An update of recent legislative activity by Pennsylvania House Democrats

June 6, 2008

SIGNED INTO LAW

Solobay applauds signing of cancer-drug repository bill

Gov. Rendell has signed a Senate bill into law identical to legislation (H.B. 186) introduced by Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, that allows cancer patients to donate their unused drugs so lower-income patients, or those without insurance, can purchase them at a reduced price. Solobay, who has been working for enactment of such legislation for several years, said he eagerly supported S.B. 638, and hopes that another of his proposals, which would extend the repository program to all prescription drugs, reaches the governor soon, as well.

"Unfortunately, with the way drugs are sometimes initially given out, people may receive a three-month dose and because of a change in the doctor's treatment plan, a majority of the prescription is never used and goes to waste," Solobay said. "Instead of these medications being thrown away or flushed down the commode, they could be going to other patients who need the same medication."

-- Click here to read more.

PASSED THE HOUSE AND SENATE

Freeman's Appalachian Trail protection measure sent to governor

The state House this week gave final approval to legislation introduced by Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, that would ensure Pennsylvania's portion of the Appalachian Trail is protected from inappropriate forms of development. The bill (H.B. 1281), which has passed the House and Senate and is now on its way to the governor's desk for his signature, would require municipalities that contain portions of the Appalachian Trail to adopt, implement and enforce zoning ordinances as part of their responsibility to protect the trail.

"My legislation would protect the Appalachian Trail from inappropriate forms of development that could detract from the trail's natural beauty," Freeman said. "The Appalachian Trail is one of Pennsylvania's great natural assets, and this bill will guarantee it is protected for present and future generations to enjoy in its pristine state."

-- Click here to read more.

PASSED THE HOUSE

House passes smoking ban conference report

The House of Representatives this week passed legislation (S.B. 246) that would ban smoking at most indoor public places in Pennsylvania. Reps. Mike Gerber, D-Montgomery, and Robert Belfanti Jr., D-Northumberland/Montour/Columbia, served on the House-Senate conference committee that produced the compromise legislation from separate House and Senate bills. The Senate, after initially rejecting the bill, is expected to consider the legislation again next week.

"With this bill, even though it is not as restrictive as I would like, we have taken a huge step forward and will ensure clean and healthy air for millions of Pennsylvanians," Gerber said. "There will no longer be any smoking permitted at the vast majority of workplaces, including restaurants, most bars and all nightclubs, and lives will be saved because of it."

"Even with the exceptions in the bill, we have produced one of the strongest smoking bans in the nation," Belfanti said. "We have a comprehensive smoking ban, which I support, that still preserves limited places where people who choose to smoke can smoke without exposing to secondhand smoke anyone who does not want to."

-- Click here to read more.

Gibbons bill to help 'Protect Our Progress' passes House

Rep. Jaret Gibbons, D-Lawrence/Beaver/Butler, said the House has unanimously passed economic development legislation vital to shoring up the state's defenses against the weakening national economy. Gibbons' bill, H.B. 2503, would authorize the secretary of Community and Economic Development to make annual transfers of surplus funds in the Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund account into the frequently busier account of the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority.

"My bill creates more flexibility and better coordination for the economic development process," Gibbons said. "And at the same time, it will ensure that all Pennsylvania businesses continue to have a reliable, stable source of assistance for large equipment acquisitions."

-- Click here to read more.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Basic education funding bill heads to full House

The state House Education Committee this week overwhelmingly approved a key piece of the 2008-09 education budget sponsored by committee Chairman James Roebuck, D-Phila. Roebuck's legislation (H.B. 2449) would provide $5.2 billion in state basic education funding for Pennsylvania's 501 school districts is 2008-09. The bill represents Gov. Ed Rendell's 2008-09 state education funding proposal, and would increase state funding for basic education by $291.3 million over 2007-08.

"This bill entails the most significant portion of state education funding for the 2008-09 state budget and would help increase the state's share of education spending by more than $291 million," Roebuck said. "It also includes a new accountability proposal to make sure school districts that increase local spending are focusing those new dollars on helping students to achieve."

-- Click here to read more.

