PRINTER'S NO. 2978
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
401
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY WARNER, ECKER, MARCELL, KUTZ, ROWE, BERNSTINE,
STRUZZI, MOUL, MAJOR, KEEFER, KAUFFMAN, JAMES AND JOZWIAK,
APRIL 24, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 24, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Urging the House of Representatives to restrict the times of day
in which legislative votes may be cast and prohibit secret
votes creating a more efficient and effective government
through greater transparency and accountability.
WHEREAS, Government transparency is essential for ensuring
accountability, trust and participation of the public in
democratic processes; and
WHEREAS, Government transparency can enhance the quality and
effectiveness of public policies and services, as well as
prevent and combat corruption and abuse of power; and
WHEREAS, Government transparency can foster civic engagement,
innovation and social inclusion by enabling citizens to access
and use public information for various purposes; and
WHEREAS, The House Appropriations Committee violated the
principles of transparency and accountability when it passed a
last-minute amendment to Senate Bill 224, a bill that would
significantly alter the Pennsylvania Election Code, without
proper public input or debate on October 4, 2023, at 11:00 p.m.;
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and
WHEREAS, The amendment was introduced and voted on by the
House Appropriations Committee without giving representatives
sufficient time to review the amendment's content, consult with
relevant stakeholder groups and communicate with constituents
about the significant policy changes affecting elections and
voting; and
WHEREAS, The House Appropriations Committee meeting was
scheduled in a way that made it difficult for the people of our
Commonwealth to partake in the democratic process and learn
about the public policy issues being discussed in the
legislature; and
WHEREAS, The late-night timing of the House Appropriations
Committee meeting largely prevented Pennsylvanians from
participating in the legislative process and contacting their
elected representatives regarding their views and concerns on
legislation; and
WHEREAS, The House Appropriations Committee's recent actions
have drawn comparisons to the 2005 controversy surrounding the
2:00 a.m. pay raise vote; and
WHEREAS, This midnight madness is a disservice to the House
of Representatives and the people of Pennsylvania that it
represents; and
WHEREAS, These actions undermine the transparency and
accountability of the legislative process and may lead to hasty
or ill-informed decisions; and
WHEREAS, The quote "democracy dies in darkness" is often
attributed to renowned reporter Bob Woodward, who exposed the
Watergate scandal, and the quote implies that a democratic
system of government depends on the availability and
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accessibility of information to the public and that without
transparency and accountability, corruption and abuse of power
can flourish; and
WHEREAS, Public policy is best considered during the day, on
the House floor, with all representatives present, with the
public reasonably able to observe and access information that
affects their lives and well-being; and
WHEREAS, House Rule 15, which aims to ensure transparency,
requires that no roll call votes be taken after 11:00 p.m.
unless exigent circumstances exist, as determined by an
affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members to agree to
extend the session; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Sunshine Act requires agencies to
deliberate and take official action on agency business in an
open and public meeting, and the act requires that meetings have
prior notice and that the public can attend, participate and
comment before an agency takes that official action; therefore
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge this chamber
to restrict the times of day in which legislative votes may be
cast and prohibit secret votes, creating a more efficient and
effective government through greater transparency and
accountability; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives conduct business
during practical hours of the day and in a way that allows the
residents of the Commonwealth to observe and follow the
proceedings; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives aim to work in a
bipartisan, cooperative way to give members enough notice of
meeting announcement, agenda content and amendments; and be it
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further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives function in a way
that is similar to other Commonwealth agencies and in line with
the spirit of Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives consider revising
its operating rules to prohibit committee votes after 11:00
p.m., just as is the case for the full House of Representatives;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby declare
its commitment to transparency in all aspects of government
operations and decision-making processes and strive to provide
timely and accurate information to the public.
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