|
Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF |
|
The Senate this week voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 862. This Act would set more rules for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The main changes to the Act would be forbidding public officials from having any financial interest in gaming, imposing a strict new code of conduct for gaming officials, eliminating suppliers and giving the state Attorneys General more power to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing. Also, instead of Monroe County and its bordering counties sharing 2 percent of the slots money, Monroe County would get 1 percent and the other counties would split the other 1 percent, if one of the county’s applicants for a gaming license is approved A clerical error in the amendment process resulted in the bill returning to the Senate for a rare Friday session for final concurrence in House amendments. The bill will now go to the Governor.
* * *
The Senate voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 700, which would set ethical new standards for lobbyists. Any gift of $250 or more would have to be reported. Meals, lodging, transportation, recreation and entertainment adding up to more than $650 in a year would also have to be reported. Every two years lobbyists would have to pay a $100 registration fee. Lobbyists would not be allowed to be involved in any political candidates committee or try to influence political action. Lobbyists would not be allowed to represent two groups with difference interests at the same time unless each group says this is okay. Lobbyists who disobey the law could face fines of up to $2,000 and possibly a five-year ban. Groups who intentionally violate the law could be fined up to $25,000, and certain violations could be charged as a misdemeanor. A clerical error during the amendment process resulted in a rare Friday session where the Senate concurred in a corrected House version of the legislation. The bill will now go to the Governor.
* * *
The Senate furthered the state’s efforts to provide quality healthcare to the children of Pennsylvania by approving the CHIP(Children’s Health Insurance Program) expansion. House Bill 2699 passed in the Senate with a unanimous vote. The measure would amend the Insurance Company Law by expanding the state’s subsidized children’s health insurance program (CHIP). Except for children two years of age or younger, the bill would require applicants to be uninsured for a period of at least six consecutive months prior to enrollment. The subsidized program is capped at 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Families above 300 percent of the federal poverty level could purchase coverage at the per member per month cost only as a payer of last resort. In addition, the bill would require a study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Medical Assistance Managed Care program. Prior to final passage, Senate Democrats attempted to make CHIP available for even more children, but were turned back in a party line vote. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk.
* * * The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 2447, which would provide the public with greater detail on where sexual offenders reside. Current law authorizes the State Police to list “sexual offenders” in its “Megan’s Law” website by municipality and zip code. The legislation would require that street addresses also be included. The bill would also enable courts to order convicted criminals to pay the costs incurred by a sheriff in transporting them from a county jail to the district justice office, the courthouse, and a state prison. The bill now goes to the Governor.
* * *
Taking a substantial step toward insuring that there is minority representation on juries, the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 668. Under the Democratic-sponsored bill, counties could expand the substance and diversity of their jury pools by contacting the state Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts to access rosters of Pennsylvania residents from the state Revenue and Health and Welfare Department rolls. The bill now goes to the House.
* * *
The Senate passed House Bill 471 with a unanimous vote. The measure would amend the Administrative Code to authorize transfers between appropriations of state funds and spells out how such transfers are to be made with regard to public notice of such transfers. The bill would also extend the time period, until June 30, 2007, for the acceptance and consideration of Merchant Marine World War II Veteran Bonus Act applications by the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to maintain a daily log of all travel on state-owned planes. The bill would establish the Cardiovascular Disease Advisory Committee and a statewide stroke database. The measure is now in the House.
* * *
The Senate passed House Bill 552 with a unanimous vote. The pro-consumer bill would amend the fiscal code to include definitions for general use prepaid cards, gift cards, gift certificates, and qualified gift certificates. The bill would also add unused gift cards alongside gift certificates as being able to be reverted to the state as unclaimed property. In order for a gift card or gift certificate to be reverted, it must have remained unredeemed for two years after its redemption period has expired, or unredeemed for 5 years after the date of issuance if no redemption period is specified. More importantly, this bill would exempt qualified gift certificates from the Commonwealth’s escheats law. A qualified gift certificate is a gift card or gift certificate that does not contain any of the following: 1) an expiration date or period of time after which it expires, 2) any type of post-sale fee (dormancy fee, account maintenance fee, replacement fee, reactivation/activation fee). Essentially, if a gift card or gift certificate doesn’t have an expiration date and a post-sale fee associated with it, the property would never be considered abandoned or unclaimed. If the gift card or gift certificate does have an expiration date or a post-sale fee associated with it, the property would become escheated. The bill now goes to the House.