Siptroth resolution to study property tax elimination for seniors voted out of House Finance Committee

Rep. John Siptroth, D-Monroe/Pike, said a resolution he sponsored that would pave the way for eliminating property taxes for senior citizens was voted out of the House Finance Committee this week. House Resolution 169 would authorize a feasibility study of a local property tax freeze and gradual elimination of property taxes for senior citizens. The resolution would also instruct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to identify a source to replace lost revenue from eliminating senior property tax bills and to ensure that school districts do not have to increase the property taxes of those under 65 to make up the difference.

"I want to make sure that we are able to relieve senior citizens of their property tax burden and identify where the replacement revenue will come from," Siptroth said. "My colleagues won't support my legislation until they know what the anticipated cost will be."

-- Click here to read more.

BILL INTRODUCTIONS

Youngblood offers proposal to better protect children in day care

Rep. Rosita Youngblood, D-Phila., has introduced a bill that would improve the state's inspection process for family day-care homes. Youngblood's legislation (H.B. 2485) would require the state Department of Public Welfare to inspect family day-care homes at least once every two years. Youngblood said existing law requires DPW to inspect these facilities only on a random sample basis, when there is a complaint issued, or at the request of the day-care home.

"The weak inspection process for family day-care homes has contributed to unnecessary injuries and fatalities of young children living in Pennsylvania," Youngblood said. "Only around 15 percent of the 4,200 registered family day-care homes are inspected each year, leaving more than two-thirds unchecked.

-- Click here to read more.

Shapiro bill would extend health coverage to part-time college students with disabilities

Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, has introduced legislation (H.B. 2554) that would provide health insurance to students who are enrolled in college part time rather than full time due to a disability. Currently, many parents' insurance policies offer coverage for dependent children until age 23 as long as they are full-time college students. However, many students can only attend college part time due to challenges posed by disabilities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

"It is unfair to continue allowing insurance companies to deny health coverage for a significant number of college students because they're dealing with the rigors of college at a slower pace due to a disability," Shapiro said. "My legislation would allow young people to pursue their dreams while still being afforded the health benefits everyone needs."

-- Click here to read more.

Pallone introduces bill requiring fee for state police services

Rep. John Pallone, D-Westmoreland/Armstrong, introduced a bill recently that would require larger municipalities with no police force of their own to help pay the cost of having Pennsylvania State Police troopers provide law enforcement in their jurisdictions. The bill would require municipalities with a population of more than 10,000 to pay $100 per resident to the state for law enforcement services provided by state police.

"Our state police provide basic law enforcement to hundreds of municipalities across the Commonwealth at an annual cost of more than $305 million," Pallone said. "My legislation would generate an estimated $40 million, which the state police could use to hire 4,000 more troopers to increase public safety for all state residents."

-- Click here to read more.

Rep. Smith wants age, disability status to be factor in murder sentencing

Rep. Matt Smith, D-Allegheny, is proposing legislation that would make the age or disability status of a victim – namely if the victim is over 60 or has a disability – an aggravating circumstance in sentencing for first-degree murder. Smith and a large group of co-sponsors and supporters explained the need for changing the state's first-degree murder sentencing procedures with Smith's legislation (H.B. 2464). Currently, families of murder victims can only address juries during murder sentencing procedures if the crime falls under the state's list of aggravating circumstances. Smith's proposal would add the victim's age and condition to that list.

"The district attorney and I worked together to develop this proposal that would ensure that the families of these victims have the opportunity to address juries during sentencing hearings," Smith said. "By giving families the ability to talk to a jury, it may make it simpler for juries to adequately punish murderers who prey upon the elderly or disabled."

-- Click here to read more.

Youngblood introduces proposal to implement Silver Alert Program in Pa.

Rep. Rosita Youngblood, D-Phila., has introduced legislation that would help protect missing senior citizens who are afflicted with certain memory impairments. Modeled after the Texas system that has been duplicated around the country, Youngblood's proposal (H.B. 2558) would create a Silver Alert Program, a system that would alert the public about missing people, 65 and older, who have Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other memory impairments. 

"The Amber Alert system has been extremely successful in helping local and state officials find missing children," Youngblood said. "Senior citizens afflicted with Alzheimer's and other memory diseases are just as vulnerable as missing children, and can find themselves in dire situations. The Silver Alert program would use the technology we already have in place under the Amber Alert system to help protect those seniors who may be in serious danger." 

-- Click here to read more.

