Interview with Rick Taylor (151st State House)

Here is the latest in a series of candidate interviews. Rick Taylor is the Democratic candidate for the 151st state house district.

In the biography on your campaign website you say “Coupled with some solid government programs like the Pell Grant and student loans, I was afforded the mobility to make a better life for my family.” Were you referring to geographic mobility, social mobility or something else?

Social and economic mobility. Some well-thought-out programs made a difference in my life – that and my own sense of self-responsibility. To get through college, I worked 30 hours a week as a cook, and as an usher for Twins and Vikings games. I want to ensure that all children have the same opportunities that I had, and Republicans have been gutting these programs by cutting eligibility and award sizes.

You belong to the Ambler Mennonite church – some people equate that with the Amish -- will be showing up at the state house with a long beard and driving a horse and buggy? Can you explain a little about Mennonite beliefs, especially regarding the separation of church and state and military defense, for those who are not familiar with the denomination?

I don’t know if the State House car-lease program will cover my horse and buggy, so I might just have to use my minivan instead...

The main values of the Mennonite church are peace, kindness and tolerance. These things are what is missing from today’s Republican-led government, and as a result we are seeing them do just the opposite by:

starting a needless war in Iraq in which we are entrenched with no way out.

being unkind to anyone who is not wealthy by transferring the debt burden to the middle class and the working poor; and finally

being intolerant, attacking partnerships calling them 'an unholy abomination.'

Whatever happened to looking out for one another?

I am tired of the Republican right thinking they have a lock on religion. What I do not understand is why some stop reading the Bible at Leviticus. Many social conservatives use religion as a cudgel to beat us with their hatred. The book is filled with taking care of the poor, young, elderly, sick and standing up for those who are on the margins. Progressives must challenge them on their interpretations. I am very comfortable about talking about my beliefs.

While my values inform how I will legislate (I do not know how I can separate them) I am strongly against introducing religion into state matters – this gets back to tolerance. William Penn founded Pennsylvania on religious tolerance and liberty; I see anything that forces the church into our public life as a betrayal of those principles.

Mennonites have historically been pacifists. Under most circumstances I can agree with it, but there are times, especially in our defense, that we must fight. Though this is a federal issue, the war in Iraq is an example where I think it was wrong for us to go in and destroy the lives of so many innocent civilians, and waste our lives, treasure, and prestige.

In the press release announcing your candidacy you talk about the need for property tax relief. What is your opinion of the bill recently passed by the house? What would be your ideal version of property tax, if any?

Our property tax system, although originally designed as a well-intended progressive tax, is now unfair to and inadequate to cope with the massive fluctuations in the real estate market. The recent legislation did help, but they did not go far enough. My worst fear is that Harrisburg will be unable or afraid to address the problem.

The 151st district is made up of parts of five townships, Montgomery, Horsham, Upper Dublin, Abington, and Lower Gwynedd. How can any one representative represent so many local governments and interests?

And it also contains my home Ambler.

You raise a good question. This is the effect of protecting incumbents in the worst way. The 151st used to be more homogenous in makeup but because of some close elections in MontCo, the district boundaries were redrawn by Perzel. The Democratic township of Upper Dublin used to have one representative and now it is divided between four. It makes little sense.

There are more than 60,000 people in the district. Places such as Ambler and Abington are already built up with an older population, while parts of Horsham and Montgomery Township have new developments springing up, and good parts of their population are younger.

It is difficult, if not impossible to satisfy everyone, but I will try my best to listen to all my constituents.

How long have you lived in the 151st district?

I have lived in Ambler for six years and in MontCo for eight years. My family and I have decided to make a home here. I love it so much that I moved my mother from Minnesota two and a half years ago to be closer to her grandchildren.

You won a spot on the Ambler Borough council in November 2005 and were sworn in January 2006 and now, less than a year later, you are running for state representative. Do you have any previous electoral or political experience in Pennsylvania? Are you worried that voters might have concerns about whether or not you will stay in the house for any length of time if elected?

I have been active with my local Democratic party for some time, and I have had the privilege to work in the office of Senator Paul Wellstone in Minnesota. Other than my seat on Ambler Council, I have not had other electoral experience in Pennsylvania.

I am running for the state house because I believe I can make a greater impact on the lives of our children and seniors than I can at the borough level. I also believe that member of the Republican Party in Harrisburg for too long have been representing their own interests rather than ours. The failure of lobbying reform a couple of weeks ago is just another example of business as usual. We can do better and we deserve better. Quite frankly, having talked to over 4,000 voters so far, this is the issue that resonates with them. I believe the Republicans will have a surprising wake up call in November (if they didn’t get it in the primary) and it’s because of their lack of commitment over this issue.

You defeated a sitting borough council president to win the councilman’s spot in Ambler’s Ward 3. What do you attribute that win to?

Two things: 1) I went and talked with the voters and 2) I LISTENED to them.
I am doing the very same thing now. I plan to personally visit 15,000 doors because I can think of no better way to be an effective representative than listening to what they have to say. It seems today that that is a novel idea but it shouldn’t be so in a healthy democracy. Just today I had a few people say to me that I was the first politician to visit their door and they really appreciated it. It’s not rocket science; it’s just the formula to be an effective representative.

If elected would you be a full-time legislator or have a second job also?

It is my plan to be a full-time legislator. I would like to be the most effective legislator I can.

I believe in public service above all else so much so that I will be taking a substantial pay cut to do this job. Why would I do that? Like I said earlier, I have benefited by so many good programs which allowed me to move up economically and socially; from living in trailers and apartments all my life to owning a home and able to save for retirement, that I feel there is debt I must repay to society. It is the idealistic part of me. I read too many political philosophy books while in college : ).

There are at least three locally owned banks around your district, Ambler Savings Bank, Abington Bank, and Willow Grove Bank. What does that say about the area? Is it a plus or a minus?

I bank at Ambler Savings because I like community businesses. I bought my car in Ambler, get my haircut there, get my beer there and see movies there.

It says that small businesses still have a place and they are the backbone to our economy. As soon as we are homogenized through the Walmartification of the US, then we will have lost something special: the local community touch.

What would you like to see happen at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station?

That’s a tough question. There are so many twist and turns in the saga that I don’t know what will happen next. The 111th Fighter Wing will remain there until 2010. And there are many unanswered issues. For example, we do not know which land will be considered surplus by the military. Also what is the condition of the land and what kind of remediation will it need?

I would strongly support keeping the PA National Guard and runway there and continuing Willow Grove’s role in protecting our national security.
In any event, there should be no civilian airport.

If it is opened to development, the process should be transparent, I would like to see smart development, like the walkable town centers in Hatboro and Ambler with a combination of small businesses and residences. Allow for open spaces and trails. And make strong public transportation a key part of the equation. This piece of land can give us something that is disappearing from our landscape: a sense of community and belonging.

In an area with active chambers of commerce, main street organizations, and social capitol as evidenced by the nonprofit Ambler Theater and other community groups, what role can the state representative play in encouraging new business and nourishing those already in existence?

I see three ways:

Make the business climate in Pennsylvania friendlier for small businesses to open up shop.

A legislator tends to be a connector, a person who happens to know many other people. He/she can get parties that have needs connected to those who have the ability to provide solutions.

Additionally a legislator may be aware of funding programs that a business might be eligible for, and make the business aware of such grants.

What question didn't I ask that you would like to answer?

Why would you run for state representative in a time where many citizens are cynical about government?

Citizens are right to be cynical because up until now we have not had much in the way of good solid representation from Harrisburg. I see the potential of Pennsylvania to be more than it is now. I see what government ought to be rather than what it is now. Today, the Republican led legislature in Harrisburg has time and again did a disservice to us by working on serving their own self interests instead of moving PA forward. I am interested in moving past that and getting a truly representative government. As a father of two young kids I want to see the state prosper by setting high standards for our community. We should think long term, about how we:

make sure that good jobs will stay here,

can be competitive against global economic pressures,
protect our environment, and

make sure that our citizens receive the dignity and respect they deserve.

In short, I am running because government is about improving the citizens’ lives and not the representatives.

The 151st State House District

The 151st state legislative district contains Ambler and parts of Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery Township and Upper Dublin townships (map).

Running against incumbent Republican Rep. Eugene McGill is Democratic challenger Rick Taylor. Taylor grew up in Minnesota and interned with Sen. Paul Wellstone and graduated from the University of Minnesota wiht a Ba in Politican Science. He has a Master's degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell. He is currently a member of Ambler’s Borough Council, representing the Third Ward. (full bio here)

Orefield: PA Patent Hub

Looking through the stack of papers on the dining room table, I found an article in the July 22/23 Wall Street Journal, "The Most Inventive Towns in America," by Reed Albergotti. he looks at small-town patent hubs. The only Pennsylvania town on the list is Orefield. Individuals or small businesses there received 30 patents in 2005. Orefield is described as: "The Allentown suburb is close to Lehigh University and to research and development facilities for software maker Agere Systems.

In another odd literary connection, for those interested in such things, take a look at Gary Taylor's Cultural Selection: Why Some Achievements Survive the Test of Time and Others Don't. It applies a Darwinian approach to culture. One chapter discusses the large number of plays written in Shakespearean London. Some of the factors that accounted for this are the existence of a large number of theater companies. The competition among them drew playwrights to write new plays. There were also a lot of collaboration among the writers and may scripts were co-authored. (As an aside there is also a chapter on attempts at rehabilitating Richard Nixon's reputation.)

How you develop this environment for businesses is beyond but I'm sure a good infrastructure and an abundance of educated workers are involved.

GOP Fashion Czars

Joe Sestak, 30 year veteran of the navy was invited to speak at a Memorial Day service. Sestak is also the Democratic candidate for the 7th congressional district, currently held by incumbent Republican Curt Weldon. Weldon has previously criticized Setak for allowing his 4 year old daughter to continue medical treatments for a brain tumor in Virginia, instead of completely changing her medical routine and changing doctors by bringing her to Pennsylvania.

Now state GOP officials are critizing Sestak for wearing his uniform at the Memorial Day service. What exactly did they think would be appropriate for the setting -- cutoffs and sandals? They also claimed he was wearing incorrect insignia, although this has been refuted.

Veterans for Sestak released a statement pointing out that Navy regulations allow retired military to wear their uniforms at memorial services. You can read both statements here. A few excerpts from the Veterans for Sestak statement are below (bold added):

Rocco Polidoro, a Republican co-chair of Veterans for Sestak, and the Commander of a local veterans group said, "Obviously, Curt Weldon needs to be educated on the rules and regulations of the military. This comes as no surprise considering that Curt has never worn the uniform of the United States military. As a Republican, I can safely say that Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan would be turning in their graves if they knew that Curt Weldon would be using this as another desperate attempt to swift boat a man who served his country for 31 years."

Jerry Gavin, a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 67, Delaware County said, "Former Vice Admiral Sestak, who is a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 67, Delaware County, participated in the Marcus Hook Memorial Day events with other members of the Delaware County Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He was also asked to be a speaker and to read the names of the Navy service members from Delaware County who were killed in Vietnam. As someone who was myself wounded in Vietnam, it put tears in my eyes to hear Admiral Sestak read the names of those who had given the ultimate sacrifice. For anyone to criticize him for participating in non-political Memorial Day activities is deeply upsetting."

Candidates are supposed to be scrutinized. It's part of the process. But to criticize someone for where his daughter received medical treatment or the intricacies of naval wardrobe regulations is silly. C'mon. Question his stand on the issues. Question his campaign methods. Question that all you want. But don't create frivilous distractions. And don't insult veterans by nitpicking about uniforms. I see retired servicemen wearing their uniforms in the 4th of July parade every year. A National Guard officer who attends my church sometimes wears his uniform to service. I don't know if either is allowed by the military rules or not, but I'm not going to quiz them about it.

You Say Jazeera, I Say Jazeerah

Capitol Ideas engages in some old fashioned investigative reporting this morning and debunks the recent reports of Al-Jazeera denouncing Rick Santorum and encouraging people to support Bob Casey. Turns out it was Al-Jazeerah, a different outfit altogether. Read the full report here.

Paul Lang Editorial

Paul Lang, Democratic candidate for the 6th state senate seat, published a guest editorial in the Bucks County Courier Times today.

