On a party-line vote of 29-19, the Senate passed a joint resolution that would amend the state Constitution to prohibit Pennsylvanians from being required to obtain health insurance coverage or from being penalized for not doing so. 

Senate Bill 10 would amend the constitution to bar implementation of the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate that would require citizens to purchase health insurance by 2014. 

Because it is a constitutional amendment, Senate Bill 10 must be approved in two consecutive legislative sessions and then receive a majority vote in a statewide referendum.

The bill is now in the House.

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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 790, which would permit out-of-state wineries to ship wine directly to Pennsylvania residents.

Under Senate Bill 790 residents would be able to receive up to 18 liters of wine (equivalent to 24 750 milliliter bottles) through direct shipment per month. Consumers would be allowed to purchase the wine from Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board-licensed shippers online, through the mail or by telephone.

The bill would also require direct shippers of wine to verify the age of the purchaser, pay a one-time $100 licensing fee and pay all applicable taxes.

The bill is now in the House.

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The Senate passed Senate Bill 1169 by a vote of 37-11. This bill would clarify regulations that govern agreements between dealers and suppliers of agricultural equipment.

Under the bill, a dealer would be able to terminate a dealer agreement by providing the supplier at least 30-days written notice. The bill would also block a supplier from substantially changing the competitive circumstances of a dealer agreement without good cause.

The bill also includes language that would protect car dealers from coercive acts by manufacturers.

The measure now goes to the House.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 1298, which would permit land devoted to nutrient management and composting to be eligible for preferential tax assessment under the “Clean and Green” program.

The measure would also qualify composting under “agricultural use” and permit participants to bring in off farm products for use as part of the composted material.

The bill now goes to the House. 

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 1329, which would ban the use of carbon monoxide gas as a means to euthanize animals.

Under the Democratic-sponsored bill, dogs and cats could only be euthanized using sodium pentobarbital or a derivative. Exceptions would be provided for facilities such as farms, veterinary schools and certain research institutions.

The measure also limits animal euthanasia to a licensed technician.

The bill now goes to the House.

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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1200, which would require state agency purchasing agents to provide written documentation for all sole-source, no-bid, and emergency contracts over $250,000.

The legislation would also require state agencies making such purchases to post contract information on their respective website, allow for public comment prior to the signing of the contract, and have it remain on the website for 30 days after it is signed.  

The bill is in response to a 2009 audit by the Auditor General relating to various technology contracts, which found weaknesses in the state’s procurement process for services as well as careless monitoring and record-keeping and refusal to provide public documentation.

The bill is now in the House.

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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1261, which would permit municipal authorities to engage in stormwater management planning and projects.

This bill would amend the state Municipality Authorities Act to add stormwater management planning and projects to the purposes and powers of municipal authorities. Municipal authorities currently have the power to oversee sewer systems, water distribution systems, airports, parking spaces, industrial development projects and more.

The bill is now in the House.

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The Senate unanimously approved legislation that updates the requirements for using a vintage registration plate. House Bill 1203 allows the owner of an antique, collectible or classic motorcycle or motor vehicle to request permission from the Department of Transportation to display a vintage registration plate from the model year of the vehicle.

The vintage plate will be provided by the owner of the motor vehicle and must be a Pennsylvania registration plate issued between the years 1906 and 1975 and legible from a reasonable distance. The applicable fee for the processing of this request is $75. 

The bill was signed into law as Act 25 of 2012.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 86, which would codify the Motor Vehicle Chop Shop and Illegally Obtained and Altered Property Act of 1998 into the Vehicle Code and Crimes Code.

The bill would also remove the definition of “motor vehicle” in the Act and in its place would define the terms “vehicle,” “trailer,” and “semitrailer.” Also, the term “motor vehicle scrap processor” would be replaced with the term “scrap processor” in order to be consistent with current terminology.

The bill would also clarify the offense of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity to specifically include stolen or illicitly obtained property.  Prosecutors would be able to more readily use this statute based on these changes. Also, scrap processors would be required to retain records of motor vehicles acquired for scrap.

The bill would also require that inspections occur during normal business hours or any time when work is being conducted and performed, as a means of limiting suspected “chop shops.”

Also, the current law does not properly limit which vehicles may be searched. The bill would limit police searches of vehicles on premises to those vehicles and parts that are subject to the record keeping requirements of the law.

The bill now goes to the House Transportation Committee.

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The Senate unanimously approved legislation that requires a court to publicly state the reason for the disposition of a delinquent child on the record in open court. 

Under Senate Bill 818, the court is required to state the reasons for its disposition on the record in open court along with the goals, terms and conditions of that disposition.

If a child is to be committed to out-of-home placement, the court must state why a juvenile was commitment to the specific facility was determined to be the least restrictive placement that is both in the best interest of public safety and is best suited for the child’s treatment, rehabilitation and welfare.

The bill was signed into law as Act 22 of 2012.

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By a unanimous vote, the Senate amended legislation that created a retired-status license for engineers, land surveyor and geologists. 

House Bill 1054 allows a licensee who lists his occupation as retired and certifies to the board that he no longer engages in any work in his licensed profession, to be exempt from the continuing education requirement and then the board will issue him a retired-status license. The licensee is then required to complete the number of professional development hours required for each year exempted, not to exceed a two year requirement. 

The House concurred in Senate amendments and the bill was signed into law as Act 24 of 2012.

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The Senate unanimously passed legislation that would change the date Liquid Fuels Tax allocations are released to municipalities from April 1 to March 1.  Senate Bill 1036 is now in the House.

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