PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 2865
No. 2175 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY ARMSTRONG, SCHRODER, FARGO, CHADWICK, BROWN,
HERMAN, HENNESSEY, LYNCH, HALUSKA AND E. Z. TAYLOR,
FEBRUARY 3, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 3, 1998
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for the budgetary affairs of the
3 unified judicial system.
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 V be amended by adding a section to read:
9 § 19. Financial affairs and budgets.
10 (a) As provided by the Constitution of Pennsylvania and by
11 statute, the Supreme Court shall submit annually to the Governor
12 and the General Assembly a proposed budget for the ensuing
13 fiscal year for the Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth
14 Court, Court Administrator of Pennsylvania and other statewide
15 agencies, committees and statewide units of the unified judicial
16 system setting forth in detail proposed expenditures classified
17 by court, agency, committee or unit for the year.
1 (b) The General Assembly shall include such budget
2 appropriations for the Supreme Court, Superior Court,
3 Commonwealth Court, Court Administrator of Pennsylvania and
4 other statewide agencies, committees and statewide units of the
5 unified judicial system as the General Assembly shall determine
6 to be necessary and reasonable in the general appropriation bill
7 or such separate appropriation bill as it deems appropriate. No
8 moneys shall be paid out of the treasury for the operation of
9 the unified judicial system except on appropriation approved by
10 the General Assembly and upon warrant issued by the proper
11 officer.
12 (c) Except as provided by statute, all fees, charges and
13 other moneys received by the Supreme Court, Superior Court,
14 Commonwealth Court or other statewide agency, committee or
15 statewide unit of the unified judicial system, with the
16 exception of payments mandated to a party by court order and
17 fees assessed by the Supreme Court and paid to The Disciplinary
18 Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania or for a client
19 security fund, shall be deposited in the treasury for
20 appropriation by the General Assembly for the unified judicial
21 system.
22 (d) The financial affairs of the Supreme Court, Superior
23 Court, Commonwealth Court or other court, agency, committee or
24 unit of the unified judicial system shall be subject to audits
25 made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards
26 and shall be performed by the Auditor General.
27 Section 2. (a) Upon the first passage by the General
28 Assembly of this proposed constitutional amendment, the
29 Secretary of the Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to
30 comply with the advertising requirements of section 1 of Article
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1 XI of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the
2 required advertisements to two newspapers in every county in
3 which such newspapers are published in sufficient time after
4 passage of this proposed constitutional amendment.
5 (b) Upon the second passage by the General Assembly of this
6 proposed constitutional amendment, the Secretary of the
7 Commonwealth shall proceed immediately to comply with the
8 advertising requirements of section 1 of Article XI of the
9 Constitution of Pennsylvania and shall transmit the required
10 advertisements to two newspapers in every county in which such
11 newspapers are published in sufficient time after passage of
12 this proposed constitutional amendment. The Secretary of the
13 Commonwealth shall submit this proposed constitutional amendment
14 to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the first
15 primary, general or municipal election occurring at least three
16 months after the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by
17 the General Assembly which meets the requirements of and is in
18 conformance with section 1 of Article XI of the Constitution of
19 Pennsylvania.
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