If I have been out of town, Tomlinson has been out to lunch
A Guest Opinion by Paul Lang
Bucks County Courier Times - June 26, 2006
Since the announcement of my candidacy for state senator to replace Tommy Tomlinson, the senator and his political operatives have used the Bucks County Courier Times to make an issue of my being “out of town” and that I am inexperienced by calling me a “kid.” Instead of discussing issues, policies, and reform, the Tomlinson team has taken a page out of the Rove-Bush playbook.

I would like to set the record straight on how I have been “out of town.” First, I have lived in Bucks County for close to 20 years. I left Bucks County to serve in the military and I am proud to be the only candidate in this race with a military record. I am a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy.

While Senator Tomlinson was chosen as a delegate to the Republican National Convention and vocalized his unity with George Bush, I was wearing a 9 mm on my hip, stopping drugs and protecting our borders. I became a disabled American veteran following a line of duty law enforcement accident. I also became a founding member of the Department of Homeland Security and gained valuable legislative experience with the Coast Guard’s Congressional Hearings Team.

After eight years of active duty service, I was given the honor of being retired due to my injury. Upon retirement, I studied my tail off, earned a law degree and an MBA in between countless rehabilitation visits to Bethesda Naval Hospital. Now I work in Bucks County. I am getting married this month, and wish to serve the people of the 6th Senatorial District. Above all, I am proud of what I have done and am unapologetic for being “out of town.”

I, like many other veterans, have looked death in the face and fought back harder than most ever have. The physical pain I feel every day reminds me that I am lucky to be alive and that what I have done with my life so far certainly has made me a man.

Of course, I do give credit where credit is due. When Tomlinson’s people say I’m inexperienced, they are partly correct. Unlike Tomlinson, I do not know what it is like to vote myself a 50 percent pension increase like he did in 2001. Unlike Tomlinson, I never voted against a minimum wage increase as he did in 1996. Unlike Tomlinson, it hasn’t taken me over 4,000 days to finally pass property tax relief (despite having a governor, House, and Senate of the same party for many previous years). Unlike Tomlinson, I didn’t fail to follow the state ethics rules by not reporting the $22,200 he made after selling stock in IGA Federal Savings (Philadelphia Inquirer, May, 16 2005). Finally, I have never been a member of a legislature with one of the worst records for lobbying and special interests.

So, Tommy, you have a fight on your hands and I will not back down from pointing out your legislative history as a career politician. But, it isn’t just me who has a lack of faith in your leadership. Your own party has continually refused to appoint you chair of every important committee you have sought to lead. I understand that your team will be writing letters and bad-mouthing me from now until Election Day. My hope is that we can discuss leadership, reform, and what is best for Pennsylvania. I broke my back for my country and I am willing to do it again for the residents of the 6th Senatorial District and there is nothing you or your smear operatives can do to stop me. If I have been “out of town,” you have been out to lunch and I look forward to having the middle class help you collect your 50 percent pension increase earlier than you expect come Election Day.


Paul Lang, www.electlang.com, is a graduate of Council Rock High School and currently resides in Bensalem. He is a retired Lieutenant from the U.S. Coast Guard. He received his Bachelors of Science (cum laude) from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and his JD/MBA from the University of Maryland. Paul is now a vice president at an investment bank in Bucks County.

Some Interesting Links

A few items for your consideration.

Pennsylvania Progressive has had some really interest posts lately. I would especially draw your attention to those on Jim Gerlach's FEC reports.

And for something completely different, Philadelphians Against Santorum brought my attention to this item by "Savage Love" columnist Dan Savage. He recounts his attempts to contribute to Bob Casey's campaign. Please note that the essay contains, as usual for Savage, graphic language. While I am a regular reader of"Savage Love," I don't do so when my children could look over my shoulder or colleagues are likely to wander into my office.

Another Regional Corporate Headquarters

Another feather in our regional cap. NCO Group, has its corporate headquarters in Horsham. It has offices in 7 countries. Their website describes the company this way:

NCO is the industry leader in providing clients with successful business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions. Our outsourcing portfolio includes accounts receivable management, customer management services, and back office services for a diversified customer base. Since NCO's inception in 1926, our goal has remained constant — to reduce client operating expenses, increase cash flow, and improve their customers' experience. Our best-in-class, results-driven reputation, strong financial track record, and proven business model makes NCO the choice for BPO solutions.

It is traded on NASDAQ as NCOG and their corporate website provides investor relations information.

[lawyer note -- neither I nor anyone in my immediate family owns stock in this company. It may be included in a retirement fund but I do not follow the individual companies in them.]

Joe Sestak on Radio Times

Yesterday Radio Times continued it's "Meet the Candidate" series with an hour long discussion between Marty Moss-Coane and Joe Sestak, Democratic candidate for the 7th congressional district. Incumbent Republican Curt Weldon has also been invited on the show. (This was probably mentioned as a way of demonstrating the show isn't partisan).

PA-7 Watch provides links to the show in mp3 and Real Audio if you want to listen yourself, which I would recommend if you are interested in the race.

I'm not very good at transcribing radio or tv interviews or debates but here are my impressions of the main points covered.

The conversation between Moss-Coane and Sestak focused on foreign policy. He thinks we should be our of Iraq at the end of 2007 except for support for some special missions. Regarding Iran, Sestak thinks we have outsourced leadership of the situation to the European Union. We need to work through others but use direct negotiations if necessary to find key sanctions. In the Middle East, we have not provided leadership. We have a unique opportunity. In a crisis a good leader looks for opportunity.

They also discussed health insurance and pharmaceutical benefits.

Callers were most interested in domestic issues.

These are just a few of the points covered and only my impressions of them. While we say the discussion was an hour it was really only 45 minutes. You could pack in a lunch and listen to it over the noon hour with time to spare for a trip to the snack machine. Or listen at home. For those who like such things Sestak has a voice that is very easy to listen to. If he decides politics is not where his future is, broadcasting may be an option.

Two Quick Facts About Rick Taylor

I've written before (here , here, and here) about Rick Taylor and he is one of the first group of candidates in the Progressive Suburban Philly Bloggers Act Blue page. Two things you may not know about him:

1) He was an intern for the late Senator Paul Wellstone.

2) His campaign manager is Hannah Miller, who was involved in Anne Dicker's primary campaign for a state house seat in Philadelphia.

Tom Ellis Goes on Montco Payroll

When Montgomery County commissioner Tom Ellis was elected in 2004, a fuss was made over him taking just $1.00 as his annual salary (Source: "Commissioner says he'll do job for $1 a year," by Jeff Shields, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 16, 2004):

Ellis said he would continue to work for $1 unless his partners changed their minds about his full-partner status. He estimated that he would be able to devote only about one-fifth of his work time to his law practice.

Almost on cue, the Board of Commissioners made up for Ellis' savings by establishing an administrator position. Commissioners voted to hire Gregory A. Honeyman, a retail consultant and former executive with Genuardi's Family Markets, as deputy chief operating officer with a salary of $57,811.

Honeyman is also a high school classmate and longtime friend of James Matthews,' chairman of the Board of Commissioners. Matthews said yesterday that the position, which was eliminated four years ago under former Chairman Mike Marino, was needed to help oversee county departments.

Things have apparently changed. From the Intelligencer ("Montco approves half-salary for commissioner," By Jodi Spiegel Arthur, July 21, 2006.

The county salary board, which includes Ellis and the two other commissioners, voted Thursday to allow the commissioner chairman to take half of his $82,000 annual salary because he is spending more time doing county work and less time as a lawyer in private practice.

Since taking office in 2004, he has only received $1 a year by the county because it was his decision to only accept that amount for his commissioner work.

But now, Ellis said he spends 10 hours a week or less working for Philadelphia law firm Ballard Spahr Andrews and Ingersoll, where he is a partner in the finance department.

from the same article:

Ellis will take home $20,500 in county pay for the last six months of 2006 and $41,000 for all of 2007. He would not say how much he earns from the law firm.

“The firm continues to pay me a nice compensation (but) they're not able to continue where I was before,” he said.

Of the other two Montco commissioners, Ruth Damsker does not have an outside job. Jim Matthews does. He is also running for lt. gov. on the Republican ticket. Two things came to mind when I read about Ellis's decision to take a partial county salary. One is that two of the three commissioners don't think an $82,000 a year job should be able to command their full attention (note: the other two receive slightly less, $79,144; Ellis is the chairman and so receives a little more. The other is to wonder if the guy whose job was being funded by the money Ellis didn't take is still on the county payroll and if so, where the money for his job is coming from.

I read these things and just shake my head.

Interview with Jeff Albert (12th state senate)

I don't have a favorite quote from this interview but I found many of his answers very thorough and informative. I especially draw your attention to his description of the redistricting process and merit selection for judges.

Jeff Albert, Democratic candidate for the 12th state senate district, was part of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s March on Washington in 1963 and has been active in regional politics for many years. He helped start Bucks County Common Cause. Moving to Montgomery County he served as chair or treasurer for all of Joe Hoeffel’s state house campaigns and continued to serve as an advisor to him later. He served as an Abington Township commissioner from 1985 to 1989. The family then moved to Upper Dublin Township and Albert has served as chair of the Upper Dublin Democratic Committee. A lawyer, he argued against the 2001 redistricting plan before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on a pro bono basis. He has also been on the Montgomery County Governmental and Fiscal Controls Commission and chair of the Eastern Montgomery County Neighborhood Division of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

The district is currently represented by Republican Stewart Greenleaf. A previous post gave a district description and map link.

You issued a press release criticizing Stewart Greenleaf for not voting for mandatory minimum sentences for people who sold drugs that resulted in a death. Do you support mandatory sentences generally? (link to press release)

In the 1970s, as issues director for Joe Hoeffel’s first successful state house campaign, I drafted a call for mandatory minimum sentences in Pennsylvania. All too frequently, sentencing had been based upon the finances of the defendant (with the affluent or well connected getting shorter sentences, while many minority defendants received longer sentences) or the relationship between defense counsel and the judge.

Later, Sen. Greenleaf became a staunch advocate of such rules, favoring tougher and tougher sentences. Even as recently as 2004, he reiterated that, in his view, when it came to those convicted of first or second degree murder, “life means life.” The inevitable result has been overcrowded prisons, while encouraging clever evasion of those limits by drug dealers (such as those for possession of drugs) and, sometimes, overburdened district attorneys.

However, recently Sen. Greenleaf became an advocate of loosening the very same sentencing requirements he had helped to enact. He has time and time again cited the cost of running the prisons, and, in particular, the cost of incarcerating infirm and elderly inmates.

Some have viewed his position as favoring compassionate release, which is currently permitted through our Parole Board. Rather, so far as I can determine, his position is based upon cost avoidance.

This change of position has led him to oppose longstanding policies favoring incarceration of those who have committed some of our most serious crimes. For example, he has buried in his committee House passed legislation to re-impose mandatory minimum sentences on drug dealers who sell drugs which kill those who use the drugs, even though the State House unanimously passed that bill in June 2005.

Our sentencing policy must first be based upon harm to the victims, not the cost of incarceration. The Legislature should carefully define the sentences which fit the crime, not requiring stiff mandatory minimums routinely. However, I think it is critically important that once we state that we are imposing a sentence such as "life sentence without parole" that we do not disrespect the victim by changing that sentence after the fact.

You are on Horsham’s Land Reuse Authority, the board that will decide what happens to the land currently housing the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. What do you think would be the best possible use for that land? Realistically, what do you think will happen? (Source: Ruppel, Paul, “No additional request for land at base,” Intelligencer Mar 3, 2006, p. B5).

We are still awaiting final word from the Department of Defense as to just what portion of the property will be declared "surplus," that is, no longer need for military use. If the DOD declares that is does not need the 8000' runway, there is still a compelling need for its use for Pennsylvania's Air National Guard. I support Governor Rendell in his effort to maintain that resource. However, if that is not to be, we need to think "big," such as locating (or relocating) a a research university on the site in order to encourage development of hi-tech, good paying jobs in this area. One thing is for sure, like many residents of the area and Gov. Rendell, and local Democrats, I will strenuously oppose putting a civilian airport at that site. This battle may not be as easy as it sounds, because the BRAC Commission, as signed into law by President Bush, determined that the future use of the site should be "compatible with a civilian airport."

