DECEMBER 15, 2021 • PHILLYFREEPRESS.COM • UCREVIEW.COM • 3
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Constitutional amendment would term-limit Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges
Bob and Claudia six months before Bob got Covid-19.
D
ear Friends and Readers,
temporary, but we are looking for the “right” person to assume responsibility for the newspaBob and I have been pers’ growth – Someone publishing the University who is filled with the City Review and Philadel- love and energy for this phia Free Press for almost kind of community en34 years, since 1988. deavor. That is a long run for a We are grateful to all local community newsour many readers, writpaper and we are very ers and advertisers over proud of it! our many years of pubAt this moment in lishing. time, though, due to an With our best wishes to original bout with Coall for a Joyous Holiday vid-19 back in November season and a Happy and 2020 from which Bob is Healthier 2022! still recovering, we are going to take a hiatus Bob and Claudia from the newspaper Christian business. Publishers University We don’t know how City Review and long this will be, or if Philadelphia Free Press it will be permanent or
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The Supreme Court Chamber in the Pennsylvania State Capitol building Nagel Photography | Shutterstock.com
By Victor Skinner The Center Square contributor
the committee on a nearly party line vote of 15-8, with Rep. Mike Zabel, D-Drexel, the only Demohe House Judicia- crat to vote with Republiry Committee has cans. Committee Minority advanced legisla- Chairman Tim Briggs, tion to amend the PennD-King of Prussia, offered sylvania Constitution by a motion to table the vote creating term limits for because he said the comthe state’s Supreme Court mittee hadn’t previously Justices and appellate reviewed the legislation, court judges. and he believed all conHouse Bill 1880 would stitutional amendments amend the Pennsylvania deserve at least one meetConstitution to impose ing. a two-term limit for jusRep. Emily Kinkead, tices of the state Supreme D-Allegheny, agreed and Court for a total of 20 said it was “incredibly years, though those curimproper” to vote the bill rently serving who exout of the committee. ceed the threshold would “I believe we should be permitted to complete have a hearing,” Kinkead their terms. said. “I believe we owe it Committee members to the people of Pennsylapproved an amendment vania to … flesh it out.” during a meeting MonCommittee Chair Rob day to also extend the Kauffman, R-Franklin, same restriction to judges countered that amending on the commonwealth the constitution requires and superior courts. the General Assembly to “As a member of the approve identical legislaHouse Judiciary Comtion in two consecutive mittee, I am pleased this sessions, before it’s preimportant legislation was sented to voters on the voted out today and is ballot. now on its way to the full Pennsylvania’s SuHouse for consideration,” preme Court justices said Rep. Frank Ryan, are elected to 10-year R-Lebanon, the bill’s terms with a statewide sponsor. “yes” or “no” vote for The bill and amendretention every decade. ment were approved by The seven-member high
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court is composed of five Democrats and two Republicans. Justice Thomas Saylor, a Republican, handed over his chief justice roles earlier this year to Justice Max Baer as he approached the 75-years-old age limit to serve on the court and his term ends Dec. 31. Baer, a Democrat, will be 75 in December 2022. Democrat Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht are serving terms that run to January 2026. Democrat Justice Debra Todd’s term runs until December 2027, while Republican Justice Sallie Updyke Mundy’s term ends in January 2028. Under current law, Mundy, Wecht, Dougherty, remain eligible for retention until 2037, while Debra Todd could serve until 2032 and Donohue until 2027, when they would reach the age of 75.
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Ryan argues “no jurist should be able to hold office indefinitely and 20 years is long enough.” “This amendment would put more power in the hands of the citizens of this Commonwealth by enabling voters to decide whether or not to limit the terms of our judges and justices,” he said in a statement.
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