SB 871, PN1505 The legislation adds Chapter 37, Humane Society Police Officers, to Title 22 (Detectives and Private Police).  The bill creates a state Board of Humane Society Police Officers consisting of 11 members as a departmental administrative board within the Department of Agriculture.    

A1550(Mellow): This amendment clarifies that the Board created under this legislation may not reinstate the appointment of a humane society police officer that has been revoked for a period of at least five years.  A 49-0 vote was recorded.

SB 679, PN1437 The legislation amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to address the possession or transporting of liquefied ammonia gas or possession of hypophosphoric acid and ammonium sulphate.  The bill makes it unlawful to possess or transport liquefied ammonia gas for any purpose other than a legitimate agricultural or industrial use in a container not approved by the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Transportation or both.  The offense would be graded as a misdemeanor punishable by a sentence of imprisonment not exceeding five years and/or a fine of $10,000.

A1577(Madigan): This is a technical amendment that simply clarifies language in the bill.  A 49-0 vote was recorded.

SB 689, PN792 The legislation amends the Administrative Code to remove the requirement that the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) annually furnish uniform budget forms to municipalities.  The bill also eliminates the necessity for municipalities to file annual budgets with DECD. 

A1566(Brightbill): This is a technical amendment that simply clarifies language in the bill.  A 49-0 vote was recorded.

SB 977, PN1496 The legislation amends the Forest Lands Beautification Act (Act 125 of 1998) to provide for additional funding for the Forest Lands Beautification Program.  The bill extends the funding authority until 2008.  The amount that would be authorized to be transferred is reduced from $1.5 million per year to $500,000 per year under the bill.  A 49-0 vote was recorded.

HB 2027, PN3627 This bill amends the Urban Redevelopment Law to provide for appointment and qualifications of members of an authority.  The bill provides that, in the case of a city of the third class, nonresidents who own and operate businesses in the city in which the Authority operates can be appointed and serve as members of the Authority, as long as a majority of the five-member board must be citizens of the city.  A 49-0 vote was recorded.

EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS

The following nominees were confirmed by the Senate.  A 49-0 vote was recorded for each.

Mary M. Carrasco, M.D., Children’s Trust Fund Board
Michael L. Penn, Ph.D., Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Margaret Q. Mariotti, State Board of Speech-Language and Hearing Examiners