Community and Economic Development Committee 07/15/07

The Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee met on Sunday, July 15, 2007, and reported out the following bill as amended:

House Bill 1631 (D. Evans) – This bill, the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund Capital Budget Itemization Act of 2007, would authorize projects to be funded from a 5 percent tax on casinos’ gross terminal revenues.

Sen. Earll offered amendment A3125, which was a comprehensive rewrite of the bill, stripping out all projects outside of the original intent of Act 71, but including funding for the Pittsburgh Penguins arena project and a cargo airport to be located in Luzerne County. The Earll amendment also included conditions for funding the airport project.

Sen. Musto offered amendment A3127 (an amendment to the Earll amendment), which removed funding for the cargo airport project.

Community and Economic Development Committee 07/11/07

The Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee met on Tuesday, July 10, 2007, and reported out the following bill as committed:

Community and Economic Development Committee 03/13/07

The Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee met on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, and unanimously reported out the re-nomination of Dennis Yablonsky as Secretary of Community & Economic Development.

Community and Economic Development Committee 06/26/06

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Monday, June 26, 2006, and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 1232 (Piccola) – This bill, known as the Historic Preservation Incentive Grant Act, would create a program within the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide grants to historic building owners to undertake certain improvements.

Senate Bill 1242 (Ferlo) – This Democratic-sponsored legislation would amend the Port of Pittsburgh Commission Act to include Blair County as a member of the port district.

Community and Economic Development Committee 04/25/06

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, April 25, 2006, and reported out the following bill as committed:

House Bill 1992 (Herman) - This bill would amend the Local Government Capital Project Loan Fund Act to increase the maximum amounts of loans under the program.  According to Sen. Punt, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors supports this legislation.

Community and Economic Development Committee 03/13/06

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Monday, March 13, 2006, reported out the following bill unanimously as amended:

House Bill 983 (T. Stevenson) – This bill would have created a film production tax grant program (replacing the existing tax credit program). Sen. Armstrong offered amendment A6359, which gutted the bill and replaced it with language to amend the Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program (IFIP), which provides grants for the debt service of convention centers, hospitals, hotels, manufacturers, industrial enterprises, retail enterprises, and research and development enterprises.   The amount of grant funding is calculated on the basis of the anticipated amount of state sales tax, hotel occupancy tax, and employer withholding of personal income tax to be generated by a project.  The amendment would allow applicants to defer the commencement of such grants until construction has been completed and the facility has begun operating.  Also, the Armstrong amendment would make changes with regard to grants in their fifth year.  Lastly, the amendment would allow municipalities to abate local taxes owed without interfering with an applicant’s eligibility for an IFIP grant.  The Department of Community and Economic Development supports the amendment.  A vote of 10-1 was recorded on the amendment.

Community and Economic Development Committee 02/14/06

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, February 14, 2006, and reported out the following bills unanimously as committed:

Senate Bill 659 (Orie) – This bill would provide for grants to performing arts organizations to assist with operating and administrative costs, as well as facility construction and improvements.  These grants would be funded through state tax credits.

Senate Bill 816 (Orie) – This bill would amend the definition of “commercial lending institution” under Title 64 (Public Authorities and Quasi-Public Corporations) so that a farm credit system institution would not be required to offer deposit services. 

A vote of 10-1 was recorded on the following bill, and the bill was reported out as amended:

Senate Bill 1063 (Pileggi) – This bill would appropriate $625,000 for the creation of additional Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).  Sen. Don White offered an amendment that would ensure existing SBDCs are held harmless.  Sen. Wozniak expressed concerns with several of the criteria for selecting locations for new SBDCs and the fiscal responsibility of the proposal.  Sen. Ferlo asked that the State Director look at the scope of services offered by SBDCs and examine their performance, in addition to the need-assessment study called for in the bill.

Community and Economic Development Committee 10/24/05

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Monday, October 24, 2005, and reported out the following bill as committed:

Senate Bill 261 (Robbins) – This bill would create the position of Deputy Secretary for Local Government Services within the Department of Community and Economic Development.  A vote of 9-1 was recorded.

The following bills were reported out unanimously as committed:

House Bill 218 (Reed) – This bill would encourage state agencies to locate facilities in downtown areas in the Commonwealth. 

House Bill 1361 (Hasay) – This bill would extend the sunset provision of the Community Services Block Grant Act until December 2011.

