An
update of recent legislative activity by
Pennsylvania House Democrats
July 13, 2007
SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR
Staback: Boating under the influence bill becomes law
Rep. Ed Staback,
D-Lackawanna/Wayne, announced that a bill that he authored (H.
B. 778) that gives the Fish and Boat Commission the full authority to
prosecute boating under the influence in Pennsylvania has been signed into law
by Gov. Ed Rendell. The law gives the Fish and Boat Commission additional
authority to combat BUI and to enforce other laws relating to it. The law was
written to coincide with Act 149 of 2006 and links enforcement regulations of
boating under the influence to those of the recently revised driving under the influence law, including the lowering of the legal blood-alcohol content to 0.08 percent.
"The Fish and Boat Commission was
involved at every step of the way with this legislation," Staback said. "They,
along with the Department of Health, the state police, the District Attorneys
Association and several concerned advocacy groups, all contributed valuable
insights and efforts in the drafting and passage of this law."
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here to read more.
PASSED THE HOUSE
House passes Readshaw
early primary bill
The House of Representatives has approved a bill sponsored
by Rep. Harry Readshaw,
D-Allegheny, which would move up Pennsylvania's primary election, currently set
for April 22, 2008. Readshaw's bill (H.B.
289) would pull Pennsylvania's presidential primary balloting to the second Tuesday in February, which in 2008 would be Feb. 12. The current April date is more
than two months after the votes in other delegate-rich states like New York, New Jersey, California and Florida.
"It is in the best interests of
every Pennsylvanian that the presidential candidates come before us and address
the issues that are especially important to our electorate," Readshaw said. "If the competition for convention delegates is essentially over by the time Pennsylvania's primary rolls around, the need of the candidates to come here is greatly
reduced and the impact of the voters of the Commonwealth on the major parties'
choice of presidential nominees will almost certainly be zero."
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here to read more.
House OKs Dermody bill to
reduce electric bills for manufacturers;
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has
overwhelmingly passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, that
would help manufacturers and other industrial users better cope with the skyrocketing cost of electricity by stabilizing rates through long-term energy contracts.
Specifically, the bill (H.B.
1530) would allow electric utilities to offer long-term, fixed-rate
contracts to industrial consumers just like they currently do to residents and
businesses. The Public Utility Commission currently prohibits long-term
contracts for industry.
"This bill will help preserve
manufacturing in western Pennsylvania and in other areas across the state," Dermody said. "It will mitigate the huge electricity cost spikes that
happened when rate caps expired in western Pennsylvania, and when the caps are removed in other parts of the state. As the caps are coming off, energy costs are
increasing 30 to 40 percent. That's having a devastating effect and this bill
gives manufacturers an opportunity to survive."
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here to read more.
House sends Taylor's Willow Grove bill to Senate
The state House has overwhelmingly passed legislation
sponsored by Rep. Rick Taylor,
D-Montgomery, that would forbid use of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Joint
Reserve Base as either a commercial passenger airport or for cargo flight
service. The vote on the measure was 190-8.
"There are a lot of people in
Horsham Township and other communities around Willow Grove who are extremely
worried that the base could become a busy cargo or passenger airport with many
more planes at all hours of the day and night, with the additional auto and
truck traffic that would result," Taylor said.
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here to read more.
House passes bill to
publicize child support scofflaws
The state House of Representatives has passed legislation introduced
by Rep. Robert E. Belfanti Jr.,
D-Northumberland/Montour/Columbia, that would allow counties to publish the names and photographs of child support defaulters in local newspapers and on county Internet
sites. Present law only allows the names of defaulters to appear in newspapers
and on county Web sites. The legislation (H.B.
1230) would authorize county domestic relations offices to publish the names and photographs, both in newspapers and on the county Web site, of non-custodial
parents who are more than 90 days late in paying court-ordered child support
and who have made no effort to make arrangements with either the court or the custodial parent to make even a partial payment.
"Many single parents and their children struggle to make ends meet because the non-custodial parent refuses to meet his
or her financial obligations to the child," Belfanti said. "Some of these
scofflaws have become good at hiding in plain sight. Often, they take jobs off
the books such as bartending or working for contractors for cash."
-- Click
here to read more.
BILL INTRODUCTIONS
Cruz introduces bill to
ban guns in state Capitol complex
Rep. Angel Cruz,
D-Phila., has introduced legislation (H.B.
1701) that would ban anyone from carrying a gun in the state Capitol
complex. Cruz said the buildings would include the Main Capitol, the East Wing of the Capitol, the North Office Building, the Speaker Matthew J. Ryan Legislative Office Building and the Speaker K. Leroy Irvis Office Building. Exceptions
to Cruz's proposed ban would include any Pennsylvania State Police or Capitol
Police officer, and any member of Legislative Protective Services.
