Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF
June 9, 2003
The Senate this week unanimously approved Senate Bill 95, which would make several changes to the state’s divorce law.
Some of the key provisions in the bill would:
Define
"Separate and apart" for the purposes of commencing the two year
period of separation for a divorce;
Provide
statutory rules on prenuptial agreements;
Remove
automatic bifurcation of divorce and equitable distribution of property
proceedings. Such issues could be considered in the same proceedings unless
parties opt to separate them in bifurcated proceedings;
Disallow one’s death to end divorce/equitable distribution proceedings; and
Make various changes to the Domestic Relations Code on the valuation of marital property and nonmarital property and the tax consequences of equitable distribution and property valuations.
The Joint State Government Commission Advisory Committee on Domestic Relations Law recommended the changes.
The bill now goes to the House.
In
other action:
The Senate unanimously
passed Senate Bill 265, which would create the “Consumers' Continuity of Care
Act.” The act would provide for treatment of psychological problems in health
care facilities by allowing hospitals to grant clinical privileges to licensed
psychologists.
The bill now goes to the
House.
Mandates on libraries tied
to state aid would be loosened under Senate Bill 748, passed by the Senate 42-7.
The bill eliminates certain requirements under the Incentive for
Excellence Aid Program and the Quality Library Aid program.
The measure now goes to the
House.
The Senate unanimously adopted House Bill 235, which would allow Pennsylvanians who are 16 or older to hold falconry permits. The bill would also expand the eligibility requirements for obtaining a disabled-person hunting permit.
The bill now goes to the governor.
The
Senate unanimously adopted House Bill 331, which would enable disabled hunters
to get a temporary or lifetime permit to use a crossbow.
The bill now goes to the governor.
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