The Senate approved Senate Bill 1, which would increase Pennsylvania’s annual transportation investment by $2.5 billion by lifting the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax and increasing fees for vehicle registration and drivers licenses.
The legislation would provide additional dollars for the state’s highways, bridges and 36 transit agencies, plus provide investment for rail, aviation, ports, and bicycle/pedestrian facilities and projects. The plan adopts modernization proposals advanced by the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission.
The bill was referred to the House.
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The Senate voted 31-19 in favor of House Bill 818, which would establish the conditions for abortion health insurance coverage if Pennsylvania ever establishes its own health insurance exchange program.
The bill largely mirrors the federal Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that bans the use of public dollars for abortions unless a pregnancy results from rape, incest or risks the life of the mother.
The federal exchange will provide health insurance to those who have no coverage at work or have to spend more than 9.5 percent of their income to buy into their employer’s plan. It also will be available to some small businesses.
Supporters said House Bill 818 was necessary to reconcile the federal exchange with the state’s abortion control law.
Opponents claimed the measure is unnecessary because the governor has already declined to establish a state version of the exchange. They also contended that the legislation will restrict a woman’s right to use her own money to purchase private health insurance that includes abortion coverage. Others argued that the measure leaves out the broader “health of the mother” exception in Pennsylvania’s abortion control law.
The bill now goes to the governor for enactment.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 586, which would require the state to honor the wishes of a service member about the handling of his or her remains if he or she dies in service.
The proposal is intended to clear up confusion that sometimes surrounds the death of a soldier. Senate Bill 586 would make it legally clear that the decisions should be determined according to the wishes of the person in military service as authorized on their DD Form 93.
The bill was referred to the House.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 797, which would amend state law to comply with federal law governing military leaves of absence.
To maintain its tax-qualified status, PSERS (Pennsylvania School Employees’ Retirement System) must have these changes for leaves commencing on or after July 1, 2013.
The bill was referred to the House.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 798 as the second part of required legislation to keep PSERS in compliance with federal law on military leaves of absences.
SB 798 amends the Public School Code, while SB 797 makes changes to the PSERS and PA Military and Veterans codes.
The bill was referred to the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 492, which would give a crime victim or their representative the right to appear personally before the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole to provide testimony on an inmate’s application for parole.
The measure would also entitles a victim to testify via video conferencing or other electronic means; and assures that their personal information (e.g, address, phone number) be confidential.
The bill, which was amended in the Senate, now returns to the House.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 763, which would remove the requirement that encampment parties of five or more post a camp roster that can be read from the outside.
Under the bill, parties hunting together for big game such as bear, deer, or elk would no longer be required to maintain and post a camp roster. The rosters were a requirement from long ago to help game wardens enforce the law. With modern electronics such as cell phones, GPS systems and computerized license records, bill proponents claim the requirement is no longer necessary.
The measure now goes to the House.
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Senate Bill 747 was approved by the Senate with a vote of 47-3. The legislation would create a state plumbers licensing program and regulate who can call themselves a state-licensed plumbing contractor rather than who can perform plumbing services.
The legislation would establish minimum standards that individuals must meet to obtain a state license. A plumbing contractors licensure board would be created to issue licenses, develop regulations, and administer the provisions of the Act. The bill’s primary purpose is to protect the public health. At the same time, it will make cooperation with other states that license plumbers a simple matter.
The bill now goes to the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 681, which would create the Sexual Violence Victim Protection Act.
The measure would authorize a sexual assault victim to petition the court for protection from the defendant. The court would then hold a hearing at which the plaintiff must prove the need for protection. A protection order may include: prohibiting the defendant from having any contact with the plaintiff; directing the defendant to refrain from harassing or stalking the plaintiff or other designated persons; and granting any other appropriate relief.
The protection order would be for a fixed period of time up to 36 months. A copy of the protection order would be issued to the plaintiff, the defendant, the district attorney’s office, and the law enforcement agency with enforcement jurisdiction.
The bill would authorize the court to issue an order that requires the assailant to keep away from a sexual assault victim. This bill is modeled after the Protection From Abuse Act, but has been drafted as a free standing act to avoid confusion with protection from abuse orders in domestic violence cases.
The bill now goes to the House.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 732, which would amend the state Board of Vehicle Act to include statutes that provide protections for franchised new vehicle dealers from unfair treatment by vehicle manufacturers.
The measure would allow dealers to have more flexibility in selecting certain building materials when performing manufacturer- imposed facility upgrades; permit the manufacturer to compensate dealers for warranty work at the retail cost rate, as well as allowing manufacturers to surcharge dealers electing such reimbursement arrangements; and shorten the number of months manufacturers are able to audit invoices that dealers submit to the manufacturer for reimbursement.
The measure now goes to the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed legislation increasing the fees paid for river pilot services on the Delaware River and Bay beginning in 2014. House Bill 1029 maintains the current rate for state-licensed pilots of $12.86 per unit through 2013 and increases the rate to $13.25 per unit in January 2014, $13.64 per unit in January 2015 and $14.05 per unit in January 2016. (A unit is determined by multiplying a ship’s length by its width, in feet, and dividing by 100.)
The bill also increases the ship communication charge for vessels transiting the Delaware River from $220 to $235.
It now awaits the governor’s signature.
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The Senate unanimously passed a bill intended to modernize Pennsylvania’s Professsional Educator Discipline Act.
Senate Bill 34 contains many recommendations of the Professional Standards and Practices Commission, the body that oversees the educator discipline system.
The bill removes time limitations for filing complaints, outlaws certain “grooming” behavior frequently practiced by pedophiles, and expands the commission’s jurisdiction to non-certified teachers in private schools.
It also expands the list of disciplinary actions school administrators must report to the Department of Education.
The bill now goes to the House.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senator Anthony Williams’ bill intended to prevent school districts from passing problem teachers to other districts, a practice known as “passing the trash.”
Senate Bill 46. also known as the “Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct, and Exploitation (SESAME) Act,” is designed to close the loophole that now allows school districts to hire employees with a history of investigations and dismissals for abuse or sexual misconduct.
Under the bill, a prospective school employee and any former employer must disclose if the applicant:
- Was the subject of any abuse or sexual misconduct investigation, unless such investigation resulted in a finding that the allegations were false;
- Was disciplined, discharged, non-renewed, asked to resign or separated from employment while allegations were pending or under investigation; or
- Has ever had a license or certificate suspended, surrendered or revoked while allegations were pending.
Applicants for school jobs must provide complete and accurate information on former employers. Violations of the act could result in fines of up to $10,000.
The bill now goes to the House.
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The senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 859, extending deadlines for completing planned communities.
The bill extends the current seven-year window to a ten-year year window for withdrawal or conversion of real estate within flexible planned communities, depending on whether the project has a “phasing” plan.
The change provides developers more time to complete planned communities. In instances where the builder of a planned community has an approved phasing plan by the municipality, the duration of the phasing plan would serve as the time limit for conversion or withdrawal.
The bill now goes to the House.
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