SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR THE WEEK OF
May 21, 2007

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            The Senate this week passed legislation that that would enable the state Insurance Department to review the planned merger of the state’s two largest health insurers, Independence Blue Cross and Highmark.

            House Bill 112 would also rename and rework the Insurance Restructuring Board. It would transform the board from a regulatory board with veto powers to an advisory board with the authority to review, make recommendations, and have input into the merger and consolidation of health plan corporations or professional health services plan corporations.

            Despite the Democratic leadership’s request to delay a vote on this complex bill for one session day, Senate Republicans refused to delay floor action. Then, the Senate passed the bill 30 to 18.

            The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

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            The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 729, which would require the state Treasurer to post the salaries of all state employees on the Internet and to update the information each month. 

            Salaries would be published on a publicly accessible Web site.  The name, title, employing jurisdiction, annual salary and any supplemental payments of state employees for the executive, legislative or judicial branch would be listed.  Supplemental payments would not include payments made to employees for business expenditures, unused vacation or sick leave.

            The bill also states that this information could not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever.

           Citing security and identity theft concerns, a Senate Democrat introduced an amendment that would have provided all of the information except for the employee’s name. The same amendment would have also required the posting of salaries of employees of local governments and state-related institutions (such as the Pennsylvania State University) and state-affiliated entities (like the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission). The amendment was voted down.

            The bill now goes to the House.

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            The Senate passed Senate Bill 34 by a 48-1 vote.  The bill would permit a mother the freedom to nurse her child in public.

            Currently, public breastfeeding of children could be prohibited by local ordinance.  This legislation would allow a mother to breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where she and her child are otherwise authorized to be present.

            The bill is now in the House Children and Youth Committee.

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            The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 782, which would amend the “Radiation Protection Act” to increase the fees paid by nuclear power facilities for plant safety, monitoring, and emergency planning.

            The additional fees charged under this bill are projected to raise an additional $2.64 million in 2007-08.  The annual revenue would be $1.64 million since $1 million is from one-time fees.  The current fees have been in place since 1984.

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