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Over the opposition of all Democrats, the Senate this week passed House Bill 2128, which would allow the state to spend money on public school education even if a budget has not been approved.

The measure is intended to assure the status quo despite attempts by Gov. Ed Rendell and Senate Democrats to increase the state’s investment in schools. Under the bill, if a budget is not enacted by the state’s Constitutionally mandated June 30 deadline, school districts would continue to receive state subsidies at the previous fiscal year’s level until a budget is approved.

Rendell has vowed to veto the bill now headed to his desk.

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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1107, which would require that certain school districts revise their professional education plans and requiring the Department of Education to create a clearinghouse of continuing professional education programs.

The bill is an effort to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act. For the same reason, the Senate also unanimously passed Senate Bill 1108 requiring the Department of Education to provide technical assistance to certain schools upon request.  Both bills head to the House.

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By a 49-0 vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1102, legislation that would establish a Water Supply and Wastewater Infrastructure Program to support the construction, expansion and improvement of the state’s wastewater infrastructure as a means of spurring economic growth.

The Program would finance grants and loans to municipalities and municipal authorities, as well as loans to industrial development corporations and investor-owned water and wastewater energy products. Grant and loan funding would come from the $250 million bond issue approved by voters in the April 2004 referendum. 

The bill has been sent to the House.

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In other action:

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1634, which would provide for the Capital Budget Project Itemization Act for fiscal 2003-2004. The amended bill would provide $11.4 billion in project authorizations.  The measure now returns to the House.

The Senate has unanimously approved Senate Bill 668, which would improve the reporting and accuracy of crime statistics in Pennsylvania.

The bill would transfer the legal authority and administrative responsibilities for the state’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to the Pennsylvania State Police. In addition, law enforcement agencies that refuse to provide local crime statistics for the UCR report could lose their share of funds from fines and fees, as well as state and federal grant monies.

Currently only about half of the state’s 1,204 police agencies fully disclose annual crime statistics, which are used to assess and combat crime trends.

            The bill now goes to the House.

The Senate unanimously adopted Senate Bill 659, which would allow unlicensed individuals to accompany a licensed hunter or trapper and assist in hunting and trapping activities.  The bill has been sent to the House.

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1809, which would require the Department of Agriculture to establish a commercial manure hauler and broker certification program that would include training and education requirements.  The bill was returned to the House.

By a unanimous vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 815, which would amend the Insurance Department Act of 1921 as it relates to large deductible insurance policies (above $250,000) and exempts certain collateral from qualifying as an asset of the estate of an insolvent insurer. The bill now goes to the House.

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