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

This bill passed the house on Monday:

HB 39 Prior Printer's Nos. 41, 62. Printer's No. 91.An Act providing for taxation by school districts, for the State funds formula, for tax relief in first class cities, for school district choice and voter participation and for other school district options; making an appropriation; prohibiting prior authorized taxation; providing for installment payment of taxes; restricting the power of certain school districts to levy, assess and collect taxes; and making related repeals.

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 The Senate referred SB04 and SB36 to the Legislation committee
Tuesday no action
Wednesday HB39 referred to Rules, HB42 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.

Serial No. 160 By Senators GREENLEAF, COSTA, LEMMOND, ORIE, EARLL, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, FERLO, ERICKSON, ARMSTRONG, WONDERLING, WASHINGTON, BOSCOLA and STACK. Printer's No. 1112. A Concurrent Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a bipartisan task force with an advisory committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the current status of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services within the panoply of methods of conflict resolution available in this Commonwealth, to identify relevant best practices in the delivery of ADR services locally and nationally and how to improve conflict resolution in this Commonwealth by incorporating these best practices, to develop a plan for educating the citizens of this Commonwealth about conflict resolution in general and the use of ADR services in particular, as well as ensuring access to all needed ADR services, utilizing best practices and to propose legislation as may be required to implement the proposed plan and advance the use of innovative conflict resolution methods Statewide in the civil courts and in schools, businesses, government, criminal and juvenile justice systems and other community settings.

HR 562 A Resolution establishing and directing a select committee to examine matters relating to influenza vaccine supplies and the Commonwealth's preparedness for an influenza outbreak.

HR 583 Printer's No. 3517. A Resolution calling on the Department of Public Welfare to address legitimate grievances of Pennsylvania's pharmacies and to explore options which preserve the ability of pharmacies, especially independent, family-owned pharmacies, to continue providing quality pharmaceutical services to department clients.

Bills

Please take note of HB1260 -- polka and square dancing. This could impact the future of Philadelphia as the new borough of NYC. I'm not sure those two things are really popular in the Big Apple. However, I do-si-do-ed a number of times during my wild and crazy undergraduate years and can tell it is good exercise and helps with coordination. Maybe not as much as a good tango, but you can involve a larger social circle in square dancing. Gingham and denim are optional.

Please also note HB 2337, to include economic and personal financial literacy programs in schools. Given that this is Financial Literacy Month in PA, and that our state legislature has rammed legalized gambling down our throats whether we want it or not (guess where I fall on this question), and that the county as a whole now has a negative savings rate, I think this is a grand idea.

House

HB 1902 Prior Printer's Nos. 2603, 2950. Printer's No. 3513. An Act amending the act of July 28, 1988 (P.L.556, No.101), known as the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, further providing for sunset for recycling fee and for performance grants for municipal recycling programs.

HB 671 Prior Printer's No. 764. Printer's No. 3531. An Act amending the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L.128, No.43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law, further providing for purchase of agricultural conservation easements.

HB1260 Prior Printer's No. 1486. Printer's No. 3533. An Act designating polka music as the official folk music of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and designating the American square dance as the official folk dance of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

HB 1637 By Representatives KENNEY, J. TAYLOR, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, JAMES, KOTIK, PYLE, STABACK, THOMAS, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD, MUSTIO, M. KELLER, BEYER, FAIRCHILD and LEH. Prior Printer's No. 2022. Printer's No. 3530. An Act amending the act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1175, No.497), known as the Mechanics' Lien Law of 1963, further providing for definitions, for waiver of liens, for effect of waiver of liens, for rescission of contracts between contractors and subcontractors and for priority of liens.

HB 2337 Prior Printer's Nos. 3343, 3416. Printer's No. 3532. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for development of economic education and personal financial literacy programs.

SB 929 By Senators ROBBINS, M. WHITE, BOSCOLA, ERICKSON, WOZNIAK, LEMMOND, PILEGGI, COSTA, RAFFERTY, D. WHITE, KITCHEN, WASHINGTON, FONTANA and MUSTO. Printer's No. 1218. An Act prohibiting the advertising and conducting of certain live musical performances or productions; providing for enforcement; and imposing a penalty.

Senate

HB 1114 Prior Printer's No. 1321. Printer's No. 1946. An Act amending the act of December 19, 1996 (P.L.1478, No.190), entitled "An act relating to the recycling and reuse of waste tires; providing for the proper disposal of waste tires and the cleanup of stockpiled tires; authorizing investment tax credits for utilizing waste tires; providing remediation grants for the cleanup of tire piles and for
pollution prevention programs for small business and households; establishing the Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program and management standards for small business hazardous waste; providing for a household hazardous waste program and for grant programs; making appropriations; and making repeals," further providing for the definition of "waste tire"; defining "recycled tire product" and "waste tire recycling facility"; and further providing for the disposal of whole waste tires, for Environmental Quality Board regulations, for waste tire registry and for remediation liens.

HB 1455 By Representative WILT. Printer's No. 1753. An Act designating the intersection of State Route 18 and State Route 58 in Greenville, Mercer County, as the Joseph J. Lininger Intersection.

SB 303 By Senators PILEGGI, PUNT, GREENLEAF, ERICKSON, THOMPSON, RHOADES, WOZNIAK, TOMLINSON, KITCHEN, WONDERLING, TARTAGLIONE, LOGAN, KASUNIC, MUSTO, WAUGH, LEMMOND, RAFFERTY and STOUT. Prior Printer's No. 315. Printer's No. 1356. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for fees for constables.

HB 599 Prior Printer's Nos. 672, 2341, 2395. Printer's No. 3528. An Act amending the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73, No.17), known as the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act, further providing for award of grants and for expiration of authority; and making an appropriation.

HB1401 Printer's No. 1691. An Act designating a bridge on State Route 150 crossing the Beech Creek in Clinton and Centre Counties, Pennsylvania, as the Beech Creek Veterans Memorial Bridge.

HB 1525 Prior Printer's Nos. 1858, 2398. Printer's No. 2743. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further providing for limiting the number of retail licenses to be issued in each county.