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

Monday In the House HB03 and HB29 were laid on the table and removed from the table; in the Senate for HB39 senators were appointed to a committee of conference
Tuesday no action
Wednesday HB35 and HB68 were 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. 167 By Senators ORIE, BROWNE, GREENLEAF, KITCHEN, BOSCOLA, LOGAN, FONTANA, PIPPY, WOZNIAK, RHOADES, C. WILLIAMS, CORMAN, STACK and WONDERLING. Prior Printer's Nos. 1140, 1513. Printer's No. 1551. A Concurrent Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task force to enlist the help of knowledgeable persons to develop educational materials to identify elderly persons at risk for suicide and to identify barriers and ways to surmount barriers encountered by professionals and nonprofessionals in connecting at-risk persons with appropriate resources.

Bills

The following bills passed either the House or Senate or both this week:

House

HB 2125 Prior Printer's No. 2929. Printer's No. 3583. An Act amending the act of July 14, 2005 (P.L.278, No.48), known as the Health Savings Account Act, further providing for special tax provisions by excluding from personal income taxation any amounts deposited into a health savings account.

HB 2315 By Representatives ARMSTRONG, CALTAGIRONE, CREIGHTON, FAIRCHILD, GEIST, HARPER, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, ROHRER and E. Z. TAYLOR. Printer's No. 3276. An Act amending Title 74 (Transportation) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the Aviation Advisory Committee.

HB 2443 An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, providing for continuation of demonstration projects for cardiac care.

HB 214 Prior Printer's Nos. 216, 3512. Printer's No. 3719. An Act amending Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for payments to family and funeral directors; and providing for autopsies.

HB 1983 Prior Printer's No. 2724. Printer's No. 3720. An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further defining "police officer"; defining "school police officer"; and further providing for police training, for automatic certification and for reimbursement of expenses.

HB 2003 By Representatives MAJOR, HERMAN, STERN, PICKETT, R. MILLER, ROSS, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, FABRIZIO, HERSHEY, M. KELLER, O'NEILL, SAYLOR, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, BEBKO-JONES and PAYNE. Printer's No. 2754. An Act amending the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code, further providing for assistant county solicitors.

HB 2038 Prior Printer's No. 2815. Printer's No. 3722. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, establishing a tax credit program to encourage the placement of students in a work environment through internships; and establishing a corresponding internship clearinghouse.

HB 2347 Printer's No. 3354. An Act providing for determination of a rural area in certain laws, programs and studies.

SB 435 Prior Printer's No. 458. Printer's No. 1357. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, amending provisions relating to comparative negligence.

SB 862 Prior Printer's Nos. 1105, 1241, 1302, 1319. Printer's No. 1553. An Act amending Titles 4 (Amusements) and 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for definitions and for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board; providing for applicability of other statutes; further providing for powers and duties of board; providing for code of conduct; further providing for temporary regulations, for licensed entity application appeals from board, for license or permit application hearing process, for board minutes and records, for collection of fees and fines, for Category 2 slot machine licenses, for Category 3 slot machine licenses, for order of initial license issuance, for slot machine license application and for slot machine license application business entity requirements; providing for licensing of principals, for licensing of key employees and for recusal and disqualification of members; further providing for supplier and manufacturer licenses; providing for manufacturer licenses; further providing for occupation permit application, for nontransferability of licenses, for gross terminal revenue deductions, for establishment of State Gaming Fund and net slot machine revenue distribution, for the Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund, for transfers from the State Gaming Fund, for the compulsive and problem gambling program, for public official financial interest, for political influence and for enforcement; providing for procedures, for hearing officers and for conduct of public officials and employees; further providing for prohibited acts and penalties; providing for detention and for interception of oral communications; further providing for duty to provide and for submission of fingerprints; providing for preemption in cities of the first class; further providing for corrupt organizations; and making a related repeal.

SB 969 By Senators RAFFERTY, LOGAN, COSTA, LEMMOND, FONTANA, ORIE, REGOLA, BOSCOLA, WONDERLING and ARMSTRONG. Prior Printer's Nos. 1289, 1474, 1530. Printer's No. 1554. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further defining "eligible entity"; and further providing for responsible alcohol management remediation for licensees and for rights of municipalities preserved.

HB 1804 By Representatives KENNEY and J. TAYLOR. Prior Printer's No. 2355. Printer's No. 3511. An Act amending the act of June 27, 1939 (P.L.1199, No.404), entitled "An act relating to the assessment of real and personal property and other subjects of taxation in counties of the first class; providing for the appointment of members of the board of revision of taxes by the judges of the courts of common pleas; providing for the appointment, by the board, of personal property assessors, real estate assessors and assistant real estate assessors, clerks and other employes; fixing the salaries of members of the board, assessors and assistant assessors, and providing for the payment of salaries and expenses from the county treasury; prescribing the powers and duties of the board and of the assessors, the time and manner of making assessments, of the revision and notice of assessments and of appeals therefrom; prescribing the records of assessments; and repealing existing laws," establishing a revenue-neutral tax rate after a countywide revision of real property assessment.

HB 2158 Printer's No. 2981. An Act amending the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code, further providing for other meeting expenses paid by counties.

HB 2304 By Representatives SOLOBAY, McCALL and GEIST. Printer's No. 3228. An Act designating the bridge carrying State Route 1025 over Interstate 79 in North Strabane Township, Washington County, as the Canon-McMillan Alumni Bridge.

HB 2380 Printer's No. 3396. An Act amending the act of July 7, 2005 (P.L. , No.1A), known as the General Appropriation Act of 2005, increasing the State appropriation to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for the Homeowner's Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program.

Senate

SB 780 By Senators RAFFERTY, LOGAN, O'PAKE, WONDERLING, PIPPY, FERLO, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, WOZNIAK, M. WHITE and C. WILLIAMS. Prior Printer's No. 982. Printer's No. 1549. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages.

SB 873 By Senators MADIGAN and STOUT. Prior Printer's No. 1128. Printer's No. 1539. An Act providing for the highway capital budget project itemization for the fiscal year 2005-2006.

HB 983 Prior Printer's Nos. 1118, 1960, 2397, 3677. Printer's No. 3717. An Act amending Title 12 (Commerce and Trade) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in the Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program, for approvals; and providing for film production tax credits.

SB 243 Printer's No. 244. An Act amending the act of June 28, 1935 (P.L.477, No.193), referred to as the Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law, extending the payment of the salary, medical and hospital expenses to sheriffs and deputy sheriffs under certain circumstances.

SB 773 By Senators GREENLEAF, BOSCOLA, WONDERLING, ARMSTRONG, FERLO and C. WILLIAMS. Printer's No. 952. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of greyhound race simulcasting; and prescribing a penalty.

SB 1062 By Senators RAFFERTY, LOGAN, BOSCOLA, ORIE, ERICKSON, COSTA, PIPPY, BROWNE, M. WHITE, O'PAKE, REGOLA, GREENLEAF, KITCHEN, C. WILLIAMS, LEMMOND, STACK and RHOADES. Prior Printer's Nos. 1456, 1475, 1498. Printer's No. 1514. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further defining "public venue"; and requiring the Bureau of Alcohol Education to make certain reports to the General Assembly.