You were Joe Hoeffel’s campaign treasurer for his senatorial race and some others. Do you think state and federal campaign finance laws should be changed, and if so, how?

Our State’s continued refusal to embrace contribution limits (outside of Philadelphia, where those limits are being challenged) has led to decreasing political competition. Even this year, in the age of the great “pay raise rebellion,” almost all challengers facing incumbents had difficulty breaking $25,000 in the pre-primary fundraising. My opponent, who has served 28 years in the State Senate, started the campaign year with $300,000 in the bank, and the GOP leader in the State Senate raised over $2 million to fend off his primary challenger who raised a tenth of that amount. In both instances, very little of that money came from within the district and even less came from individual constituents.

As a result, a few political fundraisers and special interest groups have dominated Pennsylvania politics. Sometimes, those groups have succeeded in using their prowess in campaign financing to win major policies victories in the state, and sometimes the state politicos have manipulated those groups to secure large donations without intending to deliver “the goods.”

Pennsylvania should adopt the federal rules, which permit ample financing of our federal campaigns, while encouraging solicitation of smaller contributions.

Although you’ve been elected as a township commissioner, most of your political work has been behind the scenes, as a campaign manager or treasurer. Has being a state legislative candidate been a big adjustment?

I think that being a candidate requires a broad range of skills. It is a challenging task, but I have found it most pleasant - with an exception of a few (and, I am pleased to say, very few) dyed-in-the-wool Republican who from time to time have decided that making Pennsylvania "red" requires getting angry at someone they have never met before.

Another difficulty is figuring out just which groups say "you call us, we don't call you." Gee, it would be nice for a first-time candidate to know you are out there.

In 1999 you and three other Upper Dublin Township political leaders sat down and in one evening worked out the redistricting of township wards. If elected to the state senate you will probably be in office when Pennsylvania’s congressional district boundaries are redrawn. What general guidelines would you suggest for this process? (Source: Ruppel, Paul, “U. Dublin ward plan shifts 11 percent of residents,” Intelligencer Nov. 27, 1999, p. 2A.)

I have participated in the drawing township ward and voting district lines in 1992 and 2002. In both instances, I served as the Democratic Party’s representative on the Upper Dublin Ward Realignment Committee, which was divided evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

Each time we were guided by the opinion of our Township Solicitor that the districts could not vary by more than 3%. We considered the actual census counts, including identifying obvious errors (such as streets incorrectly located by the Census Bureau) and post-Census growth in determining just which wards would, at least theoretically, go on the “high side,” and those which would go on the “low side.”

My first principle has always been to avoid dividing neighborhoods. For example, when we began in 1992, one 250-home neighborhood, Aidenn Lair, one of our longest existing, was divided into three separate wards. In 1992, we were able to reduce that division to two wards, and in 2002 we were able to put all of Aidenn Lair into one ward, and, further, into one voting district. This effort followed the mandate of the State Constitution to avoid dividing areas which have common interests whenever possible.

A second principle has been to use boundary lines which are easy to describe to voters. This requires using major streets as boundaries, or community boundaries, such as placing all of Aidenn Lair in one district, while placing the entirety of an adjoining community in another district.

A third principle we followed was to see that incumbents were not dispossessed of their home areas, and, if a concern was raised, areas which they believed to be essential to their effective representation. This was essential because our commissioners are elected in cycles, so that, if they did not have a district with some type of political base, we would be using reapportionment as a means of ousting an incumbent or basically leaving that incumbent with no constituency.

Therefore, once these rules were applied in 2002, about 11% of the population was moved among wards, but only about half of that number had their polling places changed.

The 1992 realignment carried, as I recall unanimously, and the 2002 realignment carried with the votes of 2 of the 3 Republican members of the Board of Commissioners.

Although the 1992 and 2002 changes had the result of shifting neighborhoods from one ward to another, neighboring ward, the basic political geography of Upper Dublin remained intact; while Upper Dublin has grown much less Republican, its Republican plurality still dominates a majority of wards. What has changed in the ground is that Democrats have been able to carry wards with GOP registration pluralities and to be reelected in those wards.

Based on your varied political experience, as an area party leader, township commissioner, campaign manager, and state senate candidate, what do you think can be done to get more people involved in the political process, not only as a voter but also to be more actively involved throughout the year and election cycles?

People who are not involved do not see how government can help them do good things. It is our responsibility to point out just what good government can do and how it can help them. We will never get everyone to participate, but through door-knocking and other direct contacts we can do a better job.

You have stated that you are in favor of merit selection of judges as opposed to electing judges. How would a merit selection system work? Who decides which candidates have more merit? How is this better than public elections? (link to press release)

As an attorney, I have seen just what the inside of judicial campaigns means for Pennsylvanians. It often means those with access to political connections or money win, while well qualified attorneys who would bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to the bench never get a chance, and many decide not to even try. All too often, the present system requires judicial aspirants to assume political identities or shed their political identities to secure a seat on the bench, hardly an example of principle.

The worst aspect of this is judicial fundraising to effect party endorsement, favor in the process or in securing election. Philadelphia may be the worst example of this, but I assure you the financing practices for statewide candidates and most counties are just slightly less blatant.

If we are serious about getting a mixture of political and social philosophies on the bench, to reflect the best of our state and judicial districts, we need merit selection. Most people who have studied this issue, particularly in Pennsylvania, have come to that conclusion. It will not be perfect (for example, I have sometimes felt that the Pennsylvania Bar Association or some local bar association just got it wrong in rating a judicial candidate), but at least it can be made transparent.

There is a tendency to favor merit selection if the electoral process does not get you the results you favor, while to oppose it if the system does favor you.
Senator Greenleaf has flip-flopped on this issue. After I pointed that out, he has now indicated that he may have a hearing on the issue. Finally, after fourteen years of stonewalling, he may have a hearing.

What was your reaction to the news that the Ft. Washington Expo Center was going to be turned into offices for GMAC Residential Mortgage?

The loss of the Expo Center has caused our area to lose an important asset, but, for Upper Dublin taxpayers, GMAC should be tremendous gain in ratables. Plaudits should be given to the Board of Commissioners for helping to secure this valuable addition to the township's tax base.

There are at least three colleges or training centers, Gwynedd Mercy College, Temple Ambler, and Eastern Montco Vo-Tech, as well as the Penn State Research Center, in the 12th state senate district. Is the district able to keep the students who graduate in the area?

We do a poor job in keeping our students here. There needs to be a greater range of job opportunity. As State Senator, I will work on promoting "big ideas designed to capture the imagination of our youth and employers who offer the kind of quality jobs we need. That will take a combination of tax reform, changes in our legal system to make it less costly, and a quality and responsive educational system.

The district crosses county lines, with 9 townships in Montco and 3 in Bucks, and 3 congressional districts, the 6th, the 8th, and the 13th. Does that provide any difficulties?

The district, consisting of 17 municipalities, has significant diversity of interests, but these differences are not so much based on county issues, but on property tax burdens. That issue is one that makes most suburbanites skeptical of the state, which draws a large amount of taxes from our area while returning an ever decreasing amount. GOP leadership has accomplished virtually nothing to reverse this. In fact, my opponent proposed an addition to the basic subsidy which would have basically given every taxpayer what amounted to the cost of a tank of gas (assuming last year's prices were still in effect). Most taxpayers wonder why the state isn't giving them a fair share.

What would be your top priorities if elected?

1. Economic development, including a business climate which will bring about more job growth
2. Legislative reform
3. Making state government work better for less cost, so that we can afford needed social services for our citizens, such as quality health care and education
4. Respect for the rights of all citizens.


What question didn’t I ask that you would like to answer?

How many zig zags for Sen. Greenleaf?
Answer:
1. Abortion
2. State Liquor Stores
3. Mandatory Sentencing
4. Gay Rights
5. Support for State Budget
6. Minimum Wage

12th state senate district description

The 12th state senate district includes sections of Bucks and Montgomery Counties. In Bucks it is Upper Southampton, Warminster and Warrington Townships. In Montgomery it is Franconia, Hatfield, Horsham, Lower Gwynedd, Lower Moreland, Montgomery, Upper Dublin, Upper Gwynedd, and Upper Moreland Townships and Ambler, Bryn Athyn, Hatboro, Hatfield and North Wales Boroughs. (pdf map link, via Committee of Seventy)

The district contains the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, Gwynedd Mercy College, Temple University’s Ambler campus, and a number of corporations. It is currently represented by Republican Stewart Greenleaf, who has been in the state senate since 1979. His Democratic opponent is Jeff Albert.

Off Topic: This Week's Odd Literary Juxtaposition

In the second of what appears to be a continuing series of odd literary juxtapositions (see last week's broom tree blogging), I offer this:

A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength
(Psalms 33:17)

A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
(Richard III by William Shakespeare Act 5, Scene 4)

Those up on their Shakespeare will recognize this vain cry by King Richard III on Bosworth Field as he loses the last real battle of the War of the Roses to Henry VII, thus ending the reign of the Plantagenets and ushering in the Tudor dynasty.

Learning the Ropes

Another round of workshops and conferences on learning the political process is coming up.

All Things Political
Monday, August 21, 2006 8:00 AM -
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 6:00 PM
Catamaran Resort
3999 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA
details here

if you prefer the correspondence course method this may appeal to you:

Throughout the summer, DFA Night School will offer three online sessions that will help build your media skills. The sessions combine an online presentation with a live conference call and group discussion with our trainers to show you how to get a progressive message into the media. You can join any or all of the DFA Night School sessions from the comfort of your home or office today. Click here to sign up:

July 25: Working the Mainstream Media
August 1: Leveraging Blogs and Online Media
August 8: Sustaining your Media Presence

The events are free of charge and you don't need any prior experience working with the media. Media coverage is one of the best tools we have for spreading our progressive values -- and holding this administration and Congress accountable for their failures. Click here to find out more and reserve your spot.

weekly legislative update

With the daily legislative emails comes the disclaimer that some items may be included in later emails. Such was the case this week; all the bills listed as passing either the house or senate did so some time ago and are just now being reported. (Incidently, that happened with the pass raise bill. I thought I had missed it, but it just came through later.)

Here is what was reported this week:

House

May 10, 2005, House

HB 515 An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing, in sales and use tax, for the definition of "manufacture"; and further providing, in personal income tax, for imposition and, in corporate net income, for definitions.

June 22, 2006

HB 700 Prior Printer's Nos. 917, 4350, 4417. Printer's No. 4350. An Act providing for lobbying registration, regulation and disclosure; conferring powers and imposing duties on the Department of State, the Office of Attorney General and the State Ethics Commission; imposing penalties; establishing the Lobbying Accountability Fund; and making a related repeal.


Senate

Nov. 2, 2005

HB 515 Prior Printer's Nos. 564, 1457, 1911, 1950, 3036. Printer's No. 3173. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing, in sales and use tax, for the definition of "manufacture"; and further providing, in personal income tax, for imposition and, in corporate net income, for definitions.

July 1, 2006

HB 700 Prior Printer's Nos. 917, 4350, 4417. Printer's No. 4350. An Act providing for lobbying registration, regulation and disclosure; conferring powers and imposing duties on the Department of State, the Office of Attorney General and the State Ethics Commission; imposing penalties; establishing the Lobbying Accountability Fund; and making a related repeal.

eRobin on Paul Lang

eRobin wrote a great essay on Blogosphere Day that appeared on American Street. In it she wrote several paragraphs about Paul Lang. Here is my favorite:

He’s also the most gifted person I’ve ever met at building relationships. Go to a Lang event and you’ll see people standing next to each other who wouldn’t normally cross the road to say hello to one another.

I have to agree. He's excellent at connecting with people. Any time I want to know something about the regional Democratic universe, emailing Paul is one of my first options. He usually knows. If he can, he'll answer my question. He's nice about it. Getting all three of those in one person is unsual.

