weekly legislative update

As I mentioned in the previous posting, the governor called a special legislative session to look into property tax reform. Information from that session is included here as well. Standard caveats apply (resolutions not generally included, list of sponsors deleted if it was too long - three lines in the originally formatting).

Our accountants friends at PICPA have updated their legislative page, and have a lot to say about property tax reform.

Other weekly updates are available for this week:

PA House Democrats
PA House GOP daily updates
PA Senate Democrats
PA Senate Republicans

Special Session

These bills were introduced, or referred to a committee, not voted on. The descriptions tended to be pretty much the same, with only a few variations.

Monday no action HB40, HB41, and HB43 were laid on the table and removed from the table.
Tuesday no action
Wednesday HB59 laid on the table and removed from the table
Thursday no action
Friday no action

Regular Session

Resolutions

Here are some of the resolutions that caught my eye.

HR540 A Resolution expressing the disappointment of the House of
Representatives on the filing of a lawsuit by certain judges in this
Commonwealth to have declared unconstitutional Act 72 of 2005.

SR143 A Resolution urging the Governor to accelerate the deployment of
traffic sensor networks across this Commonwealth.

SR207 A Resolution directing the Department of Environmental Protection to
place a moratorium on all actions required of affected entities relating to
implementation of the Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Tributary Strategy for a
period of nine months from the date the adoption of this resolution.

Bills


House

HB 1854 Prior Printer's No. 2496. Printer's No. 3241. An Act amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, further providing for competitive bidding of contracts.

HB 1855 Prior Printer's No. 2497. Printer's No. 3242. An Act amending the act of June 24, 1931 (P.L.1206, No.331), known as The First Class Township Code, further providing for contracts and acquisition of property and for general regulations concerning contracts.

HB 1856 Prior Printer's No. 2498. Printer's No. 3243. An Act amending the act of June 23, 1931 (P.L.932, No.317), known as The Third Class City Code, further regulating contracts as to purchasing and advertising requirements.

HB 1857 Prior Printer's No. 2499. Printer's No. 3244. An Act amending the act of February 1, 1966 (1965 P.L.1656, No.581), known as The Borough Code, further providing for regulation of contracts, for evasion of advertising requirements and for certain purchase contracts.

HB 1858 Prior Printer's No. 2500. Printer's No. 3245. An Act amending the act of May 27, 1953 (P.L.244, No.34), entitled "An act relating to and regulating the contracts of incorporated towns and providing penalties," further providing for regulation of contracts; providing for annual adjustment; further providing for evasion of advertising requirements, for contracts between $750 and $10,000 and for separate bids for plumbing, heating, ventilating and electrical work.

HB 1861 Prior Printer's No. 2503. Printer's No. 3247. An Act amending Titles 53 (Municipalities Generally) and 74 (Transportation) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for competitive bidding of contracts by intergovernmental units, by parking authorities, by municipal authorities and by metropolitan transportation authorities.

HB 1862 Prior Printer's No. 2504. Printer's No. 3248. An Act amending the act of August 6, 1936 (Sp.Sess., P.L.95, No.38 1/2), entitled "An act to authorize and empower cities, boroughs, towns, and townships, separately or jointly, to provide for protection against floods by erecting and constructing certain works and improvements, located within or without their territorial limits, and within or without the county in which situate; and to expend moneys and incur indebtedness; to assess benefits against property benefited; to issue improvement bonds imposing no municipal liability; and to acquire, take, injure or destroy property for such purposes," further providing for competitive bidding of contracts.

HB 1863 Prior Printer's No. 2505. Printer's No. 3249. An Act amending the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code, further providing for commissioners sole contractors for county, for contract procedures, terms and bonds and advertising for bids and for evasion of advertising requirements.

HB 1864 Prior Printer's No. 2506. Printer's No. 3250. An Act amending the act of August 7, 1936 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.106, No.46), referred to as the Flood Control Law, further providing for contracts and acquisition of property; and providing for annual adjustment and for evasion of advertising requirements.

HB 1866 Prior Printer's No. 2508. Printer's No. 3252. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for adjustments based on Consumer Price Index; and further providing for work to be done under contract let on bids, for purchase of supplies, for contracts for construction, repair, renovation or maintenance, for project contracts and for powers and duties of institution presidents.

