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An update of recent legislative
activity by
Pennsylvania
House Democrats
Nov. 21, 2007
PASSED THE HOUSE
House advances Leach bill
that would allow sibling visitation rights
 The
House of Representatives has passed a bill (H.B.
895) introduced by Rep. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery,
that would allow siblings to maintain contact with each other following the divorce
or death of their parents. Leach said that current law does not provide standing
for siblings who want visitation with each other following a divorce, separation
or death of a parent or a court order that results in the siblings' separation from
one another.
"Children whose parents divorce,
or worse yet are deceased, already have their lives in an upheaval and usually are
experiencing fear and traumatic emotions," Leach said. "Not allowing siblings a
mechanism by which they can remain in contact and rely on each other for
emotional support is simply wrong. My bill would allow for reasonable and
continuing contact of siblings in these circumstances, and clarifies the law so
the court can interpret it in the best interest of the children."
-- Click here to
read more.
Cruz/Youngblood proposal
to require community service for those who cannot pay motor vehicle fines passes
House
 
Pennsylvanians who violate the state's traffic laws but are
unable to pay the fines and costs of the ticket may soon be able to work it off
as community service. This week, the state House of Representatives unanimously
passed a bill (H.B.
958) introduced by state Reps. Angel Cruz and
Rosita Youngblood, both D-Phila., that would allow
for community service as a punishment in lieu of fines for motor vehicle violations.
The proposal would allow a court to establish a period of community service when
a defendant pleads guilty to a motor vehicle violation and proves they are financially
unable to pay the fines and costs associated with the conviction. Cruz added that
the duration, time and manner of community service would be determined by the court.
"There are many citizens throughout
Pennsylvania
who are living paycheck to paycheck and simply cannot afford to pay a fine if they
are guilty of a motor vehicle violation," Cruz said. "Many fines go unpaid and
the situation becomes a downward spiral. With my legislation, the debt to
society could be paid through community service rather than through the
pocketbook."
"For so many Pennsylvanians, paying
even $10 a month in unexpected bills could be difficult to accomplish," Youngblood
said. "The way the law is currently written, someone could face jail time – one
year for every $40 in fines -- if he or she does not meet the financial obligation.
This is placing many citizens in tough situations -- do they choose milk for their
children or face jail time for a traffic ticket?
-- Click here to
read more.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Shapiro legislation to reform
PHEAA approved by committee
 Rep.
Josh Shapiro's bill to reform the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
(H.B.
1891) was approved by the House Finance Committee by a vote of 26-1 this week.
Shapiro's legislation would ban spending on bonuses, retreats and promotional items,
and direct that money back to aid for students. House Bill 1891 would require PHEAA
and its foundations to itemize travel expenses and certain expenses over $50. It
also would require PHEAA and its agencies to be subject to the Right-to-Know law.
"To make college more affordable
and accessible for Pennsylvanians, PHEAA needs to end its spending on bonuses, getaways
and promotional items and use that money to help students pay for college," said
Shapiro, D-Montgomery. "As it becomes more expensive to go to school in
Pennsylvania, it's in the best interests of our young
people, our economy and our Commonwealth to give students all the help we can to
get a college education."
-- Click here to
read more.
Shapiro bill to extend MCARE
approved by Insurance Committee
Legislation
sponsored by Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, to
extend Pennsylvania's Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error abatement
program was reported out of the House Insurance Committee this week and will next
go to the House floor for consideration. Shapiro's proposal (H.B.
1973) would extend the MCARE abatement program through 2008. The legislature
created the abatement program to assist health-care providers with the high cost
of medical malpractice insurance coverage. Specifically, the program provides a
100 percent abatement of the MCARE liability insurance premiums for high-risk specialists,
including emergency physicians, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons and ob/gyns,
and a 50 percent abatement for all others. Under Shapiro's bill, a health-care provider
would not be eligible for the abatement if he or she fails to pay his or her state
taxes and if he or she fails to participate in a Commonwealth-sponsored independent
drug information service session.
"It's crucial that we extend this
program, not just for doctors and the medical community, but for all Pennsylvanians,"
Shapiro explained. "The abatement program helps stabilize insurance rates and keep
doctors practicing in Pennsylvania while ensuring access to health
care for all of us."
-- Click here
to read more.
House committee approves
DePasquale proposal to help people buy energy-efficient homes
 During
a House Environmental and Energy Committee meeting this week, members unanimously
approved a proposal introduced by Rep. Eugene DePasquale,
D-York, that would encourage citizens to purchase energy-efficient homes. Specifically,
the legislation (S.S.H.B.
12) would create a two-year pilot program offering grants to home buyers of
up to $5,000 to offset closing costs and down payment assistance programs on homes
that meet or exceed energy-efficiency standards or include certain alternative energy
systems.
"Oil is close to topping $100 a
barrel, electric rate caps are set to expire in three years, and home heating costs
are expected to continue to rise. Many Pennsylvanians will be facing tough decisions
on how to heat and power their homes," DePasquale said. "We need to take a look
at long-term solutions to the energy crisis. This bill will create an incentive
for home buyers to look for energy-efficient homes and help them offset some of
the initial costs that come with installing these energy-saving systems."
-- Click here to
read more.
Clean fuels bill again supported
by House committee
 The
state House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee this week approved
Rep. Mike Gerber's landmark clean fuels legislation
(S.S.H.B.
2), a version of which the House already passed and sent to the Senate earlier
this summer. Gerber has continued to urge lawmakers to approve his bill, which would
significantly reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil, improve the environmental
quality of
Pennsylvania's fuel and stimulate energy-related economic
development in the state. The Clean Fuels and Energy Independence Act would make Pennsylvania more energy-independent and put
the state in the forefront of the alternative energy industry. Specifically, Gerber's
legislation would mandate the blending of 10 percent ethanol in gasoline and eventually
20 percent biodiesel in diesel fuels once in-state production reaches certain levels;
establish renewable fuel production and distribution standards to advance the shift
to cleaner and cheaper domestic fuel sources; and stimulate the Pennsylvania economy
with in-state production of these renewable fuels.
"I'm pleased with the strong bipartisan
support my legislation received this summer and am just hopeful the Senate will
act," Gerber said. "Today's vote demonstrates the House is committed to a cleaner
environment, energy independence and economic development."
-- Click here to
read more.
BILL INTRODUCTIONS
Grucela bill would help
lower-income families purchase homes
 Rep.
Richard Grucela, D-Northampton, has introduced legislation (H.B.
2040) that would assist limited-income families with the opportunity to purchase
a home by establishing funds to subsidize loan and mortgage insurance programs.
The Affordable Housing Trust Fund would be established under the Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency as a permanent fund to be used by the agency to help low-income and
moderate-income families attain home ownership through a Home Purchase Loan Program
and a Mortgage Interest Subsidy Program.
"The
rate of new houses being built has not kept up with the influx of population, and
real estate prices are rising all over
Pennsylvania
and the nation," Grucela said. "It's very hard to make a 20 percent down payment
anymore, and many people struggle to pay tacked-on mortgage insurance, closing
costs and other fees. My legislation would help those who truly need assistance
get through the initial purchase of a house."
-- Click here to
read more.
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