 7, 1995
First consideration, March 7, 1995
Laid on the table, March 7, 1995
Removed from table, March 7, 1995
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, March 7, 1995
Re-reported as committed, March 8, 1995
Second consideration, March 8, 1995
Third consideration and final passage, March 13, 1995 (187-9)
(Remarks see House Journal Page 213), March 13, 1995
Signed in Senate, March 14, 1995
Signed in House, March 15, 1995
Filed in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
March 15, 1995
Pamphlet Laws Resolution No. 1
Passed Sessions of 1994 and 1995
Approved by the electorate, Nov. 7, 1995
(1,176,652 – 400,727)