State Representative Mike Turzai

28th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Contact: Stephen Miskin                                                                                                                                       RepTurzai.com

smiskin@pahousegop.com                                                                                                                                                                

717.705.1852

PAHouseGOP.com

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/SAM1963

                                               

 

TO:                  Capitol Correspondents, News Editors, Assignment Editors

FROM:             Stephen Miskin

                        Press Secretary to the Majority Leader

SUBJ:              House Action for the Week of June 20, 2011

DATE:             June 17, 2011

 

Voter ID, School Mandates and Budget (related) Bills on House Agenda

The state House returns to session on Monday, June 20, to debate and vote on various issues of importance.

The Budget

With less than two weeks remaining in the fiscal year, House and Senate negotiators are working non-stop in Harrisburg toward a final version of this year’s state budget plan. Progress is being made. Budget bills are expected to begin to move sometime next week; the budget will be on time, the first time in eight years.

Ensuring a Proper Vote: Valid Photo ID Required

The Pennsylvania Voter Identification Protection Act can prevent the four most widely documented types of voter fraud, including impersonation at the polls, fictitious registrations, double-voting and voting by illegal aliens. Modeled after Indiana’s photo identification law, which was upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008, House Bill 934 (Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler) would amend the state election code to require all voters to present valid photo ID before voting. Current Pennsylvania law requires photo ID for voters who appear to vote in an election district for the first time. Legislation containing voter ID had already passed the General Assembly only to be vetoed by former Gov. Ed Rendell.

Helping School Districts Cope With Less, Dealing With Mandates

A moratorium of certification requirements for public school teachers will save school districts needed dollars. The legislation (House Bill 1363) proposed by Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren County) would provide mandate relief for educators and districts. All school districts must provide a level of reimbursement for continuing professional development courses.

The Weekly Schedule

Bill numbers will be used to identify the legislation being considered either in committee or on the House floor.  The bills, sponsors and summaries are posted below.

 

Monday, June 20

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

  • EDUCATION, Noon, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • SB 612 (Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon/Berks/Chester/Dauphin/Lancaster):  Amends the Education Code to provide for the economic furlough of professional employees.
  • LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 12:30 p.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
    • SB 828 (Sen. Robert Robbins, R-Crawford/Mercer/Butler/Lawrence):  Authorizes municipalities, under the First Class Township Code, to enter into an employment agreement with a municipal manager and clarifies the process through which a municipality may create and abolish the office of municipal manger.
    • SB 829 (Sen. Robert Robbins):  Authorizes municipalities, under the Second Class Township Code, to enter into an employment agreement with a township manager and clarifies the process through which a municipality may create and abolish the office of township manger.
    • SB 830 (Sen. Robert Robbins):  Authorizes third class cities to enter into an employment agreement with a city administrator/manager, clarifies the process through which a third class city may create and abolish the office of city administrator/manager, and establishes the powers and duties of a city administrator/manager.
    • SB 831 (Sen. Robert Robbins):  Authorizes boroughs to enter into an employment agreement with a borough manager and clarifies the process through which a borough may create and abolish the office of borough manager.
    • SB 832 (Sen. Robert Robbins):  Authorizes incorporated towns to enter into an employment agreement with a township manager and clarifies the process through which an incorporated town may create and abolish the office of township manager.
  • HEALTH, Call of the Chair, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • SB 326 (Sen. Jake Corman, R-Juniata/Perry/Centre/Mifflin/Union):  Directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to issue, upon request from the mother or father, a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth for any fetal death previously filed with the department, with the stipulation that the certificate is not proof of live birth and it does not affect the current registration, filing, or record requirements.

Session

On Monday, the House will convene at 1 p.m. for legislative business. The members will vote the uncontested calendar and Rule 35 resolutions.

 

