An update of recent legislative activity by
Pennsylvania House Democrats

April 6, 2007

 

Blackwell bill would ban transactions
with the Republic of Sudan

 

Rep. Tommy Blackwell, D-Phila., has introduced legislation (H.B. 729) that would prohibit any agency or fund that invests state money from investing in companies in or that do business with the Republic of Sudan.

 

Since February 2003, government-financed militias have been systematically terrorizing residents of the Darfur region in western Sudan, resulting in as many as 400,000 deaths and more than 2 million refugees.

 

"These government henchmen are destroying villages, killing men, raping women and starving children as they confiscate food supplies and block international assistance," Blackwell said. "We should not let any of our money make it into the pockets of the government-financed militias."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Dermody bill would ensure child safety in taxis

 

Pennsylvania's taxi drivers would no longer be forced to carry young children if their parent or guardian doesn't provide an appropriate child safety seat under legislation (H.B. 805) introduced by state Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny.

 

Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code currently requires the use of car safety seats for children under age 8, but the state Public Utility Code bans taxi drivers from refusing service to anyone. The law forces taxi drivers to carry children without a safety seat, putting kids at risk of injury.

 

"We cannot reasonably expect taxis to carry around multiple child safety seats in case they have to transport young children," Dermody said. "To make sure young children are safe, I'm proposing to fix the legal glitch and make parents responsible for providing a car safety seat if they're going to transport kids under 8 in a taxi."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Walko introduces bill to help Pa. adults
who lack drug coverage

 

Rep. Don Walko, D-Allegheny, has introduced legislation to help Pennsylvania adults who lack prescription-drug coverage to obtain the medications they need.

 

The bill (H.B. 877) is modeled on a program called Medbank that already operates in several other states. In Pennsylvania, Medbank would act as a clearinghouse for the more than 200 patient-assistance programs offered by drug companies. Medbank would continue to fill gaps in prescription drug coverage even if Gov. Ed Rendell's health-care reform proposal is enacted. Medbank would be administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance.

 

"We have successfully provided prescription-drug coverage to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians through the Children's Health Insurance Program, PACE Plus Medicare for seniors, and the limited-scope adultBasic insurance program," Walko said. "But many working adults don't receive prescription coverage through their employers, and we need to help them, too."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Casorio introduces emergency responder
reciprocation bill to help vets

 

Rep. James E. Casorio Jr., D-Westmoreland, has introduced legislation that would make it easier for veterans who received emergency medical certification in the military to become civilian emergency responders in Pennsylvania.

 

The legislation (H.B. 995) would require the state Department of Health to develop standards that would allow veterans with appropriate emergency medical response training to be certified as emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Pennsylvania without having to undergo civilian training. Veterans who served as certified medical specialists and who performed duties similar to EMTs and paramedics while in the armed forces would qualify.

 

"Returning veterans who have been provided with the best emergency medical training available anywhere while serving their country should not have to waste their money and time duplicating that training when they return home," Casorio said. "Since many of our communities are in desperate need of emergency medical personnel, we should take this opportunity to help our veterans, and our communities and constituents at the same time, by assisting these veterans in the transition to this civilian field as quickly as possible."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Solobay introduces bill mandating mercury-free vaccines

 

In an effort to keep Pennsylvania kids healthy, Rep. Tim Solobay, D-Washington, has introduced a bill that would ban the administration of vaccines that contain mercury to pregnant women or to children younger than 3.

 

The legislation (H.B. 1001) would also require health insurance companies that cover vaccinations to include mercury-free vaccines in the coverage. The bill includes an exemption for an actual or potential bioterrorist incident or other public health emergency.

 

"Since the debate continues on whether there is a relationship between mercury-containing vaccines and autism, why not err on the side of caution?" Solobay said. "If parents are worried about a possible connection, then why not remove the mercury and give parents some peace of mind?"

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Galloway bill would protect voter rights

 

Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, has introduced legislation that would punish efforts to confuse or intimidate voters in an attempt to keep them away from the polls on Election Day.

