Hanna's elk deterrent bill voted out of House Game and Fisheries Committee

A bill (H.B. 1078) that would increase funding for deterrent fences for deer, bear and elk, and establish a $300,000 Elk Damage Fund to reimburse people for property damage caused by elk was recently voted out of the House Game and Fisheries Committee.

Under the bill, introduced by Rep. Mike Hanna, D-Clinton/Centre, the state Department of Agriculture and the state Game Commission would be responsible for implementation of the program. Under current law, there are regulations and assistance for deterrent fencing, but no specific regulatory standards for the elk deterrent project or a specific fund allocated to pay for it.

"A fund would help reimburse people whose properties have sustained damage from elk roaming in the area," Hanna said. "Additional fencing is needed to protect both animals and people from the safety hazards caused when animals cross highways to forage for food. This kind of fencing in strategic areas would also prevent elk from eating up crops and causing damage on farmland."

-- Please click here to read more.

Gerber proposes statewide smoking ban

Rep. Michael Gerber, D-Montgomery, is introducing legislation that would ban smoking in all public places across Pennsylvania, protecting people from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and potentially reducing smokers' intake. Several Pennsylvania municipalities and counties have passed their own smoking ban, including Scranton, Alleghany County and Philadelphia. A statewide ban would not only protect more Pennsylvanians from the harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke, but would also level the playing field for businesses in areas where bans are already in effect.

"I hope this legislation not only protects victims of secondhand smoke but also reduces the number of smokers in Pennsylvania," Gerber said. "The bottom line is that we are behind the times and need to step up to protect the health and quality of life of our residents. Research has proven over and over that smoking and secondhand smoke is incredibly harmful and often deadly."

-- Please click here to read more.

Wojnaroski introduces bill to help financially distressed municipalities

Rep. Edward Wojnaroski Sr., D-Cambria, has introduced legislation designed to help municipalities in financial distress. The bill (H.B. 1222) would limit the length of time any municipality could remain on the distressed list to 36 months after a recovery plan is implemented. After three years, a municipality could choose to end the distressed status. If so, it would have to wait another three years before it could apply for a distressed designation again.

"Currently there are 17 communities on the Act 47 financially distressed list, including Franklin and Johnstown," Wojnaroski said. "While Act 47 is designed to help the municipalities improve their financial situation and get out from under their fiscal problems, I believe there are some issues with current law that cause the communities to remain on the Act 47 list much longer than necessary. Act 47 should be set up to encourage successful resolution and independence, not keep municipalities beholden to the state and the recovery coordinators appointed to help them."

-- Please click here to read more.

Eachus proposal would allow consumers to choose their cable TV company

Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, announced the introduction of legislation that would give consumers the power to choose their cable television provider and programming and service level, and protect consumers by providing state oversight of an industry that currently offers customers no independent arbitrators when disputes occur. The proposal -- backed by a bipartisan coalition of consumer groups, local governments and municipalities, religious groups and labor unions -- would create a statewide cable TV franchise law and give the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission oversight over the cable TV industry. Unlike most other service companies operating in the state, cable TV currently has no state oversight to offer reasonable protection for consumers and encourage fair competition.

"Right now consumers have the power to choose a telephone company for local and long-distance service, choose an Internet service provider, and even choose what electric utility powers their homes," Eachus said. "Cable TV consumers in Pennsylvania should have the same right to shop and companies should have the right to work to earn those customers with improved services, rates and a wider range of programming.

-- Please click here to read more.

Legislators want to establish funds to curtail foreclosures

Appropriations Committee Chairman Dwight Evans, D-Phila., and Commerce Committee Chairman Peter J. Daley, D-Washington/Fayette, have announced efforts to create rescue funds to reduce home mortgage foreclosures in Pennsylvania. The rescue funds would include a "Refinance Fund," which would use taxable bonds to move people from adjustable-rate mortgages to fixed-rate mortgages with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority, and a "Workout Fund," which would use taxable bonds and General Fund appropriations to move people into fixed-rate mortgages where losses would be sustained as a result of the original mortgage contract.

"While we're working on new laws and new rules to tighten up oversight of the mortgage industry, we have to find a way to extract people already caught in bad mortgages before they go into foreclosure," Daley said.

"It serves no one if people lose their homes," Evans said. "The result is costly to those families as well as the rest of society, including the lenders and the loss in neighborhood stability."

-- Please click here to read more.

Cohen wants more funding for food safety inspections

Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., has introduced legislation that would add $100,000 to the Department of Agriculture's appropriation to improve food testing procedures.

The bill (H.B. 1326) would expand the ability of the department to test food, feed, fertilizer, pesticides and pet food. The bill would also require the Agriculture Department to share information with departments of Health and Environmental Protection, as well as other state agencies.

"In order to accomplish its duty of testing food products completely and correctly, it is critical that the Department of Agriculture have the necessary resources," Cohen said. "The agency responsible for food inspection has an enormous responsibility for the health and safety of our communities and should be provided adequate funding to accomplish its mission."

-- Please click here to read more.

Grucela introduces bill to protect reservists enrolled in college

Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard and other U.S. reservists would no longer be penalized academically when they are deployed to active duty before the end of a semester under a bill introduced by state Rep. Richard Grucela, D-Northampton.

Grucela's legislation (H.B. 1324) would permit members of the Pennsylvania National Guard or other reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces to take an educational leave of absence when called to active duty without losing academic credits or scholarship or grant awards. Educational institutions also would be required to refund tuition or fees paid, or credit tuition and fees to the next semester or term when the Guard or reserve member returns.

"It was recently brought to my attention that a reservist faced with the possibility of redeployment as a college senior would lose credit and tuition paid for that semester," Grucela said. "Men and women who volunteer to serve their country should not be penalized for that service. This is an issue we need to address immediately."

-- Please click here to read more.