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Senate of Pennsylvania
SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR
THE WEEK OF |
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The Senate approved legislation that would transition the former Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base and Air Reserve Station property to the Horsham Joint Interagency Installation. Senate Bill 48 would allow Pennsylvania to acquire all available land, easements, Air Installation Compatible Use Zones and facilities at the Willow Grove site from the federal government for operation as a joint interagency installation that the Pennsylvania National Guard and other Departments of Defense would use. The property would be known as the Horsham Joint Interagency Installation. The property would only be used by governmental agencies, military units and nongovernmental associated users performing national defense. It would not be used for commercial passenger operations, cargo operations, aircraft operations and as a reliever airport, except under extraordinary circumstances. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
Senate Bill 115 was unanimously passed by the Senate. The measure would name a portion of State Route 2019 in Northampton County, the Victor W. Anckaitis Memorial Highway. The Department of Transportation would be responsible to post and maintain signs on both sides of the highway. The measure now goes to the House.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 116, which would establish the “Environmental Funds Reporting and Disclosure Act.” The legislation would require the Department of Environmental Protection to compile a comprehensive report of all special funds and restricted revenue accounts it administers. The report would be submitted to the Appropriations committees and the Environmental Resources and Energy committees in the Senate and House of Representatives and posted on the department’s Web site. The measure now goes to the House.
Senate Bill 117 was approved by the Senate unanimously. The measure would amend the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund Act (Act 50 of 1993) to include additional reporting requirements. Beginning July 1, 2009 and each July 1 thereafter, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and the State System of Higher Education, would each submit an annual report to the governor and the legislature. The annual report would contain information on grants awarded from the fund, a description of projects that received grant funding, and anticipated project completion dates. Each reporting agency and department would be required to publish and maintain the report on its Web site. The bill now goes to the House.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 118, which would amend the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (Act 108 of 1988) to include additional funding from civil penalties. Any civil penalties assessed as a result of violations of the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act would be deposited in the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund. The measure now goes to the House.
Senate Bill 674 received unanimous approval by the Senate. The measure would amend the Public School Code to permit school boards to establish the “Operation Recognition Program” that would award a high school diploma to any honorably discharged veteran who served in the Vietnam War and could not graduate from high school due to entry into military service. The measure now goes to the House.
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