Commonwealth v. Thomas

Citations

• 248 Pa. 256
• 93 A. 1019
• 1915 Pa. LEXIS 557

Syllabus

<p>Constitutional law — Statutes—Defective title — Act of May 21, 1918, P. L. 279 — Constitution of Pennsylvania, Article 8, Section 8.</p> <p>1. While the title to an act of assembly is not required to he a complete index to its contents and the title to an amending or supplemental act sufficiently complies with the requirements of Section 3, Article 3, of the Constitution, if it declares itself to he an amendment or supplement, and its provisions are germane to the subject of the original act, the title must not only embrace the subject of the proposed legislation but also express the same so clearly and fully as to give notice of the legislative purpose to those who may be specially interested therein.</p> <p>2. The Act of May 21, 1913, P. L. 279, amending the Act of April 27, 1909, P. L. 262, which provides for the regulation and management of county prisons in counties having a population in excess of 150,000 and less than 250,000, is violative of Article 3, Section 3, of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and is void, in so far as it creates a new class of counties having a population in excess of 150,000 and not exceeding 325,000, by reason of its title failing to disclose the intention of the legislature to create a new class of counties for any purpose. In so far as the Act of 1913 amends the provisions of the Act of 1909, regulating the management of jails or prisons in the class of counties specified in the Act of 1909, it is not open to the objection that its title is defective.</p>