Welcome to Daddy Democrat Blog

We have a new friend in the regional blogosphere -- Daddy Democrat. He's a real standup guy and has designed a nifty button for the Progressive Suburban Philly Bloggers (see for yourself -- on my right sidebar). DD is following the 7th congressional district (Joe Sestak) and the 161st state house (Bryan Lentz). Check out part of a recent post on Lentz:

Bryan always impresses me whenever I run into him. He’s a natural for politics, and I mean that in all the best possible ways. He first got my attention in November, when he contacted our Township Dems a few weeks before the local-only election. With nothing asked in return, he mobilized his volunteers to help us staff the polls. They didn’t wear Lentz swag. They just showed up and worked their tails off for our candidates. “Right now, the most important thing we have to do is get Democrats elected,” he told me. Bingo. Candidates need to ask for help, and I’m more willing than most to work for them. But you have to be impressed with a candidate who, in the big-money era of politics, scratches your back first.

I've developed the same opinion of Lentz.

Welcome to Daddy Democrat and many thanks for the spiffy button!!

New Poll: Murphy Gains on Fitzpatrick

Since March, Patrick Murphy has cut significantly into Mike Fitzpatrick's lead. It was 14 points, it is now 6. When those polled are given a fuller biography of Murphy, he leads 55 to 36.

Source: Murphy cuts Fitzpatrick’s lead in suburban Philadelphia race
By Jonathan E. Kaplan, The Hill (full article here), via politicspa

Mike Fitzpatrick's Political Origins

This is another posting on the 8th congressional district race between freshman incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick and Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy.

Those who keep up with such things will remember that Mike Fitzpatrick was picked to step in to the GOP spot for the 8th congressional district two years ago when incumbent Rep. Jim Greenwood dropped out of the race to become CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

You may know that prior to this Fitzpatrick had been a Bucks County Commissioner. What you may not know is that he was also appointed to that position as well.

Prior to that he lost in the 1990 and 1994 general elections to Democratic state Rep. Anthony J. Melio for the 141st district (he won the 1990 primary against the endorsed candidate) (1/18/95)

Let’s start there and move forward. After graduating from Dickinson School of Law in 1988, he worked at the law firm of Jackson, Cook, Caracappa & Bloom. In 1993 went to Begley, Carlin & Mandio firm.

“Possibly no other professional firm influences more decisions in the Bucks County government than Begley, Carlin, & Mandio, whose law offices in Langhorne look out on the Oxford Valley mall.

In the last year alone, its lawyers have negotiated the sale of the county-owned Point Pleasant Pumping Station, assisted in the sale of 39 acres of land in Bristol Borough to a casino company, and advised top officials at the Bucks County Community College in labor talks with employees. These legal services have provided the firm, whose lawyers also are among the largest contributors to the Bucks county Republican Party, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees and a hand in the running of county affairs.” (1/08/95)

“William Carlin, a partner in the law form and an old friend of local Republic Party boss Harry Fawkes, began those sale negotiations (Point Pleasant Pumping Station) in 1993. Fitzpatrick did not work on the transaction.” (1/12/95)

When then Bucks Count Commissioner Mark Schweiker became lieutenant governor, a replacement was needed.

“County GOP Chairman Harry W. Fawkes had made it no secret that Fitzpatrick was the person he favored for the job.

“He’s the one I would like to see get the position,” Fawkes said last week.” (1/18/95)

“But Fawkes, county GOP chairman, made it clear Fitzpatrick was his No. 1 choice for the job, and the executive committee gave him 80 of 81 votes, more votes than for anyone else.” (1/21/95)

Thus, Fitzpatrick became a county commissioner. He was re-elected three times. In July, 2004, sitting Congressman Jim Greenwood decided not to seek re-election. Three weeks later, a special nomination commission was held on Aug. 12 to decide on his replacement.

“When 128 Republican from the 8th district meet in a special nominating convention to pick a candidate to replace retiring Congressman Jim Greenwood, 121 of them will have been handpicked by Bucks County Republican Party Chairman Harry Fawkes.

At that nominating convention – which could take place as early as next week – the conferees will stand before their fellow Republicans and voice their choice: Bucks County Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick or state Sen. Joe Conti, R-10.

Also in that room will be Fawkes, a vocal Fitzpatrick supporter. (7/30/04)”

A week later this was published:

“Both men have heavy hitters in their corners. Fitzpatrick has the blessing of the county party chairman, Harry Fawkes, and of State. Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, R-6. Conti has the support of Greenwood, who went so far as to help pay for a poll that showed the senator shares with Fitzpatrick nearly identical name recognition among voters.

Name recognition aside, however, many conferees said Fitzpatrick probably has the inside track to the nomination because of Fawkes’ endorsement and because as commissioner he’s worked closely with the people who’ll be screening the two candidates.” (8/05/04)

You could say it’s sour grapes, because I’ve never had any connections to tap, but it always bothers me to see someone get tapped for things because they have connections. A partner at his law firm, which does a lot of business with the county and whose employees are political donors, is good buddies with the county party chairman, who picks him to become county commissioner and nine years later picks him to step into a congressional race. How comfortable are you with the loyalties that engenders?

Voters in the 8th district have a choice in this election. I hope they will look carefully at the candidates.

Sources:

Fernandez, Bob, “Bucks GOP to recommend a successor for Schweiker,” Philadelphia Inquirer 1/12/95

Fernandez, Bob, “Member of influential law firm gets push to fill commissioner post the GOP boss is supporting the candidacy of Michael Fitzpatrick” Philadelphia Inquirer 1/08/95

Funk, Leslie Klein, “Bucks candidate blasts judges – commissioner hopeful says 11 jurists blindly chose rival” Morning Call 1/21/95

Funk, Leslie Klein, “Fitzpatrick is sworn in while Lingenfelter vows court fight,” Morning Call 1/24/95

Funk, Leslie Klein, “Fitzpatrick replaces Schweiker,” Morning Call 1/18/95

Martinez, Rick, “No secret ballot in this vote,” Bucks County Courier Times 7/30/04

Martinez, Rick, “Short campaign for Greenwood’s seat,” Bucks County Courier Times 8/05/04

Suburban State Races Act Blue Page

Congressional candidates and national bloggers have been effectively using ActBlue as a fundraising tool for some time. The idea has begun to trickle down to state level races. eRobin at Factesque and I have been talking about setting up an ActBlue page for suburban Philly bloggers to highlight state level progressive candidates. Today, on Blogosphere day, we'd like to announce the formation of the Progressive Suburban Philly Bloggers. Our first three candidates are Paul Lang (6th state senate), Bryan Lentz (161st state house) and Rick Taylor (151st state house). In our vast spare time we'll be inviting other bloggers to join us and researching other candidates. Or, hey, you can get in touch with one of us. We're focusing on Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery Counties, candidates from those areas, and bloggers that focus at least in part on those areas.

Veteran Candidates

This posting is on a subject near and dear to my heart. I’ve mentioned that I’m from a military family. Visits with relatives this summer have included discussions of the GI Bill as a way of paying for college (both past and present), a VA loan as the means of getting a house and tales of military medicine. There were also some sobering stories of Iraq from the young man who bought his own body armor before being deployed because it would be better than standard army issue. He came home safe and sound but his mother still works with a group that prepares and mails care packages to troops overseas.

There are a number of veterans running for office this year that I would like to discuss, in case you aren’t familiar with them. I didn't include details of their service but if you link to their campaign sites you can read more about it there.

Surely you know Patrick Murphy (candidate for 8th congressional district), who this week gave an example of the type of legislation he would like to introduce if elected, new GI Bill of Rights. I think he has some good ideas. Murphy served in Afghanistan and Iraq. (press release on proposed legislation, article on press conference).

In the 6th state senate, candidate Paul Lang was injured on duty in the Coast Guard when outdated equipment failed. He also is looking out for his fellow veterans. At an event I described in a previous posting, he noted that that New Jersey has almost 30 caseworkers for returning veterans. Pennsylvania, with four times as many veterans, has three.

Bryan Lentz, candidate for the 161st state house, served in Iraq, Bosnia, and the Sinai Peninsula.

Joe Sestak, running for the 7th congressional district, is a retired Navy vice admiral

A few months ago I heard Rep. Allyson Schwartz (13th congressional district) talk and was very taken with one of the stories she told. While not in the military herself, her father served in the Korean War. She said he was gone for two years and when he returned she, at age 5, did not recognize him (full story in article here). This resonated because my mother tells a similar story of me not remembering my father when I was very young and he returned from a lengthy stay overseas. Service in the military affects not only the person in uniform but their entire family.

Soldiering is not a requirement for a candidate but in the midst of a war those with direct field experience are more likely to have a realistic understanding of what the troops need and what the true cost of the war is. We really don't want to be known as a country that sends its troops off with substandard body armor or outdated equipment or doesn't provide timely medical and psychological care for the soldiers or their families during their absence or on their return. A few more veterans in office might at least be able to bring these issues up for discussion and push for better care, equipment and facilities for active duty troops and better medical care for veterans.

Lentz Editorial

Bryan Lentz (candidate for the 161st house district) wrote a very nice editorial in the July 12-18 Main Line Life. You can read the full text here.

Congressional Fund Raising Round Up

Our devoted friends at the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org) have updated their site with the second quarter congressional fund raising reports.

A list of all Pennsylvania congressional races is here.

Taking a closer look at some of the races I've been following we find:

6th district (incumbent Republican Jim Gerlach, Democratic challenger Lois Murphy)

Gerlach raised 2,236,293, has $1,302,975 cash on hand
Murphy raised 2,068,584, has $1,402,793 cash on hand

contributions from individuals vs pacs: Gerlach 40% vs 53%; Murphy 80% vs 19%
in state vs out of state: Gerlach 83% vs 18%; Murphy 62% vs 38%

For all Gerlach's posturing that Murphy gets a lot of special interest money, he took in $343,370 from ideological contributions, Murphy $142,325. Gerlach took in $237,393 from leadership PACS, Murphy $56,750.

*****************

7th district (incumbent Republican Curt Weldon, Democratic challenger Joe Sestak)

Weldon raised $1,411,690, has $1,152,012 cash on hand
Sestak raised $1,131,769, has $993,746 cash on hand

contributions from individuals vs pacs: Weldon 56% vs 40%; Sestak 82% vs 17%
in state vs out of state: Weldon 56% vs 44%; Sestak 62% vs 38%

Weldon's top donating areas by far are defense and single issue/ideology; he accepted $117,000 from leadership PACS. Sestak's high areas are lawyers/lobbyists and "other." He also has a fair amount of labor money.

*******************

8th district (incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick, Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy)

Fitzpatrick raised $2,074,707, has $1,133,180 cash on hand
Murphy raised $960,680, has $495,236 cash on hand

contributions from individuals vs pacs: Fitzpatrick 42% vs 47%; Murphy 87% vs 13%
in state vs out of state: Fitzpatrick 81% vs 19%; Murphy 73% vs 27%

Fitzpatrick took in $285,598 from ideological sources, Murphy $22,050. Fitzpatrick took in more donations from finance/insurance/real estate and ideology/single issue sources than from other areas. For Murphy finance/insurance/real estate and lawyers/lobbyists were the high donating areas. Fitzpatrick took in $182,471 from leadership pacs.

*********************

13th district (incumbent Democrat Allyson Schwartz, Republic challenger Raj Bhakta)

This one is so lopsided, just take my word for it that Schwartz took in a lot of money and Bhakta not much. For what he took in he spent a lot and is left with $28,352 on hand, compared to her $1,491.276. Also, 82% of his money came from out of state. She gets very little from single-issue/ideology sources and leadership PACS are not listed in her top industries. I would link to her campaign site but even with all that money she seems to have trouble paying someone to put any content there or keep it up.

***************

10th district (incumbent Republican Don Sherwood, Democratic challenger Chris Carney).

Just a quick look -- Sherwood has $479,134 on hand, Carney $301,245. Wow!

***************

Closing thoughts:

Lois Murphy has more on hand than Gerlach. Weldon and Sestak are about tied. Patrick Murphy has about half what Fitzpatrick does.

I note that the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) made significant donations to Lois Murphy, Allyson Schwartz, and Mike Fitzpatrick (!). Which of these things doesn't belong here? What gives, Johnny Doc? (Note: checking the fec reports at www.fec.gov I see that an IBEW committee did donate to Patrick Murphy but not as much as the IBEW gave to Fitzpatrick.) Also odd, opensecrets lists a $5,000 Forward Together PAC donation to Sestak but not one of the same amount to Patrick Murphy. I've had to edit this post after double checking the fec reports. Very annoying.

