Tuesday, June 30, 2015

HB 1192, PN 1959 (Adolph) – This is a General Appropriations bill that would appropriate $1.01 billion more than the current year’s spending level.  Senator Hughes made a motion to suspend a temporary budget rule requiring potential spending amendments to offset dollar for dollar.  Senator Hughes was prepared to offer an amendment adding $431 million for education, and start a conversation about figuring out a sensible way to that.  The motion failed, however, by a vote of 19-30.  A vote of 30-19 was recorded on the bill.

HB 88, PN 78 (Day) – The bill designates a portion of State Route 309 North in Lynn Township, Lehigh County, between the intersections of Northwest Road and Long Court and Mosserville Road and Mountain Road, as the Lance Corporal Brandon J. Van Parys Memorial Road.  Senator Rafferty offered amendment A03031, an omnibus bridge and road naming amendment.  The amendment was approved unanimously.  The bill (PN 2000) was later approved unanimously.

SB 95, PN 654 (Farnese) – This bill amends Title 42 (Judiciary & Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in particular rights and immunities, providing for immunity for protected communications.  Senator Farnese offered amendment A02361, which was technical in nature.  The amendment was approved.  The vote on the bill (PN 1152) was 48-1.

HB 140, PN 124 (Killion) – The bill amends Act 279 of 1982 (Rideshare Arrangements Act) to allow privately operated carpools and vanpools to be considered ridesharing arrangements.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 157, PN 307 (Heffley) – Allows for military education, training, and experience to be used toward requirements and credentials for certain Commonwealth agencies.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 272, PN 1202 (Neuman) – Amends the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act to include mandatory timeframes and technical requirements for the submission and reporting of sexual assault evidence, and to provide for victims’ rights.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 466, PN 1985 (Turzai) – The bill amends the Liquor Code, privatizing the sale of liquor and wine in the Commonwealth.  Senator Brewster offered amendment A02908, which would take a modernization to the sale of wine, liquor and beer in the Commonwealth.  The amendment failed by a vote of 20-29.  A vote of 27-22 was recorded on the bill.

SB 566, PN 539 (Vogel) – This legislation amends the Housing Finance Agency Law by expanding the PHARE program to all Pennsylvania communities and dedicating 40 percent of future increases in revenue collection from the Realty Transfer Tax (RTT) to the Housing Trust Fund (HTF).   HTF would be capped at $25 million per year.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 762, PN 1999 (Roae) – Authorizes the Secretary of Education to enter into and administer membership in a regional compact and interstate reciprocity agreement for the provision of postsecondary distance education.  The bill was amended in Senate Appropriations (June 29, 2015) to include the basic education funding formula, community college funding, and library funding.  It also added Plan Con to the bill.  A vote of 30-19 was recorded.

SB 887, PN 1040 (Costa) – This bill amends Title 75 (Vehicle Code) to further protect highway workers, first emergency responders and others from careless and reckless drivers traveling in work zones.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

SB 928, PN 1140 (White) – Amends Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in financial responsibility, further providing for definitions; and, in fees, further providing for information concerning drivers and vehicles.  A vote of 46-3 was recorded.

HB 972, PN 1922 (Pickett) – Amends the Insurance Company Law of 1921, in life and endowment insurance and annuities, further providing for policy deliver.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 1071, PN 1998 (Warner) – This bill amends the Development Permit Extension Act, by clarifying certain rights under the Planned Community Act and clarifies the automatic suspension of permits.  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 1276, PN 1997 (Watson) – This bill amends multiple sections of Chapter 63 in Title 23. The bill makes numerous technical changes throughout the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL).  A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 501, PN 1319 (M. K. Keller) – HB 501 designates the Conodoguinet Bridge on that portion of State Route 641 over the Conodoguinet Creek, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, as the Army Pfc. Harold “Sam” E. Barrick Memorial Bridge.  Senator Rafferty offered amendment A03029, an omnibus bridge and road naming amendment (approved unanimously).  The amended bill was later approved by a vote of 49-0 (PN 2001).

SB 1, PN 1132 (Corman) – This bill establishes a Defined Contribution (DC) retirement benefit plan for most new members of the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) and the State Employees Retirement System (SERS); add a Cash Balance retirement benefit tier to the existing Defined Benefit (DB) structure that will be mandatory for new members and optional for pre-2016 active members, and modify the future benefit entitlements of current members of both PSERS and SERS.  The Senate concurred to amendments placed by the House in the bill by a vote of 29-20.

SB 620, PN 1130 (Vance) – This bill authorizes the release of Project 70 restrictions on land owned by the Borough of Carlisle, Cumberland County.  In return, the Borough will develop park and open space land elsewhere.  The Senate concurred in House amendments by a vote of 49-0.

SB 655, PN 1137 (Browne) – This is the omnibus Fiscal Code amendment providing for budget implementation language.  The Senate concurred in House amendments by a vote of 30-19.