Votes on Second Consideration

  • HB 338 (Rep. Thomas Killion, R-Chester/Delaware):  Establishes the false report of suspected child abuse against a school, private residential rehabilitation facility, a detention facility or employees of such institutions as a misdemeanor of the third degree, creates sub-files pertaining to individuals who file false reports in the statewide central register of child abuse reports, and provides for an expedited hearing/appeals process.
  • HB 1054 (Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Allegheny): Exempts retired engineering licensees from the continuing professional competency requirements, so long as they no longer receive any remuneration for the practice of engineering, which allows them to continue to use their professional title, with a retired status.
  • HR 82 (Rep. Matthew Smith, D-Allegheny):  Honors the 125th anniversary of Bethel Park. 
  • HB 720 (Rep. Vanessa Brown, D-Philadelphia): Establishes hold orders and related procedures for pawnbrokers when an appropriate law enforcement official has probable cause to believe that the property in possession of a pawnbroker is misappropriated and requires a pawnbroker to hold items received as a pledge for no less than 90 days.
  • HB 797 (Rep. Frank Farry, R-Bucks): Designates cancer as an occupational disease for firefighters under the Workers’ Compensation Act, provided that the cancer was caused by work-related exposure to a known carcinogen recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the firefighter has four or more years of continuous firefighting service.
  • HB 934 (Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler): Requires proof of identification for voting at every election, allows for provisional ballots if proof of identification cannot be produced based on either religious beliefs or indigence, and requires the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to issue a non-driver identification card, at no cost, to any voter who signs a statement declaring that he or she does not possess proof of identification and that he or she requires the proof of identification for voting purposes.
  • HB 1264 (Rep. Cherelle Parker, D-Philadelphia): Allows for expert testimony in certain sexual assault cases and specifies the requirements to be deemed an expert witness.
  • HB 1544 (Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver):  Directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to provide, upon request, death certificates that do not identify cause of death for any death registered in the Commonwealth.
  • HB 1618 (Rep. Keith Gillespie, R-York):  Establishes that a person who knowingly causes, or attempts to cause, an on-duty law enforcement officer to come into contact with bodily fluids or waste that is known, or should have been known, to come from an individual infected with a communicable disease commits a felony of the third degree.
  • HR 232 (Rep. Matthew Smith):  Honors the 150th Anniversary of Scott Township.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 581 (Rep. Keith Gillespie, R-York): Allows importing distributers up to two licensed locations within their franchise territories.  The distributors must designate one of those locations as a storage facility that can only be used for storage of malt and brewed beverages and sales to licensees. 
  • HB 1479 (Rep. John Payne, R-Dauphin): Monthly report to LCB from beverage manufacturers.
  • SB 358 (Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Bedford/Blair/Fulton/Huntingdon/Mifflin):  Amends the First Class Township Code to permit the sale of township personal property through electronic auctions.
  • SB 360 (Sen. John Eichelberger):  Amends the Third Class City Code to permit the sale of city personal property through electronic auctions.
  • SB 450 (Sen. Donald White, R-Indiana/Armstrong/Butler/Clearfield/Westmoreland):  An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for terms of members of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

 

Tuesday, June 21

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

  • LABOR AND INDUSTRY, 9 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol Building
    • Agenda to be announced.
  • LIQUOR CONTROL, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • HB 260 (Rep. John Taylor, R-Philadelphia):  Allows the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to implement customer relations marketing programs to offer incentives to customers, extends the Sunday closing time from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., removes the limit on the number of stores allowed to operate on Sundays, increases the range of fines for minor violations of the Liquor Code from between $50-$1,000 to between $100-$2,000, and increases the range of fines for major violations of the Liquor Code from between $1,000-$5,000 to between $2,000-$10,000.
    • HB 1356 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks):  Allows the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to hire employees outside of the Civil Service Act, allows the PLCB to establish a classification and compensation for these employees that shall not be subject to the Administrative Code, and allows the PLCB to purchase all goods and services deemed necessary at its sole discretion.
  • HEALTH, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
    • Public hearing on HB 1480 (Rep. Mike Peifer, R-Monroe/Pike/Wayne): Will expand the HealthChoices Program (Medical Assistance Managed Care Program) administered by the Department of Public Welfare.
  • STATE GOVERNMENT, 10 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol Building
    • HB 651 (Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks):  Requires all flags procured by, and contracted for, Commonwealth government agencies to be manufactured in the United States, unless the head of the government agency states in writing that to do so would be inconsistent with the public interest or would be cost prohibitive.
    • HB 965 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin):  Requires pre-recorded political messages that are intended to influence the outcome of an election to clearly and conspicuously identify the person or organization that supplied the expenditure for the message.
    • HB 1670 (Rep. Sue Helm, R-Dauphin):  Authorizes the Department of General Services, with gubernatorial approval, to grant and convey a permanent sanitary sewer easement over certain lands to the Susquehanna Township Authority.
    • SB 263 (Sen. Edwin Erickson, R-Chester/Delaware):  Requires promulgating agencies to submit any data upon which a proposed regulation is based to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC), including a detailed description of how the data was obtained, and requires IRRC to determine the acceptability of the submitted data. The burden of proof of acceptability remains with the promulgating agency.
  • JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
    • HB 1140 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny):  Adds public utility employees and electric cooperative employees to the list of individuals protected from aggravated assault while in the performance of duty.
    • HB 1603 (Rep. Thomas Quigley, R-Montgomery):  Defines first offense, in cases of retail theft, as any conviction, acceptance of Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition or any other form of preliminary disposition that occurs prior to the sentencing of the present violation.
    • HB 1620 (Rep. Glen Grell, R-Cumberland):  Includes home health care agencies licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and assisted living residences licensed by the Department of Public Welfare in the definition of “health care provider” and restricts punitive damages against a health care provider to no more than 200 percent of the compensatory damages awarded.
    • HB 856 (Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Cumberland/Franklin):  Establishes the smuggling of human beings for profit or other commercial purpose as a felony of the third-degree and states that a law enforcement officer engaged in the enforcement of this section may lawfully stop a person who is operating a vehicle if they have reasonable suspicion that the person is violating any provision related to vehicles.
    • HB 857 (Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler):  Creates the Commonwealth Citizenship Act, which defines a citizen of Pennsylvania as an individual born in, and subject to the jurisdiction of, the United States and who resides in the Commonwealth.
    • HB 865 (Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks/Schuylkill):  Imposes liability on a sanctuary municipality for damages on account of an injury to a person or property that result from the criminal activity of an unauthorized alien if the unauthorized alien has resided in the sanctuary municipality for at least six months, the unauthorized alien is convicted of a crime, and the criminal activity is a proximate cause of the injury.
  • TRANSPORTATION, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • SB 163 (Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Pike/Wayne/Wyoming/Luzerne/Monroe/Susquehanna):  Bridge designation: Brigadier General Richard J. Tallman Memorial Bridge.
    • SB 468 (Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill/Berks/Carbon/Lehigh/Monroe/Northampton):  Creates special military-related license plates for recipients of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Bronze Star for Valor for use on passenger vehicles or trucks with a registered gross weight of no more than 10,000 pounds.
    • SB 566 (Sen. Tim Solobay, D-Greene/Allegheny/Beaver/Washington/Westmoreland):  Bridge designation: “Stan the Man” Musial Bridge.
    • SB 606 (Sen. Robert Robbins, R-Crawford/Mercer/Butler/Lawrence):  Scenic Road designation: Crawford Lakelands Byway.
    • SB 631 (Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-Chester/Montgomery):  Road designation: Medal of Honor Grove Highway.
    • SB 723 (Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Bradford/Lycoming/Sullivan/Susquehanna/Union):  Bridge designation: Carl E. Stotz Memorial Little League Bridge.