[Update -- To clarify, opensecrets lists a Forward Together donation to Sestak but not to Patrick Murphy. However, if you review his itemized report at www.fec.gov you do see a Forward Together donation. I don't know why opensecrets listed one and not the other.]

Favorite Quotes of the Day

From today's Inky ("Rendell 'loves' reporters, but they're off the bus," by Angela Couloumbis), Dan Fee, campaign spokesman, explains why Gov. Rendell is not inviting reporters on his campaign bus:

"As much as the governor loves the Harrisburg media corps - really, who doesn't? - he thought the time apart would strengthen and deepen their bond the next time he meets with them," he said.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, eh?

Matt Best, a blogger from across the aisle, whose work I admire though often disagree with, has started a new blog, Courage, and provides a wonderful quote from Teddy Roosevelt that I encourage you all to link over and read.

An Interview with Charles Dertinger (15th Congressional District)

The 15th congressional district consists of Northampton County, Lehigh County (minus a smidge), a small section of Berks county and two oddly shaped sections stretching into Montgomery County. (map link). Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton are all in the 15th district.

Currently the district is represented by freshman Republican Charlie Dent, who won the Republican primary in 2004 with 51.5% of the vote and the general election with 58.6% of the vote. It was an open seat in 2004 when three-term Republican Pat Toomey decided to run against Arlen Specter for the Republican Senate nomination.

Running against Dent is Charles Dertinger, currently serving on the Northampton County Council and chair of its Open Space Committee. He previously served on the Washington Township Planning Commission, the Northampton County Election Commission, and the executive board of the Northampton County. Democratic Committee.

Interview with Charles Dertinger

What would you like to see happen at the Bethlehem Steel site, both blue skies and realistic views?

I have the blue skies view of bringing alternative energy manufacturing of wind, solar or fuel cell technology or at least some sort of manufacturing back to this site. Unfortunately, this would take many years to populate the entire site and with the current climate and plans for slot parlors and entertainment my realistic views is to accept what is to come and to work at seeing that the jobs provided pay a living wage.

You served on an election commission – what can we do to increase participation in the electoral process, to get more people to vote?


First thing we should adopt would be early voting for people who may otherwise have a difficulty getting to their polling place for any reason. Another important step is giving people a government they can trust. A recent article noted that young people are both more informed and more cynical about politics than they’ve been before; some of that is because of (very funny) programs making fun of people like us, but some of it, particularly in Pennsylvania, is because many politicians have betrayed the public trust. I’m for accountable, open government – not taking money from Tom Delay, like my opponent.

In one article I read you mentioned attending church. Do you think the Democratic party needs to reach out to people of faith more or should candidates not discuss religion and religious beliefs?

For anyone who’s been brought up religious, our values are shaped by our beliefs – it’s impossible not to talk about them. Whenever we talk about right and wrong, we’re using principles we learned in Sunday school.

What we shouldn’t do is impose those beliefs on others where religion is their only justification. For instance, my religion teaches me to support the poor – but we need to do that for secular reasons too, so that businesses in low-income areas have customers who can afford to spend money, and because it’d be a moral obligation even if it wasn’t a religious one.

I agree with Barack Obama on this; Democrats should reach out to people of faith, because most Democrats are people of faith. It doesn’t mean sacrificing any particular policy, but it does mean being respectful of religious values and understanding that we agree more than we disagree.

The 15th congressional district includes very small pieces of Berks and Montgomery Counties. Aren’t those areas likely to be overlooked by whoever represents the district?

I would no more overlook Montgomery and Berks as the Congressman for the 15th District than I would overlook Portland, Walnutport, Hellertown or Williams Township as a Northampton County Councilman. Although they may seem to be geographically disconnected there is very little difference between driving out to meet with people from Telford, Emmaus or Albany.

You have criticized the current representative, Charlie Dent, for voting along the Republican party line. If elected, what percentage of the time do you think your votes would agree with the majority of the congressional Democrats?

I’ll vote with Democrats when I think they’re right – right on the merits, and right for the Fifteenth District. Charlie’s pro-choice, which means he’s not voting the Republican party line on abortion – but he votes with Tom Delay 91% of the time. Just imagine how high his percentage has to be on other issues. Sooner or later, I think you’re voting for Houston’s interests instead of Easton’s.

You raise hogs, work in New York, serve on the county council, are active in local party activities and other community work. How do you do all that and keep up with a young family, too?

I drink a lot of tea. Most days I’m up at four o’clock in the morning to go to work and back by five PM to do county business or community work. I’m blessed with a lovely family – my nine year old daughter, Rebecca, is probably a better politician than I am – and keeping up with them is always the best part of my day.

What advantage would your associate’s degree in labor studies give you in a Congress packed with lawyers?

We’re facing a crisis for working people in this country – the gap between rich and poor is getting wider and workers are getting squeezed out. My degree is one good illustration of the fact that, unlike the attorneys and big businessmen in Congress, my experiences and my perspective are those of working Americans. Outsourcing isn’t an academic question to me; it’s something my brothers on the Central Labor Council worry about every day.

Should employers such as Wal-Mart have to reimburse the state for the health insurance costs of their workers who are on state health plans?

Yes. But this isn’t a full solution to our health care problems – we need to start working to cover everyone, and start with the most vulnerable folks, like our children. This Administration has cut Medicare and Medicaid when we need to be expanding health care – especially in the Lehigh Valley, where our poor air quality (among the worst in the nation) is literally making us sick.

What question didn’t I ask that you would like to answer?

Well, the elephant in the room is pretty clearly money; I’m an insurgent candidate and I started late, and I’m running against a well-funded incumbent. I’ve also stood on principle and restricted my own sources of funding by pledging to refuse any oil money.

But people don’t know how blue the Fifteenth is; Democratic performance here is above 50%, and this is a district that we can win, together. It’s an incredibly important year; our soldiers, our seniors, and our working families who rely on public schools and worry about outsourcing are relying on us to take back the Congress. Together, we can take a big step towards taking America back for working people.

Sources:

Dertinger, Charles, “Proud of record, proud of write-in candidacy,” Morning Call May 5, 2006

Hay, Bryan, “Campaign leads toward pigpen,” Morning Call October 27, 1999

Kraus, Scott, “Council race features ‘99 rematch,” Morning Call October 26, 2003

Muschick, Paul, County candidates weigh in on issues,” Morning Call October 26, 2005

Muschick, Paul, “Development agency’s fate unclear,” Morning Call June 4, 2006

Muschick, Paul, “Two faulted on open space,” Morning Call September 22, 2005

Muschick, Paul, “Were County Council appointments legal?” Morning Call February 7, 2006.

Nerl, Daryl, “Dertinger comes out firing at Dent,” Morning Call April 30, 2006

“Northampton County Council: An anti-cooperation resolution,” Morning Call April 25, 2006 (opinion)

Christmas Cards vs Abu Ghraib

In today's Inky, Dick Polman's article, "Republican Congress starting to stir out of oversight slumber," includes this paragraph:

Another telling statistic was reported late last year by the Boston Globe. Citing House records, it found that, in the mid-'90s, the GOP Congress took 140 hours of testimony on whether Clinton used his Christmas card list to find potential campaign donors. By contrast, in 2004 and 2005, House Republicans took 12 hours of testimony about the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.

Something definitely out of whack there.

Off Topic: Broom Tree Blogging

I had reason to read I Kings 19 yesterday and noted that in it Elijah fell asleep under a broom tree. Reading this you no doubt have the same "Eureka!" moment that I did. What comes to mind? The Plantagenets, of course. The family that ruled England from Henry II through Richard III. Henry's father, Geoffrey of Anjou, liked to put a sprig of broom in his hat. The family name derives from the botanical name, planta genista, but you probably already knew that. Isn't it wonderful that we all share these varied but interconnected interests? And people think we're solely concerned with politics. Ha!

Those broom trees really get around. Anyone have any other broom-related trivia?

Bachmann Industries -- Another Philly Area Company

From time to time I run across a PA or Philly area company that is new to me. Today was one of those days. If you know any train hobbyists you might be familiar with HO train systems -- those model trains you sometimes find in an uncle's attic or garage or tucked away in storage as the remnants of someone's boyhood.

One of the leaders in the manufacture of these train sets and systems (they can get very involved) is Bachmann Industries. There isn't a company history on their site but toydirectory.com has this to say:

Based in Philadelphia since 1833, Bachmann Industries is the world's best-selling manufacturer of model trains.

What a cool corporate gem to have in our area!! No information on the corporate site regarding investor relations so I assume it is a privately held company.

legslative update

I fell down on the job of compiling this information weekly. What you see here are bills that have passed since June 30. 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.

Other weekly updates are available for this week:

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

Special Session

Sunday, July 2, SB 30 re-referred to Finance and re-reffered as amended.

Regular Session

Resolutions

There were so many bills in this update that I skimmed over the resolutions

Bills

House

HB 93 Prior Printer's No. 87. Printer's No. 4365. An Act establishing the Long-Term Care Partnership Program; and conferring powers and duties on the Insurance Department, the Department of Aging and the Department of Public Welfare.

HB1479 Prior Printer's No. 1797. Printer's No. 4367. An Act relating to the delivery of services and programs to persons with disabilities; conferring powers and duties on the Office of the Governor; and creating the Office for People with Disabilities and providing for its powers, duties and funding.

HB 2397 Prior Printer's Nos. 3425, 3855. Printer's No. 4351. An Act amending the act of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546, No.541), referred to as the Higher Education Scholarship Law, further providing for the length of scholarships.

HB 2545 HB 2545 By Representative J. TAYLOR. Prior Printer's Nos. 3751, 4368, 4458. Printer's No. 4515. An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in municipal police education and training, for definitions, for police training, for automatic certification and for reimbursement of expenses; further providing, in parking authorities, for purposes and powers, for limousine carriers and taxicabs and for competition in award of contracts; further defining "limousine service" and "taxicab"; adding definitions relating to taxicabs and limousines in first class cities; further providing, in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, for contested complaints; providing, in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, for parking authority powers generally; further providing, in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, for power of authority to issue certificates of public convenience, for certificate and medallion required and for additional certificates and medallions; providing, in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, for wheelchair accessible service and for ambassador taxicabs; and further providing, in taxicabs and limousines in first class cities, for restrictions, for regulations, for civil penalties and for certificate of public convenience required.

HB 2597 By Representatives KENNEY, SABATINA, J. TAYLOR and W. KELLER. Printer's No. 3915. An Act amending the act of April 13, 1988 (P.L.349, No.51), entitled, "An act designating a section of Traffic Route 63 in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, as the Veterans Memorial Road," further providing for designation; and providing for signs.

HB 2699 Prior Printer's No. 4132. Printer's No. 4366. An Act authorizing and directing the Department of Public Welfare to establish and maintain a managed health care program for medical assistance recipients; requiring actuarially sound rates for certain managed care organizations; providing for the right of appeal and approval by the General Assembly of changes to the Commonwealth medical assistance plan and associated waivers; and repealing inconsistent portions of other acts.

HB 2378 Prior Printer's Nos. 4162, 4191. Printer's No. 4364. An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, further providing for schedule of compensation, for definitions relating to procedure and for enforcement of standards and processing of claims; providing for the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board; further providing for assignment of claims to referees, for rehearings, for counsel fees and for the Office of Adjudication; providing for an Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund; and making a related repeal.

SB 1043 Prior Printer's Nos. 1451, 1621. Printer's No. 1944. An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for association group life insurance for Pennsylvania National Guard and for tuition costs and fees for children and spouses of deceased soldiers.

HB 256 Prior Printer's Nos. 279, 2210. Printer's No. 4398. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for conditional certification of persons by the Department of Education; and further providing for definitions and for health services.

HB 258 Prior Printer's No. 281. Printer's No. 4313. An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, providing for pharmaceutical modification statement.

HB 446 By Representatives PETRI, BLACKWELL, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, FABRIZIO, GERGELY, GODSHALL, W. KELLER, KILLION, McGILL, MILLARD, MUSTIO, PAYNE, REICHLEY, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, YUDICHAK, DALEY and HARPER. Printer's No. 485. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further providing for liquor importers' licenses.