* * *
The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 2202, which would amend the Public Welfare Code, providing for home infusion therapy to be available to all eligible recipients and adding a definition of “home infusion therapy.” This bill would be amended by explaining the purpose of “home infusion therapy” which is the preparation of parenteral pharmaceuticals provided in a patient’s home or outpatient setting. This therapy also involves clinical pharmacy monitoring as well as clinical nursing for the administration, teaching and oversight of the patient’s prescribed parenteral therapy. The department would ensure that this therapy be a required benefit and available to all eligible recipients. Medical assistance payments would be made on behalf of persons eligible for prescription drug coverage and who have a valid prescription for home infusion therapy. The bill now goes to the House.
* * * The Senate approved a measure that would exempt Pennsylvania National Guardsmen from the state income tax. House Bill 2282 would amend the Tax Reform Code to exempt the PA National Guard on active state duty who are receiving emergency pay from the state income tax. Under current law, state resident military personnel are exempt from the state income tax when they serve on active duty outside of the Commonwealth. This would allow for the same exemption for members of the Pennsylvania National Guard while on active duty. This would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006. “Active state duty” is defined as an activation by the President of the United States or the Governor in response to an emergency situation. The Bill now goes back to the House for concurrence.
* * *
The Senate passed House Bill 2639 with a unanimous vote. The bill would amend the act of September 26, 1951, known as the Clinical Laboratory Act, which regulates licensed clinical laboratories to give further provisions for testing of a patient’s estimated glomerular filtration rate and requirements. Under this legislation, when a Pennsylvania laboratory tests a specimen to determine the serum creatinine level for a patient 18 years of age or older, the director must calculate the patient’s estimated glomerular filtration rate at no additional cost and provide this information with its report to the health care professionals. The Bill now goes back to the House.
* * *
The Senate unanimously approved House bill 2667, which would clarify the power of housing authorities over “mixed-use projects. A mixed-use project could consist of any combination of a commercial, industrial, market-rate residential or retail operation. Under the bill, an authority would have the power to do fund, develop or operate mixed-use projects. The amended bill now returns to the House.
* * *
By a 32-18 vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 1368, which would amend the Capital Facilities Debt Enabling Act to provide for debt limitation on redevelopment assistance capital projects. The bill raises the cap on outstanding obligations for redevelopment assistance capital projects by $250 million from $2.65 billion to $2.9 billion. The bill now goes to the House.
* * *
The Senate approved Senate Bill 854, which would establish a program of strategic development areas. Strategic development areas are intended as state and local tax-free areas to encourage economic development with a defined geographic area. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
* * *
The Senate approved legislation that provides for a central or regional booking fee and for a booking center plan as part of the Judicial Code. Currently, there are several state authorized fees that may be imposed as the result of a criminal conviction. Senate Bill 1140 would establish a central or regional booking fee, following the adoption of a countywide Booking Center Plan. In addition to any other fines, penalties, costs or fees authorized by law, a person may be required by the court to pay a central or regional booking fee of no more than $200. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
* * *
The Senate voted unanimously on legislation amending Title 62 (Procurement) to add a chapter providing for contracting with veteran-owned businesses and to impose certain duties upon the Department of General Services. Senate Bill 1353 defines a “veteran” as an individual who was a member of the armed services of the United States, including, but not limited to, the National Guard, who has received an honorable discharge and resides in Pennsylvania. The measure defines a “veteran-owned business” as a business that is owned or controlled by a majority of persons who are veterans. The bill now moves to the House for consideration
* * *
The Senate approved House Bill 2186 with a vote of 48-2. The measure would amend The Second Class County Code by extending the time that a county controller has to submit its annual financial reports to the Department of Community and Economic Development from May to July. It would also change the month that a county controller has to make a report of the receipts and expenditures as well as a full statement of the financial condition of the county that has been verified by oath or affirmation to the court of common pleas from the first Monday in May to the first Monday in July. The measure now goes back to the House.
* * *
The Senate voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 2090, which would give more authority to the director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Under the bill the Game Commission would also be allowed to have advertisements in any of their publications and media information. The bill will now go to the Governor.
# # #
|