 

Session

On Tuesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

 

Votes on Second Consideration

  • HB 755 (Rep. Matt Gabler, R-Elk/Clearfield): Increases the amount of money that County Veterans’ Affairs Directors may be reimbursed for annual association meeting expenses and dues from $100 to $400.
  • SB 1055 (Sen. Jake Corman):  State Employees’ Retirement Fund.
  • SB 1056 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Public School Employees’ Retirement Fund.
  • SB 1057 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Professional Licensure Augmentation Account.
  • HR 330 (Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland):  A concurrent resolution establishing the Pennsylvania 4.0 Team.
  • HB 1026 (Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks): Allows retired or senior judges to administer certain oaths and acknowledgements.
  • HB 1269 (Rep. William Adolph, R-Delaware): Creates special license plates for recipients of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Bronze Star for Valor.
  • HB 1355 (Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie):  Bridge designation: Jarrid L. King Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 1646 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny):  Adds school crossing guards, volunteer firefighters, and special fire police to the list of individuals protected from aggravated assault during working hours.
  • SB 302 (Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Clarion/Forest/Venango/Butler/Erie/Warren):  Establishes July 1 as the annual deadline for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and the State System of Higher Education to publish their annual report regarding their use of Keystone Funds.
  • SB 745 (Sen. Joseph Scarnati, R-Cameron/Elk/Jefferson/McKean/Potter/Tioga/Clearfield/Warren):  Amends the Rail Freight Preservation and Improvement Act (Act 119 of 1984) to allow a railroad company receiving a grant under the Act to perform the work at its cost with its own company forces without putting the project out for contract.  The bill adds “wholly owned” affiliate company of the railroad company receiving the grant to perform the work for which the grant was received without putting out a bid.
  • SB 387 (Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Adams/Franklin/York):  An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking licenses, further providing for resident license and fee exemptions.  
  • SB 1058 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Workmen’s Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide for the expenses of administering the Worker’s Compensation Act, The Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act and the Office of Small Business Advocate.
  • SB 1059 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Public Utility Commission.
  • SB 1060 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Office of Consumer Advocate within the Office of the Attorney General.
  • SB 1061 (Sen. Jake Corman):  Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development.
  • HR 331 (Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester/Delaware):  Establishes a select committee to conduct a study for the future of Soldiers’ Grove and the continued use of the Medal of Honor Memorial Garden, located within  Soldiers’ Grove and to provide for necessary enhancements.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 338 (Rep. Thomas Killion)
  • HB 720 (Rep. Vanessa Brown)
  • HB 797 (Rep. Frank Farry)
  • HB 934 (Rep. Daryl Metcalfe)
  • HB 1054 (Rep. Mark Mustio)
  • HB 1264 (Rep. Cherelle Parker)
  • HB 1544 (Rep. Jim Christiana)
  • HB 1618 (Rep. Keith Gillespie)