HB 492 Prior Printer's No. 531. Printer's No. 3526. An Act establishing the Direct Care Advanced Training Program; providing for tuition reimbursement and financial payments for direct care employees upon program completion; and conferring powers and duties on the Department of Education.

HB 2508 By Representative FEESE. Prior Printer's No. 3688. Printer's No. 4469. An Act making an appropriation to the Trustees of Drexel University, Philadelphia.

HB 2631 Prior Printer's Nos. 3971, 4039. Printer's No. 4394. An Act amending the act of February 19, 1980 (P.L.15, No.9), known as the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act, defining "commercial property"; and further providing for disclosure at initial interview.

HB 2802 By Representatives NAILOR, ALLEN and BELFANTI. Prior Printer's No. 4290. Printer's No. 4393. An Act amending the act of July 2, 2004 (P.L.492, No.57), known as the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act, further providing for definitions and for State registration requirements.

HB 243 Prior Printer's No. 269. Printer's No. 4421. An Act establishing the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Program to provide premium assistance to eligible Pennsylvania residents who purchase flood insurance; and imposing powers and duties on the Insurance Department.

HB 548 Prior Printer's No. 596. Printer's No. 4420. An Act regulating tanning facilities; providing for the registration of persons operating tanning facilities; requiring that certain warnings be given and safeguards be taken; imposing penalties; and making a repeal.

HB 1082 Prior Printer's No. 1240. Printer's No. 4167. An Act amending the act of December 31, 1965 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as The Local Tax Enabling Act, further providing for delegation of taxing power and for limitations on rates of specific taxes.

HB 1959 By Representatives KILLION, CALTAGIRONE, HERSHEY, E. Z. TAYLOR and YOUNGBLOOD. Prior Printer's No. 2692. Printer's No. 4423. An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, providing for the English language as the official language of the Commonwealth and of official acts; further providing for fees charged by the Insurance Department; establishing the Office of Consumer Advocate for Insurance as an independent office within the Office of Attorney General and prescribing its powers and duties; and establishing the Consumer Advocate for Insurance Fund.

HB 2253 Prior Printer's No. 3141. Printer's No. 4413. An Act establishing the State Energy Office and an advisory council; and imposing duties on the State Energy Office.

HB 2292 Prior Printer's Nos. 3207, 3428. Printer's No. 4414. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of phishing.

HB 2588 By Representatives REICHLEY, CALTAGIRONE, CRAHALLA, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HICKERNELL, JAMES, M. KELLER, SONNEY, STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, YOUNGBLOOD, DeLUCA and BEYER. Prior Printer's Nos. 3906, 4314. Printer's No. 4412. An Act requiring a circulating nurse in certain operating rooms.

HB 2746 By Representatives HALUSKA, S. H. SMITH, CALTAGIRONE, DALEY, FLAHERTY, GOODMAN, HERSHEY, KOTIK, McILHATTAN, PYLE, R. STEVENSON, WOJNAROSKI, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, SIPTROTH and GEIST. Prior Printer's No. 4184. Printer's No. 4302. An Act authorizing the Department of Transportation, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to AMFIRE Mining Company, LLC, the right to remove coal underlying certain highway right-of-way situate in Cresson Township, Cambria County.

HB 2793 Prior Printer's No. 4268. Printer's No. 4422. An Act authorizing the incurring of indebtedness, with the approval of the electors, of $150,000,000 to provide additional funding for the preservation of land for open-space uses and for the mitigation of flood hazards.

HB 2794 An Act providing for small disaster assistance, for low- interest loans to individual disaster victims and businesses and for municipal grants.

HB 2795 An Act providing for the acquisition of property by the Commonwealth and local government units to mitigate flood hazards.

HB 2799 By Representatives J. TAYLOR, PETRONE and MANN. Printer's No. 4274. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing for neighborhood assistance tax credits.

SB 809 By Senators THOMPSON, ROBBINS, STOUT and WOZNIAK. Prior Printer's No. 1020. Printer's No. 1958. An Act amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, further providing for organization meeting and appointment of secretary and treasurer, for the duties of township supervisors, for county associations and for State Association of Township Supervisors authorized.

SB 1055 By Senator REGOLA. Prior Printer's Nos. 1444, 1961. Printer's No. 1992. An Act authorizing and directing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, to accept by donation a tract of land and any improvements on the tract, situate in Penn Township, Westmoreland County; authorizing the Department of Transportation, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to AMFIRE Mining Company, LLC, the right to remove coal underlying certain highway right-of-way situate in Cresson Township, Cambria County; and authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to the Allentown Commercial Industrial Authority, or their assigns, certain lands situate in the City of Allentown and the City of Bethlehem, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

SB 1114 By Senators ROBBINS, CONTI, STOUT and WOZNIAK. Prior Printer's Nos. 1581, 1655, 1715. Printer's No. 1782. An Act amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, further providing for county associations; and authorizing appropriations by townships to counties for land acquisitions.

SB 1222 By Senators ROBBINS, LEMMOND, EARLL, MADIGAN, MELLOW, SCARNATI and M. WHITE. Prior Printer's Nos. 1810, 1829. Printer's No. 1963. An Act designating the portion of U.S. Route 6 in Linesville Borough, Crawford County, as the U.S. Route 6 "Gateway to the West" and "Gateway to Pennsylvania" and designating the portion of U.S. Route 6 in Matamoras Borough, Pike County, as the U.S. Route 6 "Gateway to the East" and "Gateway to Pennsylvania"; and authorizing the Department of Transportation, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to AMFIRE Mining Company, LLC, the right to remove coal underlying certain highway right-of-way situate in Cresson Township, Cambria County.

HB 1588 Prior Printer's No. 1989. Printer's No. 4439. An Act providing for fluoridation of public water.

HB 1729 Prior Printer's Nos. 2196, 3853. Printer's No. 4438. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for compulsory school attendance and for exceptions to compulsory school attendance; and requiring all public school districts in this Commonwealth to conduct interviews for all students who withdraw or are illegally absent from school.

HB 2596 Prior Printer's No. 3914. Printer's No. 4442. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, enacting provisions to comply with Federal law relating to child abuse by further providing for grounds for involuntary termination, for definitions relating to child protective services and for release of information in confidential reports; providing for citizen review panels; further providing for annual reports to Governor and General Assembly; and providing for mandatory reporting of infants born and identified as being affected by illegal substance abuse.

HB 2667 Prior Printer's Nos. 4051, 4315. Printer's No. 4418. An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), known as the Housing Authorities Law, providing for the definition of "mixed-use projects"; further providing for powers of the authority; and providing for mixed-use projects.

HB 2741 Printer's No. 4179. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for reports and removal of abandoned vehicles within the boundaries of a city of the first class.

SB 660 By Senators GREENLEAF, O'PAKE, RAFFERTY, LEMMOND, FERLO and PILEGGI. Prior Printer's Nos. 754, 1423. Printer's No. 1969. An Act amending Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, adding the Uniform Trust Act; abolishing the rule against perpetuities; making conforming amendments; and making a related repeal.

SB 868 By Senators SCARNATI, GORDNER, CORMAN, MADIGAN, RAFFERTY, D. WHITE, PIPPY, LEMMOND, COSTA, WOZNIAK, RHOADES, ROBBINS and KASUNIC. Prior Printer's Nos. 1137, 1304, 1332. Printer's No. 1970. An Act amending the act of May 17, 1929 (P.L.1798, No.591), referred to as the Forest Reserves Municipal Financial Relief Law, increasing distribution of annual charge; and making editorial changes.

SB 1007 By Senator D. WHITE. Prior Printer's Nos. 1345, 1427. Printer's No. 1650. An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, providing for fire insurance contracts, standard policy provisions to exclude damage caused by terrorism.

HB 222 Prior Printer's No. 248. Printer's No. 4390. An Act establishing the Long-Term Care Quality Improvement Council; and providing for a system for data collection, for benchmarking and dissemination of long-term care provider quality performance reports, for annual reports to the General Assembly and for publication of reports for public use.

HB 1809 Printer's No. 2382. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for arson and related offenses.

HB 2178 Prior Printer's Nos. 3017, 4391. Printer's No. 4462. An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, further providing for notice of policyholder's right to examine life and endowment insurance policies and for notice of contract holders's right to examine annuity or pure endowment contracts; providing for the protection of insurance consumers in annuity transactions; regulating the solicitation of insurance; prescribing penalties; and providing for the retroactive denial of reimbursement of payments to health care providers by insurers.

HB 2498 Prior Printer's No. 3672. Printer's No. 4457. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for Gold Star Family registration plate.

HB 2590 By Representatives R. STEVENSON, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, DENLINGER, FAIRCHILD, GINGRICH, HARHART, M. KELLER, KILLION, LEH, MAJOR, MILLARD, PAYNE, PICKETT, PYLE, SIPTROTH, THOMAS, WANSACZ and WILT. Printer's No. 3908. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for costs imposed following conviction for passing bad checks.

HB 2625 Printer's No. 3956. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for bail, fines, costs and restitution.

HB 2687 Printer's No. 4083. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of unlawful procurement, sale or receipt of telephone records.

HB 2749 By Representative MAITLAND. Prior Printer's No. 4187. Printer's No. 4396. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for bail intercept; further providing for relatives' liability and procedure; and repealing provisions relating to guardian.

SB 300 Prior Printer's Nos. 312, 710, 1902. Printer's No. 1986. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing, in sales and use tax, for exclusions; further providing, in personal income tax, for definitions, for classes of income, for election by small corporation, for manner of making election, for revocation of election, for termination by corporation ceasing to be a small corporation, for revocation or termination year and for election after revocation or termination; further providing, in capital stock franchise tax, for the definitions of "average net income," "capital stock value" and "corporation" and for imposition; further providing, in realty transfer tax, for stamps, commissions, payments and transfers; further providing, in inheritance tax, for valuation of certain farmland; and making related repeals and repealing a provision relating to taxation of restricted professional companies.

SB 707 By Senators ERICKSON, PILEGGI, M. WHITE, WOZNIAK and WONDERLING. Prior Printer's Nos. 851, 1243, 1674, 1721, 1821. Printer's No. 1971. An Act amending the act of May 3, 1933 (P.L.242, No.86), referred to as the Cosmetology Law, further providing for definitions, for practice of cosmetology without license, for eligibility requirements, for limited licenses, for requirements of a school of cosmetology, for practice in cosmetology shops only, for booth rental, for temporary licenses, for fees, for duration and renewal of licenses, for penalties and for regulations; and substituting the term "salon" for the term "shop" throughout the act.

SB 1090 Prior Printer's Nos. 1492, 1885, 1887, 1913, 1957. Printer's No. 1973. An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, giving effect to Federal changes in wage rates; providing for preemption; and making editorial changes.

SB 1205 By Senators GREENLEAF, BOSCOLA, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, RHOADES, KITCHEN, WASHINGTON, C. WILLIAMS, STACK and ORIE. Prior Printer's No. 1766. Printer's No. 1869. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for insurance proceeds intercept; and further providing for State disbursement unit.

HB 881 Prior Printer's Nos. 1004, 3321. Printer's No. 4512. An Act amending the act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, further providing for administration and enforcement, for applications and inspections, for changes in Uniform Construction Code, for appeals and for education and training program.

HB 1695 By Representatives GERGELY, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, GOODMAN, HANNA, HESS, KOTIK, PRESTON, RAMALEY, REICHLEY, SHANER, STABACK, SURRA, WALKO, WOJNAROSKI and YOUNGBLOOD. Prior Printer's No. 2157. Printer's No. 4331. An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for a special license and license auction to hunt one elk.

HB 2650 By Representatives B. SMITH, STABACK and PHILLIPS. Prior Printer's No. 4020. Printer's No. 4508. An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the organization of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and for report to commission official.

SB 82 By Senators GREENLEAF, EARLL, KITCHEN, RAFFERTY, LOGAN, COSTA, CORMAN, KASUNIC, LEMMOND, TARTAGLIONE, ORIE, O'PAKE, BOSCOLA, STACK and REGOLA. Prior Printer's Nos. 73, 786, 1901. Printer's No. 1983. An Act providing for the display of the American flag, Commonwealth flag or military flag by residents in a unit owners association, homeowners association or master association.

