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Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF |
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Trying to move the budget process forward, the Senate voted 49 to 1 in favor of House Bill 1286. The budget “vehicle” would establish a 2007-08 fiscal year budget of $30.3 billion. The measure would hold the line on taxes and is $260 million less than what the Governor proposed in February. Both Democratic and Republican leaders described the measure as a good starting point toward finalizing a new state budget by the June 30 deadline. The bill now returns to the House.
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By a 42 to 7 vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 846, which provides $211.5 million in supplemental spending for fiscal 2006-07. The bill now goes to the House.
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The Senate approved the following non-preferred appropriations bills totaling $785.2 million for fiscal 2007-08 (percentage change in parenthesis). All of the bills are now in the House:
The vote on the following bills was 48-2 Senate Bill 929 – Penn State University -- $338.8 million (1.5 percent) Senate Bill 930 – University of Pittsburgh – $167.8 million (1.9) Senate Bill 931 – Temple University -- $172.9 million (1.9) Senate Bill 932 – Lincoln University --$13.7 million (2) Senate Bill 933 – Drexel University -- $7 million (0.5) Senate Bill 934 -- University of Pennsylvania and Museum $49.6 million (0.4) Senate Bill 935 -- Philadelphia Health & Education Corp.$12.6 million (0.4) Senate Bill 936 -- Thomas Jefferson University and Tay-Sachs ($9.8 million (0.1 less) Senate Bill 937 -- Philadelphia College of Osteopathy $6.5 million (0.5) Senate Bill 943 -- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine $1.8 million (0.4) Senate Bill 938 – Philadelphia College of Optometry -- $1.693 million (0.4) Senate Bill 939 -- Pennsylvania University of the Arts -- $1.2 million (0.5) Senate Bill 944 -- Fox Chase Institute for Cancer Research -- $776,000 (0) Senate Bill 945 -- Wistar Institute AIDS and Research -- $306,000 (0) Senate Bill 946 -- Central Penn Oncology Group -- $130,000 (0) Senate Bill 947 -- Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic -- $59,000 (0) Senate Bill 948 -- Burn Foundation of Greater Delaware Valley -- $418,00 (0) Senate Bill 950 -- Children's Institute of Pittsburgh -- $970,000 (0) Senate Bill 951 -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) -- $451,000 (0) Senate Bill 952 -- Beacon Lodge Blind Services -- $105,000 (0)
The vote on the following bills was 46-4 Senate Bill 940 -- Berean Training School -- $1.5 million (0.4) Senate Bill 941 -- Johnson Technical School -- $194,000 (0.5) Senate Bill 942 -- Williamson Free School -- $71,000 (0)
The vote on the following bills was 39-11 Senate Bill 953 -- Carnegie Museums -- $462,000 (9 less) Senate Bill 954 -- Franklin Institute -- $699,000 (9 less) Senate Bill 955 -- Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences -- $428,000 (9 less)
The vote on the following bills was 38-12 Senate Bill 956 -- African--American Museum -- $326,000 (9 less) Senate Bill 957 -- Everhart Museum -- $42,000 (8 less) Senate Bill 958 -- Mercer Museum -- $178,000 (9 less) Senate Bill 959 -- Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts -- $128,000 (9 less)
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The Senate unanimously passed legislation that would require the state to establish procurement goals for veteran-owned businesses. Under Senate Bill 87, the Department of General Services and other state purchasing agencies would be required to establish a policy and publicize regulations regarding veteran-owned businesses. The state’s various purchasing agencies would be required to set an annual goal of issuing at least 5 percent of their contracts (by total dollar amount) to veteran-owned businesses. The bill now moves to the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee for consideration.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 612 by a 46-3 vote. This bill would raise the minimum continuing education requirement from 10 hours per licensure period to 24 hours per license period, bringing our continuing education requirement more in alignment with the standards found in surrounding states. The bill would also delete a grandfather clause that permits certain individuals to be registered and licensed to practice without a written examination. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 399. This bill would add additional block grant options to the list of approved programs that school districts can use funds from the Accountability Block Grant Program on. The programs funded by the grant program are aimed at assisting students in meeting state academic performance targets. The bill is now in the House.
* * * The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 726. This bill would make a change to the residential construction exclusion by prohibiting a lien in excess of the unpaid balance of the contract price, and requiring that a lien be subordinate to certain mortgages. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 810, which would allow land in Pittston, Luzerne County, to be transferred to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittston. The land to be sold would include .51 acres and a one-story office building. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 752, which would change the Regulatory Review Act by requiring ‘acceptable data’ to be included with proposed regulations. ‘Acceptable data’ would be defined as “Empirical, replicable and testable data as evidenced in supporting documentation, statistics, reports, studies or research.” This legislation would also require a detailed explanation of the data, which would include how the data was obtained and why the data is acceptable. The bill is now in the House.
* * * The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 648, which would allow land in Ligonier Borough, Westmoreland County and Connellsville, Fayette County to be transferred. The Ligonier Armory would be sold by either public auction or an invitation for sealed bids. The proceeds would be deposited in the State Treasury Armory Fund. Also, the National Guard Armory would be sold to Connellsville for $50,000. The bill is now in the House.
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The Senate passed Senate Bill 737 by a 49-0 vote. The bill would change the repeal of the expiration date that permits certain underage individuals to assist in compliance checks done by the State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. The legislation would change the repeal of the expiration date into a ten-year extension running from 1/1/2008 – 12/31/2017. The bill is now in the House.
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