Court Opinion

ID: 9752193
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 17:43:02.02671+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:27:09.170440
License: Public Domain

Concurring Opinion by
Mr. Chief Justice Bell:
I concur in the result solely because I consider this case unique. Legislators and draftsmen of Legislative Acts should realize that the Constitution of Pennsylvania vests all power to pass laws in the General Assembly (Article II, §1). The Legislature cannot abdicate or delegate this power because it is vested exclusively in the Legislature: Holgate Bros. Co. v. Bashore, 331 Pa. 255, 260, 200 A. 2d 672. See: Bell Telephone Co. of Pa. v. Driscoll, 343 Pa. 109, 113-114, 21 A. 2d 912.
Our prior decisions have gone the limit, indeed, I believe a number have gone beyond the limit, of recog*547nizing very general and sometimes vague language to be sufficient standards under Article II, §1.
As the majority Opinion recognizes, the Legislature may establish primary standards and impose upon others the duty to carry out the declared legislative policy in accordance with the general provisions of the Act and with the legislatively created standards. Legislation must contain adequate standards which will guide and restrain the exercise of the delegated administrative functions.
I hope this warning will be sufficient to awaken legislative draftsmen to the necessity of complying with the Constitution instead of relying solely on the worthiness of legislative objectives.