SB 151 By Senators BRIGHTBILL, RHOADES, STOUT, TOMLINSON, ERICKSON, VANCE, LAVALLE, RAFFERTY, GORDNER, O'PAKE, THOMPSON, PILEGGI, EARLL, WOZNIAK, COSTA, KITCHEN, M. WHITE, BOSCOLA, ROBBINS and ORIE. Printer's No. 137. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for State Report Card.

SB 594 By Senators M. WHITE, MUSTO, EARLL, COSTA, LEMMOND, ERICKSON, KITCHEN, ORIE, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, WAUGH, PICCOLA, PILEGGI, D. WHITE, WONDERLING and ROBBINS. Printer's No. 668. An Act providing for the creation of a trust for the benefit of certain owners of interests in oil and gas; authorizing trustee to enter into leases of interests in oil and gas under terms and conditions authorized by the court of common pleas; providing for the administration of the trust and for payment of moneys to the trustee; and imposing penalties for nonpayment.

SB 651 Prior Printer's No. 748. Printer's No. 1987. An Act amending the act of June 14, 1961 (P.L.324, No.188), known as The Library Code, further providing for waiver of standards; providing for standards; further providing for quality libraries aid, for incentive for excellence aid, for district library centers, for county coordination aid, for equal distribution grants to local libraries' basic literacy skills, for Statewide library resource centers, for equalization aid and for equal distribution grants to local libraries and library systems; and providing for fiscal year 2006-2007 public library subsidy allocation, for fiscal year 2006-2007 minimum State-aid guarantee and for State-aid for 2006-2007.

SB 845 By Senators CORMAN, GREENLEAF, LEMMOND and RAFFERTY. Prior Printer's Nos. 1092, 1355. Printer's No. 1984. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for willful failure to pay support order; and providing for court-appointed child custody health care or behavioral health practitioners.

SB 1159 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1608. An Act making an appropriation from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund to the Office of Consumer Advocate in the Office of Attorney General.

SB 1160 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1599. An Act making an appropriation from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund to the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development.

SB 1161 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1600. An Act making appropriations from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide for the expenses of administering the Workers' Compensation Act, The Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act and the Office of Small Business Advocate for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006.

SB 1162 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1601. An Act making an appropriation from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund and from Federal augmentation funds to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

SB 1163 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1602. An Act making appropriations from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and from restricted revenue accounts within the General Fund to the Department of State for use by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs in support of the professional licensure boards assigned thereto.

SB 1164 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1603. An Act making an appropriation from the Public School Employees' Retirement Fund to provide for expenses of the Public School Employees' Retirement Board for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006.

SB 1165 By Senator WENGER. Printer's No. 1604. An Act making an appropriation from the State Employees' Retirement Fund to provide for expenses of the State Employees' Retirement Board for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006.

SB 1166 By Senator WENGER. Prior Printer's Nos. 1605, 1898. Printer's No. 1972. An Act providing for the capital budget for the fiscal year 2006-2007 and itemizing transportation assistance and redevelopment assistance projects to be constructed or acquired or assisted by the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Transportation, together with their estimated financial costs; authorizing the incurring of debt without the approval of the electors for the purpose of financing the projects to be constructed or acquired or assisted by the Department of Community and Economic Development and the Department of Transportation; stating the estimated useful life of the projects; and making appropriations.

SB 1179 By Senators RHOADES, D. WHITE, O'PAKE, MUSTO, WONDERLING, LEMMOND, REGOLA and WOZNIAK. Prior Printer's Nos. 1672, 1950. Printer's No. 1982. An Act amending the act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, further providing for applicability, for training of inspectors and for exemptions.

SB 1188 Prior Printer's Nos. 1704, 1868, 1910. Printer's No. 1985. An Act amending the act of August 26, 1971 (P.L.351, No.91), known as the State Lottery Law, further providing for definitions, for physician, certified registered nurse practitioner and pharmacy participation, for reduced assistance, for program generally, for restricted formulary, for reimbursement, for income verification, for contracts and for the pharmaceutical assistance contract for the elderly needs enhancement tier, for pharmacy best practices and cost controls review; further providing for penalties; establishing the coordination of Federal and State benefits; providing for continued eligibility under certain circumstances; and making editorial changes.

SB 1224 By Senators WENGER, WAUGH, WONDERLING, PUNT and COSTA. Prior Printer's Nos. 1856, 1942. Printer's No. 1955. An Act amending the act of May 15, 1945 (P.L.547, No.217), known as the Conservation District Law, further providing for Commonwealth appropriations.

HB 2425 Prior Printer's No. 3490. Printer's No. 3822. An Act amending the act of April 24, 1931 (P.L.48, No.40), entitled "An act requiring the recording of certain written agreements pertaining to real property, and prescribing the effect thereof as to subsequent purchasers, mortgagees, and judgment creditors of the parties thereto," providing for the requirements for valid recording of documents.

HB 2757 By Representatives GANNON, BUNT, BIANCUCCI, DeLUCA, FICHTER, KOTIK, LaGROTTA, RAMALEY, J. TAYLOR and FEESE. Prior Printer's No. 4208. Printer's No. 4507. An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, providing for legislative intent; further providing for definitions and for licensing of cigarette dealers; providing for prohibited activities; further providing for retention of records and for examination of records, equipment and premises; providing for property rights; further providing for labeling and packaging and for administration powers and duties; providing for enforcement powers and duties; further providing for violations and penalties; and making a transfer of an appropriation.

SENATE

HB 901 Prior Printer's No. 1024. Printer's No. 3978. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for lighting on motorcycles.

HB 2376 Prior Printer's Nos. 3392, 3454, 4040. Printer's No. 4310. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further providing for definitions, for sale of malt or brewed beverages by liquor licensees, for restrictions on purchases and sales of malt and brewed beverages by retail dispensers, for permit renewals and for possession or transportation of liquor or alcohol; and prohibiting the use of alcohol vaporizing devices.

HB 2457 Printer's No. 3569. An Act redesignating the bridge carrying section A80 of the East Side Access Highway, SR 4034, over Fourmile Creek and the Wintergreen Gorge in Harborcreek Township, Erie County, as the Sergeant Donald S. Oaks Memorial Bridge.

SB 439 By Senators ORIE, STOUT, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE, TOMLINSON, WONDERLING, GORDNER, RAFFERTY, KITCHEN, REGOLA, GREENLEAF, LEMMOND, STACK, BRIGHTBILL and BOSCOLA. Prior Printer's No. 462. Printer's No. 797. An Act providing for a sexual assault evidence collection program and for powers and duties of the Department of Health and the Pennsylvania State Police; and establishing civil immunity.

SB 506 By Senators GREENLEAF, COSTA, O'PAKE, STOUT, THOMPSON, PILEGGI, TOMLINSON, KITCHEN and M. WHITE. Prior Printer's Nos. 539, 1487, 1798. Printer's No. 1883. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and codifying Title 61 (Penal and Correctional Institutions) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for temporary release from county correctional institutions, for transfers of inmates needing medical care and for State intermediate punishment; amending the heading of Title 61; adding definitions, provisions relating to general administration of correctional institutions, State Correctional institutions, county correctional institutions, the Philadelphia County Prison, house of detention for untried inmates and witnesses, inmate labor, medical services, visitation, motivational boot camp, execution procedure and method, miscellaneous matters relating thereto, probation and parole generally, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, County Probation and Parole Agents' Firearm Education and Training, and correctional institution interstate compacts; and making repeals relating to codification.

SB 655 By Senators MADIGAN, STOUT, O'PAKE, M. WHITE, COSTA, RAFFERTY, RHOADES, BOSCOLA, D. WHITE, ORIE and WONDERLING. Prior Printer's Nos. 844, 1354, 1799. Printer's No. 1911. An Act amending the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law, providing for the definition of "geologist- n-training" and for the use of the terms "engineer" and "engineering"; further providing for general powers of the board and for procedure for licensing as professional geologist; and providing for continuing professional engineering competency and education requirements.

SB 1104 By Senators TOMLINSON, RHOADES, LEMMOND, VANCE, PILEGGI, KITCHEN, COSTA, EARLL, PIPPY, RAFFERTY, FONTANA, KASUNIC, ORIE, WAUGH, BROWNE, WONDERLING, O'PAKE, LOGAN and FERLO. Prior Printer's Nos. 1526, 1545, 1801. Printer's No. 1920. An Act amending the act of December 10, 1974 (P.L.852, No.287), referred to as the Underground Utility Line Protection Law, further providing for the title of the act, for definitions, for duties of facility owners and for the duties of the One Call System; providing for liability, fees and governance of the One Call System; further providing for applicability; providing for the duties of project owners and for rights of the Auditor General; further providing for the governing board of the One Call System, for fines and penalties and for applicability to certain pipeline systems and facilities; providing for a voluntary payment dispute resolution process, for best efforts, for removal or tampering with a marking, for determination of position and type of lines and for impairment of rights and immunities; further providing for expiration; repealing provisions of the act of June 19, 2002 (P.L.421, No.61), known as the Propane and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act, concerning the prohibition of certain liquefied petroleum gas facilities or distributors from being subject to the Underground Utility Line Protection Law; and making an editorial change.

SB 1115 Printer's No. 1639. An Act amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for liquefied ammonia gas, precursors and chemicals.

SB 1116 By Senators WONDERLING, MADIGAN, ROBBINS, GORDNER, ARMSTRONG, PUNT, SCARNATI, BOSCOLA, ORIE, D. WHITE, KASUNIC, RAFFERTY, COSTA, PILEGGI, RHOADES, PICCOLA and STACK. Prior Printer's No. 1640. Printer's No. 1890. An Act amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for prohibited acts and penalties; and providing for reporting, for confidentiality and for false statements or misrepresentation.

SB 1117 Prior Printer's No. 1641. Printer's No. 1824. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for methamphetamine laboratories.

SB 1118 Prior Printer's No. 1642. Printer's No. 1825. An Act amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for prohibited acts and penalties; and providing for methamphetamine production.

SB 1119 Prior Printer's No. 1643. Printer's No. 1826. An Act amending the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, providing for environmental costs.

SB 1120 Prior Printer's No. 1644. Printer's No. 1912. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for methamphetamine laboratories and minors.

SB 1237 By Senator MELLOW. Printer's No. 1842. An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to the County of Lackawanna Transit System Authority (COLTS), certain lands situate in the City of Scranton, Lackawanna County, in exchange for a certain tract of land from COLTS situate in the City of Scranton, Lackawanna County.

HB 1632 Prior Printer's Nos. 2017, 3230. Printer's No. 4284. An Act amending the act of July 22, 1974 (P.L.589, No.205), known as the Unfair Insurance Practices Act, further defining "abuse," "unfair methods of competition" and "unfair or deceptive acts or practices."

SB 1158 An Act providing for a tax credit to encourage property owners to include visitability design features on their properties.

SB 1230 By Senators ORIE, PICCOLA, WONDERLING, EARLL, PIPPY, FERLO, RAFFERTY, M. WHITE, REGOLA and BRIGHTBILL. Prior Printer's No. 1819. Printer's No. 1952. An Act amending Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, deleting provisions relating to supplier licenses; and providing for a law enforcement agency grant fund.

HB 804 Prior Printer's Nos. 966, 3216, 4160, 4399, 4437. Printer's No. 4503. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for an electronic titling program, for suspension of registration upon sixth unpaid parking violation in cities of the first class, for unattended children in motor vehicles, for fleeing or attempting to elude police officer and for exemption from additional requirements for highway occupancy permits for agricultural purposes; and providing for levy and imposition of surcharge in cities of the first class.

HB 1320 Prior Printer's Nos. 1568, 2175. Printer's No. 4308. An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, restricting the transport, sale, importation or release of non- native injurious fish.

HB 1725 By Representatives GINGRICH, ROSS, HERMAN, LESCOVITZ, TANGRETTI and CORNELL. Prior Printer's No. 2192. Printer's No. 3757. An Act amending the act of May 25, 1945 (P.L.1050, No.394), known as the Local Tax Collection Law, further providing for basic and continuing education programs for tax collectors; providing for records in possession of tax collector; further providing for expenses paid by taxing districts and for discounts, penalties and notice; providing for compensation for interim tax bills; and further providing for penalty.

