04/01/97 League Women Voters Pennsylvania V‪.‬

The present case concerns the validity of the General Appropriations Act of 1996 (Act 1A) in light of actions taken in the General Assembly during the passage of Senate Bill No. 1583, which ultimately became Act 1A. On July 24, 1996, the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, Citizen Action/Pennsylvania Chapter and Consumers Education and Protective Association (collectively, petitioners) filed a four-count petition for review in the nature of a bill in equity (petition for review)  addressed to this court's original jurisdiction. Preliminary objections to the petition for review were filed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Governor Thomas J. Ridge and Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll (collectively, respondents). Preliminary objections to the petition for review were also filed by Senators F. Joseph Loeper, Richard A. Tilghman and Vincent J. Fumo (collectively, Loeper intervenors). *fn1