 

Wednesday, June 22

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

  • FINANCE, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
    • HB 323 (Rep. Scott Boyd, R-Lancaster):  Amends the definition of “installment sales method of reporting,” regarding personal income tax, to match the federal definition and exempts transfers from a municipality to a volunteer fire company from the realty transfer tax.
    • HB 1333 (Rep. George Dunbar, R-Westmoreland):  Provides an exception from a penalty for failure to make estimated tax payments and adds a special tax provision for poverty within an existing exception.
    • HB 1586 (Rep. Scott Boyd):  Requires financial institutions, when reporting the death of a depositor to the Department of Revenue, to include in the required information the relationship of the survivor or survivors to the deceased.
  • AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • HB 1052 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon):  Directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to establish an informal review process for long-term care nursing facilities to dispute Department of Health survey findings using an independent agent.
  • PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, 10 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
    • SB 419 (Sen. Robert Tomlinson, R-Bucks):  Allows motorcycle dealers to sell motorcycles on Sundays.
    • Final Regulation 16A-6916:  Authorizes licensure by endorsement for clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors. Also reduces the number of hours of supervised clinical experience required as a condition of licensure as a licensed clinical social worker from 3,600 to 3,000.
  • COMMERCE, 10:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
    • HB 1630 (Rep. Mike Tobash, R-Berks/Schuylkill):  Removes the arbitrary cap of 100 percent on service contracts, warranties, and debt suspension and cancellation agreements from the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act.

 

Session

On Wednesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

 

Votes on Second Consideration

  • HB 61 (Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Bedford/Somerset):  Amends a provision of the Judicial Code to extend the period of time which a collection agency has to collect fines, costs and restitution from 180 days to 48 months.
  • HB 1203 (Rep. John Lawrence, R-Chester):  Vintage license plates. 
  • HB 1307 (Rep. Duane Milne, R-Chester): Amends the Public School Code to provide for additional transparency in financial reporting by intermediate units including contracts between the PA Department of Education and such units.
  • HB 1363 (Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Forest/Warren/McKean): Proposes a two-year moratorium of the requirements placed on individuals holding Pennsylvania public school certification to earn 180 continuing education hours every five years.
  • HB 1548 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia):  Amends the Child Labor Law (Act 177 of 1915) to rewrite the section of the law that deals with participation of minors in entertainment work.
  • HB 1644 (Rep. George Dunbar):  Amends the County Code to allow the sale of township personal property through electronic auctions.
  • SB 612 (Sen. Mike Folmer): Provides for suspension of professional employees for economic reasons as part of a plan to reduce or control school district costs.
  • SB 858 (Sen. Michael Waugh, R-York):  Provides for additional qualifications for school district superintendents and assistant superintendents.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 755 (Rep. Matt Gabler)
  • HB 1026 (Rep. Tom Caltagirone)
  • HB 1269 (Rep. Bill Adolph)
  • HB 1355 (Rep. Curt Sonney)
  • HB 1646 (Rep. Dom Costa)
  • SB 302 (Sen. Mary Jo White)
  • SB 387 (Sen. Richard Alloway)
  • SB 745 (Sen. Joseph Scarnati)

 

Thursday, June 23

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

  • HUMAN SERVICES, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
    • Public hearing on HB 1651 (Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, R- Bucks):  A comprehensive act that requires the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to establish and maintain the Pharmaceutical Accountability Monitoring System, an electronic system for monitoring all scheduled drugs that are dispensed in Pennsylvania by licensed professionals.
  • INSURANCE, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
    • Public hearing on health insurance exchanges.

 

Session

On Thursday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 61 (Rep. Carl Metzgar)
  • HB 1203 (Rep. John Lawrence)
  • HB 1307 (Rep. Duane Milne)
  • HB 1363 (Rep. Kathy Rapp)
  • HB 1548 (Rep. Thomas Murt)
  • HB 1644 (Rep. George Dunbar)
  • SB 612 (Sen. Mike Folmer)
  • SB 858 (Sen. Michael Waugh)

 

Friday, June 24

 

Session

On Friday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

 

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