SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR THE WEEK OF
June 2, 2003

            The Senate this week unanimously approved Senate Bill 133, which would toughen penalties against habitual drunk drivers.

            Under the measure, the time basis for classifying motorists as “habitual offenders” would be extended from five to seven years. A driver would face license revocation for 10 years if they accumulate three DUI (driving under the influence) convictions in a seven-year period; or if they have three DUI convictions and one of those offenses is for homicide or aggravated assault while drunk driving.

            The bill would also increase the DUI penalty from a first degree misdemeanor to a third degree felony if the offender has more than three drunk driving convictions during the last seven-years; or if the offender was previously convicted of a homicide or aggravated assault while driving drunk during the last seven years.

            The legislation would also authorize courts to require installation of ignition interlock devices on all vehicles owned by a convicted drunk driver; and would mandate the devices for offenders with two or more DUI convictions.

            The bill now goes to the House.

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By a 42-7 vote, the Senate passed Senate Bill 596, the so-called Character Education bill that would help school districts across the state develop programs to reduce truancy, violence and delinquency by teaching children not just to be better students, but better citizens as well.

The bill would establish a grant program in the Department of Education to help districts implement character education programs.

The measure now goes to the House.

In other action:

The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 498, which would create a framework for parent involvement in Pennsylvania schools. The federal “No Child Left Behind Act” requires schools and school districts to adopt parent involvement policies to integrate certain parental involvement strategies and resources in school activities.

The bill now goes to the House.

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Senate Bill 503 would direct intermediate units to provide support and coordinate academic improvement programs for certain school districts.

The bill passed unanimously and was sent to the House.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 230, which would create the Deputy Secretary for Local Government Services within the Department of Community and Economic Development.

The new office would be responsible for the administration of the Center for Local Government Services as well as other functions and duties authorized by the governor.

The measure now goes to the House.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 673, which would extend the benefits of the Agriculture Loan Forgiveness Act to teachers of agriculture education.  Currently, the program forgives loans up to $2,000 a year, with a maximum of $10,000, for agriculture and veterinary medicine graduates who return to the farm or practice large-animal veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania.

The bill has been sent to the House.

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