 

House Bill 1014 would prohibit anyone from knowingly communicating false information about the time or polling place of an election, or voter eligibility and registration rules. Anyone convicted of a crime under the legislation would face a fine of as much as $2,500 and/or up to a year in prison.

 

"While a majority of our polling places are manned by volunteers who respect a person's right to vote, there are some people out there who would like to pull every trick in the book to keep certain voters away from the polls," Galloway said. "We cannot allow deceitfulness and confusion on Election Day."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Wojnaroski bill would offer specialized training
for direct-care workers

 

Rep. Edward Wojnaroski Sr., D-Cambria, has reintroduced a bill that would set up a special training program for direct-care workers in Pennsylvania who provide care for people with dementia, Alzheimer's, behavioral problems or similar health-care needs.

 

The Direct Care Advanced Training Program (H.B. 1034), to be established within the Education Department, would consist of certification in three areas: behavioral care for patients with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, mental illness or behavioral problems; restorative care for patients undergoing rehabilitation; and in leadership for team-building, advanced communication, organizational and supervisory skills. Workers would have to pass a test demonstrating proficiency in both classroom training and practical training in each category. 

 

"This proposal would help maintain the quality of life for those needing long-term care services, by offering specialized training to help ensure the most qualified workers," Wojnaroski said. "A person with Alzheimer's or dementia, or someone who needs to learn how to use their legs again after a stroke, requires very specific health-care needs, and this program would help direct-care workers provide the level of care that is needed."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Cohen introduces bill to monitor and
investigate Pa. illness clusters

 

Concerned by the recent cancer investigations at Susquehanna University and similar illness investigations, Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., has introduced legislation that would create an Illness Monitoring and Investigation Unit within the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

 

The unit would work in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies to investigate increased incidences of certain illnesses in Pennsylvania.

 

"The Health Department currently collects data on health issues, but it is not proactive in conducting its own research into potential external causes of illnesses," Cohen said. "The wellness of our residents depends on the Department of Health being able to connect the dots with other state agencies to determine the root causes of the illness clusters."

  

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

Parker to reintroduce tax reform package

 

Rep. Cherelle L. Parker, D-Phila., will reintroduce a legislative package on local tax relief and tax reform for the city of Philadelphia.

 

The proposed measures would: grant Philadelphia the authority to implement a homestead exclusion to provide property tax relief to homeowners; provide Philadelphia with the option to expand the Act 91 program to include people with disabilities; expand the definition of "low-income taxpayer" under Act 91 by using the PACENET eligibility definition, which would provide roughly 7,800 additional households with property tax relief; grant Philadelphia the authority to phase in the Full Value Project over a six-year period; and provide Philadelphia the option of implementing a property tax deferral program under Act 146 that would take age and financial need into account.

 

"The bills we are reintroducing will provide the city of Philadelphia with a menu of options for local tax reform because the issues facing our communities are different than those in other cities across the state," Parker said. "The measures would help thousands upon thousands of low-income Philadelphians receive meaningful tax relief and put more money back into their pockets."

 

-- Please click here to read more.

 

 

King to introduce bill to provide
dedicated early education funding

 

Rep. Chris King, D-Bucks, will introduce legislation that would increase funding for the popular and successful Accountability Block Grant Program.

 

King's bill would increase the program's funding by $100 million in the 2007-08 state budget and require the new funding to be used for two specific early childhood education initiatives. A quarter of the new Accountability Block Grant funding would be dedicated to school districts that guarantee it will be used to establish or expand full-day kindergarten programs. The remaining $75 million would go toward pre-kindergarten competitive grants to increase the number of children receiving a quality pre-school education.

 

"Study after study show the importance that early education plays in the lives of our children," King said. "These programs help prepare children for school by teaching socialization and providing useful life skills like paying attention and following directions. This kind of investment pays remarkable dividends that last for generations, and sparks an enthusiasm for lifelong learning."

 

-- Please click here to read more.