HB 1867 Prior Printer's No. 2509. Printer's No. 3253. An Act amending the act of April 29, 1937 (P.L.526, No.118), entitled, as reenacted and amended, "An act providing for and regulating joint purchases by counties (other than counties of the first class), cities of the second and third class, boroughs, towns, townships, school districts, institution districts, and poor districts," increasing the amount of purchases that may be made subject to certain conditions.

HB 1868 Prior Printer's No. 2510. Printer's No. 3254. An Act amending the act of March 7, 1901 (P.L.20, No.14), referred to as the Second Class City Law, further regulating contracts, contract procedures and advertising for bids; and providing for evasion of advertising requirements.

HB 1869 Prior Printer's No. 2511. Printer's No. 3255. An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), known as the Housing Authorities Law, further providing for awards of contracts, completion bond, additional bond for protection of materialmen and others.

HB 1870 Prior Printer's No. 2512. Printer's No. 3256. An Act amending the act of May 1, 1913 (P.L.155, No.104), entitled "An act regulating the letting of certain contracts for the erection, construction, and alteration of public buildings," increasing the minimum bid requirement; and providing for evasion of requirements.

HB 1871 Prior Printer's No. 2513. Printer's No. 3257. An Act amending the act of July 29, 1953 (P.L.1034, No.270), known as the Public Auditorium Authorities Law, increasing the dollar amount of supplies and materials which may be purchased without advertising.

HB 1872 Prior Printer's No. 2514. Printer's No. 3258. An Act amending the act of July 28, 1953 (P.L.723, No.230), known as the Second Class County Code, further regulating contracts and purchases.

HB 15 Prior Printer's Nos. 2632, 3167. Printer's No. 3448. An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the Substance Abuse Education and Demand Reduction Fund, for driving under influence of alcohol or controlled substance and for penalties.

HB 1294 Prior Printer's Nos. 1538, 2358. Printer's No. 3233. An Act providing for notice of motor vehicle event data recorders and for information retrieval; imposing penalties; and providing for evidentiary rules.

HB 1591 Printer's No. 1997. An Act amending the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, extending patient safety standards to certain abortion facilities.

HB 1992 Printer's No. 2733. An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, further providing, in the Local Government Capital Project Loan Fund provisions, for assistance to municipalities.

SB 63 By Senators KASUNIC, O'PAKE, C. WILLIAMS, REGOLA, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, LAVALLE, KITCHEN, M. WHITE, STOUT, LOGAN, CORMAN, LEMMOND, MUSTO, PILEGGI, RHOADES, EARLL, WOZNIAK, BOSCOLA, MELLOW and FERLO. Prior Printer's Nos. 187, 271. Printer's No. 1490. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing an exception to the oral examination for members of the active military, reserves or Pennsylvania National Guard who are currently deployed in an active military operation or national emergency; and further providing for, in child protective services, investigation of reports and for county agency requirements for general protective services.

SB 640 By Senators PILEGGI, EARLL, ERICKSON, THOMPSON, WONDERLING, PIPPY, TOMLINSON, STACK, LEMMOND, RAFFERTY, COSTA and M. WHITE. Prior Printer's Nos. 738, 1407. Printer's No. 1491. An Act amending the act of May 16, 1923 (P.L.207, No.153), referred to as the Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law, providing for donation of property in lieu of taxes; further providing for claims for taxes, water rents or rates and lighting, power and sewer rates and for contents of claims; and providing for a public record of all properties against which taxes were levied and remain unpaid.

SB 595 By Senators PRIME SPONSOR WITHDREW, BOSCOLA, THOMPSON, KITCHEN, TOMLINSON, COSTA, ORIE, O'PAKE, BRIGHTBILL, LEMMOND, RHOADES and BROWNE. Prior Printer's Nos. 615, 1265, 1486. Printer's No. 1496. An Act amending Title 15 (Corporations and Unincorporated Associations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for removal of directors, for control persons and for qualifications of directors.


Senate

HB 1281 By Representative HARRIS. Prior Printer's Nos. 1525, 2849. Printer's No. 3386. An Act designating State Route 104 as the Timberwolves Memorial Highway - 104th Infantry Division, United States Army.

HB 1504 Prior Printer's Nos. 1838, 2369, 3308. Printer's No. 3467. An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for reduced license fees for former prisoners of war.