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Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF |
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The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 776, which would require for the Department of State to be notified of the death of residents for the purpose of updating voter registration records. Under this legislation, the Department of Health would be required to notify the Department of State each month with the names of residents, over the age of eighteen, who died. The information would include the name, gender, last address, date of birth, date of death, the county of death, the state file number and last four digits of the decedent’s social security number. The Department of State would enter this information into the State Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) System for use by county boards of election. The bill now goes to the House.
* * * The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 1122, which would ban the Governor from furloughing Commonwealth employees during a budget impasse. Under the bill, if a budget were not enacted before the end of the fiscal year, all employees would be considered critical and essential and could not be furloughed. Employees cannot be furloughed due to a categorization not expressly defined in law. The bill is now in the House State Government Committee.
* * * The Senate voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 1019, which would address the issue of sales activities by out of state recreational vehicle dealers. Under this legislation, out-of-state RV dealers would be disciplined for violating Pennsylvania law regarding selling, titling, registering, or financing of RV’s, or for failure to obey the laws of the RV dealers resident state. A person acting as an RV dealer would have to post a $30,000 bond with the State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations. RV dealers who already have a bond in that amount with the Department of Transportation would not have to post the additional bond. The bill would require out of state dealers to register with the board, provide a list of their salespeople, and post the appropriate bond and fee prior to participating in a Pennsylvania show. The legislation also states that RV shows, off-premise sales, exhibitions and rallies may be open and complete final sales on Sundays. The bill will now go to the House.
* * * The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 987. This bill would require third class cities to provide fire and emergency medical service within their borders, to consult with fire and emergency providers to discuss the emergency services needs of the city, and require that agencies receiving city funds must make itemized reports on the expenditure of these funds before the city can consider budgeting additional money to the organization. The bill is now in the House.
* * * The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1131, which would require that a second-class township be responsible for ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are provided within the township. According to the legislation, the township must consult with the fire and emergency providers to discuss the emergency services needs of the city. The township must also determine and provide appropriate financial and administrative assistance necessary for these services. The bill now goes to the governor.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1133, which would require that a borough be responsible for ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are provided within the borough. According to the legislation, the borough must consult with the fire and emergency providers to discuss the emergency services needs of the city. The borough must also determine and provide appropriate financial and administrative assistance necessary for these services. The bill now goes to the governor.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1134, which would require that a first-class township be responsible for ensuring that fire and emergency medical services are provided within the township. According to the legislation, the township must consult with the fire and emergency providers to discuss the emergency services needs of the city. The township must also determine and provide appropriate financial and administrative assistance necessary for these services. The bill now goes to the governor.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 295, which would create the Diesel-Powered Commercial Vehicle Idling Act. The bill would give the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection the ability to set regulations regarding the idling of diesel-powered commercial vehicles. Currently, regulations only exist in local ordinances. Idling of a commercial diesel powered vehicle would be limited to 5 minutes in 60 minutes unless idling is due to traffic congestion; the operation of basic equipment due to an unsafe situation or to prevent a health emergency; maintenance or inspection work; during the loading or unloading of an armored vehicle; if proof is submitted of a mechanical problem; when there is no alternative power source, the outside temperature is less than 40 degrees or more than 75 degrees, the vehicle has a sleeper-berth compartment, and the driver is complying with rest and/or sleep periods; or the diesel powered motor is 2007 or newer and has a California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification. Passenger vehicles would be allowed to idle for 15 minutes in 60 minutes for passenger comfort. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 1201, which would require that information be provided for any flight undertaken by the commonwealth’s aircraft and that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation maintain this information on its Web site. The log on the Web site is to be updated at least monthly and must include flight date and identification number; the name of the agency requesting the flight and the aircraft used; originating city and all destination cities; departure and arrival times; all passengers (including first and last names and titles); the public purpose of the trip; the total number of hours; and the invoice amount. Currently, there is no law on the issue of maintaining logs for Commonwealth official aircraft and flights. This legislation is intended to reflect the recommendations of the Auditor General’s report in September 2007, which indicated that greater scrutiny should be applied to the use of the Commonwealth’s aircraft. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
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