"To protect visitors to our state
Capitol and those who work in the offices each and every day, I think it is
very important that we not allow any weapons in any of the buildings," Cruz
said. "Earlier this year, I was threatened in this building with the words that
I 'should be hung from the tree of liberty.' I take threats like that very
seriously."
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here to read more.
Cohen still fighting for
living wage
Rep. Mark Cohen,
D-Phila., has introduced a bill that would increase pay for workers whose jobs
are subsidized by state funds. Cohen's legislation (H.B.
1697) would require that all jobs subsidized by state funds pay at least $1
more per hour than the minimum wage.
"We achieved a major victory for Pennsylvania's workers last year," Cohen said regarding increases in the state minimum wage that took effect in January and again July 1.
"But we know that even an
increased minimum wage is not enough to keep many families out of poverty. My
bill would be a starting point and set the example for a higher wage that truly
values the labor of our state's workers."
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here to read more.
James introduces plan to
record police interrogations
Rep. Harold James,
D-Phila., has introduced legislation (H.B.
1678) that would require police interrogations to be electronically
recorded. James, a retired Philadelphia police officer, said in many cases
police need to interview witnesses and people of interest regarding a crime.
Having the interviews recorded would make it less likely police would use any
coercion or that any claims of coercion could be made.
"Interrogations are a complex
undertaking and can be stressful for all parties involved. They can be further complicated in cases where children, indigent or foreign people are being interrogated
about the details of a crime or criminal activity that adults don't know,"
James said. "The aim of my bill is to ensure that when someone is interviewed
regarding a crime, nothing inappropriate happens in the interrogation room."
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here to read more.
Caltagirone introducing
bill to address illegal guns and violence
Rep. Tom
Caltagirone, D-Berks, will introduce legislation aimed at reducing the problem of illegal guns and violence in Pennsylvania.
"I have thought long and hard
before introducing this legislation. I think this would be a fair and
reasonable way to control the illegal guns and violence on our streets without
affecting the rights of responsible and legal gun owners," Caltagirone said.
"Something has to be done about the criminals who get people with clean police
records to purchase guns for them. Those who buy guns for criminals would be
likely to think twice if they faced more serious consequences."
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here to read more.
Caltagirone pushes
workers' comp coverage for firefighters who develop cancer
Rep. Tom
Caltagirone, D-Berks, is introducing legislation that would classify cancer
as an occupational disease of firefighters. The classification would make
firefighters who develop cancer eligible for workers' compensation.
"Firefighters risk their lives daily to save ours and in the process routinely breathe in smoke, fumes and gases
that make them more susceptible to many forms of cancer," Caltagirone said. "Because of this, it is only right to consider these cancers an occupational
hazard of firefighters, and to make workers' compensation available to them, just as state law does for other workers in the case of job-acquired illnesses."
-- Click
here to read more.
James plan would broaden
families' access to autopsy reports
Rep. Harold James,
D-Phila., has reintroduced legislation that would broaden families' access to
autopsy records. James' bill (H.B.
1696) would expand the term "next of kin" to include spouses, parents,
siblings and adult children, in no particular order of precedence.
"The current law is shortsighted
and doesn't take the way Pennsylvania's families are changing into account,"
James said. "Every circumstance is different and to have a blanket provision
saying that if there is a spousal relationship, that person is next of kin,
doesn't leave any room for adult children, parents or siblings."
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here to read more.
Surra wants to make Pa. inspection law friendlier to custom car enthusiasts
Rep. Dan Surra,
D-Elk/Clearfield, is preparing to introduce legislation that would help
thousands of custom-car enthusiasts continue their hobby while avoiding the additional costs that many face because of new enhanced inspection requirements in
Pennsylvania. Surra's legislation would create a new "show car" inspection
classification that would apply to modified or custom-built cars that are
driven less than 5,000 miles a year and are used primarily for transportation
to and from repair facilities, parades, car shows and similar activities.
Owners could obtain special registration for these vehicles, which would exempt
them from the enhanced inspection requirements. Instead, these cars would be required to undergo the 23-point safety inspection currently recommended by the National Street Rod Association. NSRA offers these inspections free at hundreds of events
across the country.
"The cost of enhanced inspections
now required by the state for rebuilt and modified cars could add up to
thousands of dollars for many custom-car and hot-rod enthusiasts, even though they rarely take their cars on the road," Surra said.
"There are instances where enhanced inspection requirements are appropriate for
owner safety and public safety, but in the case of most custom cars, they are
simply an unnecessary expense."
-- Click
here to read more.
