Bill Text: PA HR696 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishing a select committee to investigate the session notices given on December 9 and 10, 2009, and to determine whether the notices fulfill the requirements of 65 Pa.C.S. 709(d).

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 10-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-22 - Referred to RULES [HR696 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR696-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 3421
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 696 Session of2010
INTRODUCED BY METCALFE, GABLER, HENNESSEY, KAUFFMAN, MOUL, MURT, PYLE, RAPP, SWANGER AND TALLMAN, MARCH 22, 2010
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 22, 2010
A RESOLUTION
Establishing a select committee to investigate the session
notices given on December 9 and 10, 2009, and to determine
whether the notices fulfill the requirements of 65 Pa.C.S. §
709(d).
WHEREAS, Section 709(d) of Title 65 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes establishes public notice requirements for
meetings of the General Assembly in the Capitol Complex; and
WHEREAS, Section 709(d) requires that a copy of any notice of
a session day be posted at public places within the Main Capitol
Building and that at least 30 copies of such notice be supplied
to the supervisor of the Capitol newsroom no later than the day
preceding the session day; and
WHEREAS, The notice must include the date, time and place of
each session; and
WHEREAS, On the evening of December 9, 2009, the Chief Clerk
of the House of Representatives issued an updated session notice
for December 10, 2009, which indicated that the House of
Representatives was to convene in open session on that date at 8
a.m.; and
WHEREAS, During the early morning hours of December 10, 2009,
notice was given indicating that the House of Representatives
would convene in open session on December 10, 2009, at 10 a.m.,
rather than at 8 a.m.; and
WHEREAS, A number of members of the House of Representatives
were not aware of the change in time until they arrived in the
Hall of the House on the morning of December 10, 2009; and
WHEREAS, A number of members of the House of Representatives
have expressed concern that the session notice distributed on
December 9, 2009, was known to be incorrect because the original
intent was to call the House of Representatives into session at
10 a.m., rather than at 8 a.m. on December 10, 2009; and
WHEREAS, The notification provided on December 10, 2009, was
not given on the previous day, as required by 65 Pa.C.S. §
709(d); therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a
select committee to investigate the session notices given on
December 9 and 10, 2009, and to determine whether the notices
fulfill the requirements of 65 Pa.C.S. § 709(d); and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the select committee make recommendations
regarding the procedures that are followed to notify members of
the House of Representatives, the public and the media regarding
the date, time and place of session; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee consist of 30 members of
the House of Representatives, 15 members from the majority party
and 15 members from the minority party; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
appoint 15 members of the House of Representatives from the
Rules Committee and the State Government Committee; and be it
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further
RESOLVED, That the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives appoint 15 members of the House of
Representatives from the Rules Committee and the State
Government Committee; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee hold hearings, take
testimony and make its investigations at such places as it deems
necessary in this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the select committee submit a report of its
findings together with any recommendations that the select
committee deems appropriate to the House of Representatives no
later than May 31, 2010.
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