The following bill was tabled:

Senate Bill 659 (Orie) – This bill would create a program within the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide grants to performing arts organizations.

Community and Economic Development Committee 6/28/05

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Resolution 142 (Greenleaf)   This resolution would urge the state to establish relations with the Ukraine in the areas of arts and culture, economic development, and travel and tourism.  Ukraine was the site for last year’s “Orange Revolution,” where protesters filled the streets of Kiev in response to presidential election results that suggested corruption.  The Orange Revolution reached a successful and peaceful conclusion when Viktor Yushchenko, a pro-Western reformer, became Ukraine’s president in January 2005.  Ukraine had a gross domestic product of $65 billion in 2004 and was long known as Europe’s breadbasket.  Pennsylvania has the second largest number of Americans of Ukrainian descent, with a population of 122,150.

House Bill 157 (Godshall)   This bill would clarify the appropriate uses of the hotel tax and hotel room rental tax in third- through eighth-class counties.  The bill would also require tourist promotion agencies to provide an audited report of income and expenditures to county commissioners.  Lastly, the bill would define a “permanent resident” as an individual occupying a room for 30 consecutive days (currently, 60 days).

Community and Economic Development Committee 3/15/05

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee met on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 and reported out the following bill:

As Committed (unanimously):

Community and Economic Development Committee 3/22/04

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Monday, March 22, 2004 and unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

Senate Bill 1026 (LaValle)   This bill creates and codifies the Pennsylvania Economic Development Authority within Title 64 (Public Authorities and Quasi-Public Corporations), and authorize it to provide funding for a newly established First Industries Program.

Amendment A0680 (Punt)   This amendment removes Section 5 of Act 12 of 2004 (providing for Keystone Innovation Zones) and places the provision into this bill. The section pertains to funds appropriated to DCED for the Base Retention and Conversion Pennsylvania Action Committee (BRAC-PAC) activities.  

Community and Economic Development Committee 10/15/03

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Wednesday, October 15, 2003 and unanimously voted to table the following bill:

House Bill 525 (Bishop)   This bill establishes the Abandoned Business Facilities Act.

Community and Economic Development Committee 5/6/03

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on May 6, 2003 and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 10 (Brightbill)   This bill provides for an economic enhancement program in the Dept. of Community and Economic Development and establishes the Economic Enhancement Fund.

Senate Bill 230 (Robbins)   This bill provides for a Deputy Secretary for Local Government Services in the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Senate Bill 553 (Kukovich)   This bill provides for a program to promote economic development in downtown areas and also establishes the Discover Pennsylvania's Downtowns program.

Senate Resolution 49 (Dent)   This resolution recognizes and celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners program and its continued growth and success in and for the State of Pennsylvania.

 

Community and Economic Development Committee 2/25/03

The Community and Economic Development Committee met today to consider the nomination of Dennis Yablonsky as Secretary of DCED.  The nominee was unanimously voted out committee with a favorable report.  

Community and Economic Development Committee 11/13/02

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met today November 13, 2002) and reported out the following bills:

HB 2729 (Rep. Godshall)   This bill would establish the PA Travel and Tourism Partnership within the Dept. of Community and Economic Development.  The bill was amended allowing for forfeiture of board membership under certain circumstances.  The bill and amendment were reported out unanimously.

SB 1567 (Sen. Punt)   This bill amends the Job Enhancement Act by repealing certain provisions that are in other statutes, thus streamlining the act.  The bill was reported out unanimously.

Community and Economic Development Committee 10/1/02

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, October 1, 2002, and reported out the following bills:

As Committed (unanimously)

Senate Bill 698(PN 758)(Robbins)   The bill amends the act creating the Department of Community and Economic Development by providing for a Deputy Secretary for Local Government Services.

As as Amended

House Bill 2378(PN4184)(Wright)   The bill amends the Optional County Affordable Housing Funds Act to expand authorization for certain counties to increase the recording fees of deeds and mortgages for the purpose of supporting local affordable housing efforts to include economic development initiatives. The name of the act is changed to the Economic Development Act.  A4533 was passed (8-3) to make the legislation applicable to counties beyond Second Class A.

Community and Economic Development Committee 4/15/02 

The Senate Community and Economic Development Committee met on April 15, 2002 and took the following action:

HB 1935 (Rep. Lewis)   This bill establishes a program to enhance the desirability and visibility of established commercial downtown districts through a comprehensive plan. The Dept. of Community and Economic Development (DCED) will administer the program.