Saturday, July 07, 2007

weekly legislative update

The legislature met today and is scheduled to meet tomorrow (a rare Sunday session). If anything is passed or if the caucuses provide a weekly update I will post that information later.

Here's what we have for Monday - Friday (Wed was a holiday)

This is a list of bills that passed the Pennsylvania House or Senate this week, and mention of any noteworthy resolutions. Standard caveats apply (resolutions not generally included, list of sponsors deleted if it was too long - three lines in the originally formatting).

Our accountant friends at PICPA have provided their usual informative weekly update.

Other updates this week:

PA GOP Senate (session notes, none for this week yet)
PA Democratic Senate (session notes, none for this week yet)
PA GOP House (daily session updates)
PA Democratic House


Resolutions

Resolution No. 94 By Representatives WATERS, BISHOP, BLACKWELL, FREEMAN, GIBBONS, HERSHEY, JAMES, KIRKLAND, MELIO, MYERS, PALLONE, READSHAW, STABACK, STERN, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD, SIPTROTH and CALTAGIRONE. Prior Printer's No. 573.Printer's No. 2100. A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task force to investigate the effects of violent interactive video games in context with all other media forms children are exposed to in this Commonwealth.

HR 366 Printer's No. 2194. A Resolution honoring Lewis Hamilton for winning the Canadian Grand Prix on June 10, 2007, and for becoming the first black driver to earn a victory in Formula One racing history.

HR 343 Printer's No. 2025. A Resolution discouraging the use of the "N" word.


Bills (none passed the Senate this week)

HOUSE

HB 489 Prior Printer's No. 545.Printer's No. 1992. An Act amending the act of December 4, 1996 (P.L.893, No.141), entitled "An act providing for volunteer health services; limiting liability of a volunteer license holder; and requiring reports," further providing for license renewal, continuing education requirements and disciplinary and corrective measures.

HB 1140

HB 1487 Prior Printer's No. 1852.Printer's No. 2189. An Act imposing limitations on the use of property in Horsham Township, Montgomery County, known as the Willow Grove Joint Interagency Installation in the event the Commonwealth acquires the property.

HB 1624 An Act designating a bridge crossing the Catawissa Creek in Catawissa Borough, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, as the William F. Gittler, Sr. Memorial Bridge.

HB 1644 Printer's No. 2119. An Act designating a portion of State Route 22/322 from the Mifflintown exit in Juniata County to the Juniata/Mifflin County line, as the Dr. L.G. Guiser Memorial Highway.

HB 1656 By Representatives MOYER and MENSCH. Printer's No. 2136. An Act authorizing and directing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to grant and convey to Skippack Township certain lands situate in Skippack Township, Montgomery County, in exchange for Skippack Township granting and conveying certain lands to the Commonwealth to be added to those existing lands at Evansburg State Park.

SB 704 Prior Printer's Nos. 776, 802, 1189, 1256.Printer's No. 1272. An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, further providing for State plan for regulating and licensing personal care homes, for Intra-Governmental Council on Long-Term Care and for rules and regulations for personal care homes and assisted living residences.

HB 1230 Prior Printer's Nos. 1515, 2098.Printer's No. 2226. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for publication of delinquent support obligors and for identifying information in protection from abuse orders.

HB 823 Prior Printer's Nos. 940, 2097.Printer's No. 2185. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in child protective services, for definitions, for immunity from liability, for release of information in confidential reports, for studies of data in records, for investigating performance of county agencies, for citizen review panels, for child abuse services and for reporting.

HB 883 Prior Printer's No. 1037.Printer's No. 2184. An Act amending the act of September 9, 1965 (P.L.497, No.251), known as the Newborn Child Testing Act, further providing for newborn child screening and testing; and making editorial changes.

HB 1130 Prior Printer's Nos. 1381, 2132.Printer's No. 2186. An Act amending the act of April 21, 1949 (P.L.665, No.155), known as the First Class City Home Rule Act, providing for campaign report format.

SB 34 By Senators C. WILLIAMS, COSTA, MUSTO, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, FOLMER, WOZNIAK, WASHINGTON and MELLOW. Prior Printer's Nos. 67, 893, 1045, 1252.Printer's No. 1045. An Act permitting a mother the freedom to nurse her child in public; and providing that breastfeeding may not be considered a nuisance, indecent exposure, sexual conduct or obscenity.

HB 27 Prior Printer's No. 52.Printer's No. 2183. An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for witness relocation.

HB 221

HB 1589 By Representative D. EVANS. Prior Printer's Nos. 1970, 2107, 2151.Printer's No. 2181. An Act providing for the capital budget for the fiscal year 2007-2008; itemizing public improvement projects, furniture and equipment projects, transportation assistance projects, redevelopment assistance capital projects, flood control projects, Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund projects, Environmental Stewardship Fund projects, Motor License Fund projects, State forestry bridge projects, Manufacturing Fund projects and federally funded projects to be constructed or acquired or assisted by the Department of General Services, the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation, together with their estimated financial costs; authorizing the incurring of debt without the approval of the electors for the purpose of financing the projects to be constructed, acquired or assisted by the Department of General Services, the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Protection or the Department of Transportation; stating the estimated useful life of the projects; providing an exemption; providing for limitation on certain capital projects, for special provisions for certain redevelopment assistance capital projects and for preemption of local ordinances for Department of Corrections projects; and making appropriations.

SB 72 SB 72 By Senators GREENLEAF, DINNIMAN, TOMLINSON, ERICKSON, COSTA, RAFFERTY, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, ORIE, EARLL, VANCE, O'PAKE, WOZNIAK, BROWNE, BAKER, PILEGGI and STACK. Prior Printer's No. 102.Printer's No. 426. An Act amending the act of December 4, 1996 (P.L.893, No.141), known as the Volunteer Health Services Act, further providing for license renewal, continuing education requirements and disciplinary and corrective measures.

SB 116 By Senators COSTA, GREENLEAF, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, ORIE, KITCHEN, STOUT, EARLL, MUSTO, O'PAKE, C. WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON, WOZNIAK, LAVALLE, BROWNE, MELLOW, FERLO and LOGAN. Prior Printer's Nos. 93, 1038, 1248.Printer's No. 1271. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the adoption of guidelines for fines; further providing for exemptions from jury duty and for selection of prospective jurors; providing for statewide jury information system; and further providing for no limitation applicable.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's an interesting one in there, HB 1130. Keystone Politics picked up on it here, and the Inqy had a piece on it as well.

Seems some small campaigns' treasurers complained about the new reporting requirements that Philly's ethics reform proponents pushed through. They told their reps that the requirements were too onerous, since they'd have to use a computer. The city offered training, and even made pc's available at city hall for this reporting use.
I really don't like the idea of Harrisburg overturning a Philadelphia attempt at genuine reform. I'll be talking to my state senator in hopes of putting the brakes on this thing there.

AboveAvgJane said...

Austin,

There were a few interesting bills tucked in the list this week. HB 1130 was certainly one of them. Young Philly Politics had an interesting post on the topic today also. Thanks for pointing it out.