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Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF |
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The Senate this week passed Senate Bill 318 by a vote of 48-1. The bill would require that State Police stations be staffed and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Emergency situations would be an exception. The measure is in response to the department’s plans to implement centralized dispatching strategy and close some of its stations during certain hours. The bill also updates legal language referring to the “State Police.” For example, references to “men” would be changed to “enlisted members.” This bill is now in the House.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 73 by a unanimous vote. This bill would update and consolidate various freestanding statutes concerning prisons and probation and parole under Title 61. Obsolete laws and sections, some dating back nearly two centuries, would be deleted. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 331, which would amend the Crimes Code by adding a section concerning robbery on the premises of a financial institution. Under the bill, a person commits the offense if they take or remove the money of a financial institution without the permission of the financial institution. This could take place by making a demand of an employee of the financial institution orally or in writing. The bill would also define a financial institution as a bank, trust company, savings trust, credit union or similar institution. The bill was sent to the House for concurrence.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 450 by a 47-2 vote. The legislation would create a series of new criminal offenses if the victim is a law enforcement officer engaged in the performance of duty, and the perpetrator knew or should have known that the victim was a law enforcement officer. First-degree murder of a law enforcement officer would be punishable by the death penalty or life in prison; second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer would be punishable by life in prison; and involuntary manslaughter of a law enforcement officer would face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $25,000. The legislation also adds a section to the Crimes Code establishing the offense of “Violence against a law enforcement officer.” An offense under this section is graded as a one grade higher than the underlying offense. If the offense is graded as a first-degree felony, it is subject to a maximum term of forty years in prison and a fine of $50,000. In all cases, the court would be required to impose a consecutive sentence for any other crime occurring in the same criminal episode. The bill is now in the House. * * *
The Senate passed Senate Bill 623 by a unanimous vote. This bill would amend the Crimes Code to clarify the powers of corrections officers. This bill would authorize a corrections officer to use whatever force is necessary to defend himself or someone else from bodily harm while pursuing an escaped convict. Also, the corrections officer would be authorized to use deadly force if they believe such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury. This bill is now in the House.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 635 by a unanimous vote. This bill would amend the Borough Code by removing assessor as an elected office. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 636. This bill would amend the 4th through 8th Class County Assessment Law by eliminating all language referring to local assessors serving boroughs and first class townships. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 709, which would amend the First Class Township Code by removing assessor as an elected office. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 650 by a vote of 49-0. The legislation would amend the Liquor Code by allowing for special occasions permit to be issued to bona fide sportsmen's clubs (in existence for at least 10 years) conducting a national golf championship. The U.S. Open Golf Championship is scheduled for Oakmont Country Club this year. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate voted 48-1 in favor of Senate Bill 580, which would allow dogs to be used for wild turkey hunting. A dog would be allowed to pursue, chase, scatter and track wild turkeys during the fall wild turkey season. The bill will go to the House.
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The Senate voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 85, which would transfer state property to be used for the Scranton Intermodal Transportation Center project. A portion of the parking lot of the Scranton State Office Building would be given to the County of Lackawanna Transportation System (COLTS) in exchange for 4.6 acres of land. The new transportation center would have bus transit, trains, trolleys, and eventually commuter trains to destinations such as New York City and other cities outside Northeastern Pennsylvania. The bill will now go to the Governor.
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The following appropriations bills were all approved :
By a 47 to 2 vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 791, which would appropriate $26.6 million for the general government operations of the State Employee’s Retirement Fund. The bill now goes to the House.
The Senate voted 48 to 1 in favor of Senate Bill 792, which would appropriate $40.8 million for the general government operations of the Public School Employee’s Retirement Fund. The bill now goes to the House.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 793, which would make various appropriations from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and restricted revenue accounts to the professional licensure boards within the Department of State.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 794, which would make a $63.4 million appropriation from the Workmen’s Compensation Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry and provide $174,000 from the Workmen’s Compensation Administration Fund to the Office of Small Business Advocate within the a the Department of Community and Economic Development.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 796, which would make a $5.069 million appropriation from the restricted account in the General Fund for the operation of the Office of Consumer Advocate.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 797, which would appropriate $993,000 through the Department of Community and Economic Development for the Small Business Advocate for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 798, which would provide for the Capital Budget Act of 2007-2008. The bill specifies the maximum principal amount of additional debt that would be incurred during the 2007-08 fiscal year for capital projects itemized in a capital projects itemization bill. The amounts in the bill mirror those that Governor Rendell proposed. Under the measure, there is $1.015 billion authorized for 2005-06, and $752 million requested for fiscal 2006-07. The bill now goes to the House.
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