Galloway introduces aggressive dog bill

Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, recently introduced legislation (H.B. 2553) that would give municipalities the ability to enact their own aggressive dog ordinances and not have them superseded by state law. Galloway's bill does not target a specific breed of dog.

"I believe local officials, not the state legislature, know best how to protect their residents from aggressive dogs," Galloway said.

-- Click here to read more.

Conklin introduces legislation to help law enforcement fight arson

Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, has introduced a measure that would help police fight arson through the creation of a registry of convicted arsonists. Conklin's proposal would require convicted arsonists to register their name, Social Security number and contact information with local authorities, helping police track where convicted arsonists live and work.

"Arson is a pathological crime with intent to cause significant damage. Last year, there were 31,000 structure fires set by arsonists in the United States, causing more than 600 deaths," Conklin said. "The habitual and devastating nature of these crimes heightens the concerns of our law enforcement officials and makes this registry an important tool in preventing and fighting arson."

-- Click here to read more.

Brennan bill would expand PACE/PACENET eligibility

Rep. Joe Brennan, D-Lehigh/Northampton, today introduced legislation that would expand eligibility for the state's PACE and PACENET prescription assistance programs for seniors. The legislation Brennan has introduced (H.B. 2585) would allow seniors applying for PACE and PACENET to exclude a portion of their Social Security or federal railroad retirement income, just as with the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. In addition, Brennan's bill would allow federal retirees who are ineligible to receive Social Security benefits to exclude half of their federal retirement benefits when applying for PACE and PACENET, beginning with the 2007 income year.

"With the poor state of our current national economy and the continued rising costs of prescription drugs, we owe it to our senior citizens to make certain that prescription assistance is available to all those in need," Brennan said. "The Social Security and federal railroad retirement exclusion in the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program makes about 180,000 seniors eligible for the program who otherwise would not be. We need to do the same for seniors applying for PACE and PACENET."

-- Click here to read more.

Cohen bill aimed at energy efficiency for underserved populations

Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., has introduced legislation (H.B. 2577) that would establish a Clean and Green Energy Corps in Pennsylvania. Corps workers would conduct weatherization projects that promote energy efficiency in low income households. The projects would work to eliminate the largest causes of home energy waste. The program also would provide essential job training for young adults in the growing clean energy sector.

Cohen said lower-income people spend a substantial portion of their budget on energy, particularly on heating and cooling costs. 

"The average American household is expected to spend more than $2,200 this year alone on home energy costs, and Pennsylvania is above the national average," Cohen said. "This legislation would help many lower-income residents significantly reduce their heating and cooling bills."

-- Click here to read more.

Taylor bills would widen enforcement of Megan's Law 

Rep. Rick Taylor, D-Montgomery, will introduce a package of bills that would enhance the state's Megan's Law. The six new bills include measures that would close the loophole in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code that prevents some offenders convicted of solicitation of a minor from being subject to the requirements of Megan's Law; make people convicted of conspiracy to commit a sexually violent crime subject to Megan's Law; forbid sexually violent predators from living within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, a licensed day-care center, or a public park, playground or swimming pool permit the use of polygraph testing on sexual offenders during their probation or parole; make it a crime for a convicted sex offender to loiter around a school, playground, bus stop, day-care center or other places where children are present; and make it a misdemeanor to loiter maliciously around a school, playground, bus stop, day-care center or other place where children are present.

"The package I'm proposing would give Pennsylvania tools that would be far more comprehensive for tracking child sexual predators, especially those who have recently been released after serving time for their crime," Taylor said. "We must especially have countermeasures in place when the risk of recidivism is greatest."

-- Click here to read more.

Solobay offers bill to get tough on those who drive with a suspended license

Rep. Tim Solobay has introduced a bill in the House designed to crack down on those who drive with a suspended license, and those who knowingly allow someone with a suspended license to drive their vehicles. House Bill 2578 would impose stiff penalties for people who drive with a suspended license. The first offense would be a $500 fine and 60 to 90 days in jail; a second offense would be a $2,500 fine and a minimum of six months in jail; a third offense would be a $5,000 fine and a minimum of two years in prison.

"It is time for the state to get tough on people who continue to drive with a suspended or revoked license with total disrespect for the law and other individuals on the road," Solobay said. "Apparently it takes stiffer fines and penalties to remove them from the roadways and make them aware that we mean business."