SB 1121 By Senators ROBBINS, WONDERLING, MADIGAN, GORDNER, WASHINGTON, RAFFERTY, WENGER, LAVALLE, PICCOLA, ERICKSON, KASUNIC, RHOADES, COSTA, ARMSTRONG, D. WHITE, PILEGGI, BOSCOLA, PUNT, REGOLA, BROWNE and LOGAN. Prior Printer's No. 1645. Printer's No. 1891. An Act providing for a program to address the illicit manufacture of methamphetamines in underground laboratories.

SB 1224 By Senators WENGER, WAUGH, WONDERLING, PUNT and COSTA. Prior Printer's Nos. 1856, 1942. Printer's No. 1955. An Act amending the act of May 15, 1945 (P.L.547, No.217), known as the Conservation District Law, further providing for Commonwealth appropriations.

SB 1244 By Senator CONTI. Prior Printer's No. 1873. Printer's No. 1954. An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for certain individuals vested with powers of deputy Game Commission officers.

HB 1528 Prior Printer's No. 1877. Printer's No. 4309. An Act amending Titles 3 (Agriculture) and 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for taxidermists; and further providing for licenses and fees relating to taxidermists.

HB 2383 Prior Printer's Nos. 3399, 3456, 3574, 4041, 4400. Printer's No. 4459. An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, further providing for definitions; requiring the Bureau of Alcohol Education to make certain reports to the General Assembly; and further providing for special occasion permits and for limiting the number of special occasion permits.

HB 2425 Prior Printer's No. 3490. Printer's No. 3822. An Act amending the act of April 24, 1931 (P.L.48, No.40), entitled "An act requiring the recording of certain written agreements pertaining to real property, and prescribing the effect thereof as to subsequent purchasers, mortgagees, and judgment creditors of the parties thereto," providing for the requirements for valid recording of documents.

HB 2542 By Representatives BAKER, CAUSER, RAPP, DiGIROLAMO, CAPPELLI, DALLY, HARPER, PHILLIPS, SIPTROTH, THOMAS, TIGUE, WILT and DENLINGER. Prior Printer's No. 3748. Printer's No. 4003. An Act amending Title 13 (Commercial Code) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in secured transactions, for effectiveness of actions prior to amendment and for continued effectiveness of financing statements.

HB 2740 Prior Printer's No. 4172. Printer's No. 4349. An Act designating the bridge to carry State Route 68 over the Allegheny River from East Brady Borough, Clarion County, to Brady's Bend Township, Armstrong County, as the Sergeant Carl F. Curran II Memorial Bridge.

SB 896 By Senators BOSCOLA, LAVALLE, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, WOZNIAK, GREENLEAF, O'PAKE, RAFFERTY, STOUT, RHOADES, FONTANA, LOGAN, ORIE, KASUNIC, STACK, WAUGH and BROWNE. Printer's No. 1177. An Act amending the act of December 4, 1996 (P.L.911, No.147), known as the Telemarketer Registration Act, further providing for unlawful acts and penalties.

SB 993 By Senators BROWNE, WONDERLING, ORIE, M. WHITE, LEMMOND, EARLL, BOSCOLA, RAFFERTY, JUBELIRER and REGOLA. Prior Printer's No. 1334. Printer's No. 1893. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing, in sales and use tax, for assessment, for reassessment, for review by Board of Finance and Revenue, for appeal to Commonwealth Court, for refund of sales tax attributed to bad debt, for refund or credit for overpayment, for restriction on refunds, for refunds, for refund petition, for review by Board of Finance and Review, for appeal to Commonwealth Court and for extended time for filing special petition for refund; further providing, in personal income tax, for assessment, for jeopardy assessments, for procedure for reassessment, for review by Board of Finance and Revenue, for appeal to Commonwealth Court, for restrictions on refunds and for limitations on refund or credit; further providing, in corporate net income tax, for definitions, for reports and payment of tax; for changes made by Federal Government, for settlement and resettlement and for enforcement relating to corporate net income tax; providing, in corporate net income tax, for assessments, for jeopardy assessments, for limitations on assessments, for extension of limitation period, for audit by Auditor General and for collection; further providing, in gross receipts tax, for imposition; further providing, in realty transfer tax, for determination and notice, for lien and for refunds; further providing, in mutual thrift institutions tax, for imposition and report; providing, in malt beverage tax, for assessment by department; providing for procedure and administration; further providing, in general provisions, for estimated tax, for underpayment, for refund petitions and for timely filing; and providing, in general provisions, for assessments to be made by department.

HB 247 Prior Printer's Nos. 273, 1862, 2216, 3556. Printer's No. 4415. An Act amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act, further providing for definitions; providing for licensure of home care agencies and home care registries; establishing certain consumer protections; and providing for inspections and plans of correction and for applicability of act.

HB 1195 By Representatives YUDICHAK, GEORGE, THOMAS, SURRA, CALTAGIRONE, DeWEESE, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BOYD, CAPPELLI, FRANKEL, GRUCELA, MUNDY, PRESTON, REICHLEY, SAINATO, SOLOBAY, WALKO, YOUNGBLOOD and DENLINGER. Prior Printer's Nos. 1401, 4369. Printer's No. 4416. An Act amending the act of July 6, 1989 (P.L.169, No.32), known as the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act, further providing for definitions, for Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund, for the Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and for Underground Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program.

HB 2437 Printer's No. 3506. An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the amounts of part-time student assistance grants.

HB 2441 Printer's No. 3510. An Act amending Title 62 (Procurement) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for application of part; and providing for electronic bidding by local government units.

HB 2499 By Representative FEESE. Prior Printer's Nos. 3673, 3850, 4280. Printer's No. 4513. An Act to provide from the General Fund for the expenses of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Departments of the Commonwealth, the public debt and for the public schools for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, for certain institutions and organizations, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006; to provide appropriations from the State Lottery Fund, the Energy Conservation and Assistance Fund, the Hazardous Material Response Fund, The State Stores Fund, the Milk Marketing Fund, the Home Investment Trust Fund, the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund, the Tuition Payment Fund, the Banking Department Fund, the Firearm Records Check Fund, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Fund, the Tobacco Settlement Fund and the Health Care Provider Retention Account to the Executive Department; to provide appropriations from the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account to the Judicial Department for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007; to provide appropriations from the Motor License Fund for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, for the proper operation of the several departments of the Commonwealth and the Pennsylvania State Police authorized to spend Motor License Fund moneys; to provide for the appropriation of Federal funds to the Executive Department of the Commonwealth and for the establishment of restricted receipt accounts for the fiscal year July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, and for the payment of bills remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006; to provide for the additional appropriation of Federal and State funds from the General Fund, the Motor License Fund and the State Lottery Fund for the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Departments of the Commonwealth for the fiscal year July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005.

HB 2633 By Representative ROBERTS. Prior Printer's No. 3973. Printer's No. 4282. An Act designating the bridge on State Route 3027 which passes over U.S. Route 40 in Fayette County as the Cpl. Victor Kozares, D.S.C., Bridge.

HB 2802 By Representatives NAILOR, ALLEN and BELFANTI. Prior Printer's No. 4290. Printer's No. 4393. An Act amending the act of July 2, 2004 (P.L.492, No.57), known as the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act, further providing for definitions and for State registration requirements.

SB 180 By Senators CORMAN, WONDERLING, GREENLEAF, M. WHITE, KASUNIC, RHOADES, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, MUSTO, O'PAKE, COSTA, D. WHITE, STACK, ORIE, RAFFERTY, ARMSTRONG and VANCE. Prior Printer's Nos. 251, 1886. Printer's No. 1959. An Act providing for protection from identity theft, for security freezes, for procedures for access after imposition and removal of security freezes and for related matters.

SB 557 By Senators GREENLEAF, COSTA, LEMMOND, O'PAKE, RAFFERTY, BOSCOLA, PUNT, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, RHOADES, WOZNIAK, C. WILLIAMS and FERLO. Prior Printer's No. 590. Printer's No. 1962. An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for weapons or implements for escape and for contraband; and making a conforming amendment.

SB 1148 By Senators PIPPY, LOGAN, COSTA, FERLO, WAUGH, RAFFERTY, PILEGGI, WONDERLING and TARTAGLIONE. Prior Printer's No. 1615. Printer's No. 1894. An Act amending the act of May 22, 1935 (P.L.233, No.99), referred to as the Second Class City Policemen Relief Law, further providing for benefits for pensioners, surviving spouses, children and parents of police officers.

SB 1218 By Senators WONDERLING, CONTI, C. WILLIAMS, ERICKSON, RAFFERTY and PILEGGI. Prior Printer's No. 1851. Printer's No. 1945. An Act amending the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, defining "internet service provider."

SB 1242 By Senators FERLO and PIPPY. Printer's No. 1918. An Act amending the act of December 14, 1992 (P.L.818, No.133), known as the Port of Pittsburgh Commission Act, further providing for the definition of "port district."

SB 1262 By Senators CONTI and PIPPY. Printer's No. 1877. An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for chemical testing to determine amounts of alcohol or controlled substances and for operating a watercraft under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances; and providing for aggravated assault by watercraft while operating under influence.

HB 30 Printer's No. 33. An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, further providing for the payment of compensation to widows, widowers and children.

HB 185 Prior Printer's Nos. 189, 1643, 2277, 3723, 4464, 3723, 4510. Printer's No. 4517. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for background checks of prospective employees; providing for competitive food or beverage contracts and for certain budget timelines; further providing for annual budget and for financial reports; providing for the Distinguished Educators Program; further providing for continuing professional development, for program of continuing professional education, for safe schools advocate, for certain health services and for advisory health councils; providing for local wellness policies, for an interagency coordinating council for child health and nutrition, for duties of the Department of Education and for physical education; providing for physiology and hygiene; further providing for the Educational Assistance Program, for definitions, for responsibilities of Department of Education, for responsibilities of school entities, for transportation, for definitions, for education empowerment list, for board of school directors, for education empowerment districts, for school improvement grants, for limitation and for alternative education grants; providing for alternative education demonstration grants; further providing for State funding; providing for articulation agreements; further providing for definitions and for limitations; providing for transfer of credits between institutions of higher education and for transportation of certain students; further providing for definitions and for small district assistance; providing for basic education funding for 2005-2006 school year and for funding for partnership schools; further providing for payments on account of limited English proficiency programs, for payments to intermediate units and for special education payments to school districts; providing for special education community support services; further providing for payments, for approved reimbursable rental for leases and for Pennsylvania Accountability Grants; and providing for Statewide costing-out study.

HB 456 Prior Printer's No. 495. Printer's No. 1074. An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of terrorism; further providing in controlled substances forfeitures for loss of property rights to Commonwealth; providing for terrorism forfeiture; further providing for procedure with respect to seized property subject to liens and rights of lienholders; and providing for penalties.

HB 509 Prior Printer's Nos. 547, 3215. Printer's No. 4505. An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for campus police powers and duties.

HB 700 Prior Printer's Nos. 917, 4350, 4417. Printer's No. 4350. An Act providing for lobbying registration, regulation and disclosure; conferring powers and imposing duties on the Department of State, the Office of Attorney General and the State Ethics Commission; imposing penalties; establishing the Lobbying Accountability Fund; and making a related repeal.

HB 801 Prior Printer's Nos. 963, 4278. Printer's No. 4514. An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, further providing for fees charged by the Insurance Department; and authorizing and directing the Department of Health to establish a Cervical Cancer Task Force to evaluate and make recommendations for education and prevention of cervical cancer.

HB 1326 Prior Printer's Nos. 1574, 3105. Printer's No. 4044. An Act establishing the At-Risk Elderly Wireless Emergency Telephone Program; conferring powers and duties on the Department of Aging; and providing additional powers to the Area Agencies on Aging.

HB 1641 Prior Printer's Nos. 2026, 3240, 4312. Printer's No. 4392. An Act amending Titles 30 (Fish) and 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for boat and marine forfeiture, for the powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, for boat, marine equipment and watercraft trailer forfeiture and for the powers and duties of the Department of Transportation.

HB 1746 Prior Printer's Nos. 2236, 4036, 4226. Printer's No. 4389. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for establishment of fees and charges, for limitations of time for other offenses, for inspection of court files and records, for law enforcement records and for the expiration of provisions on access to justice; and making a related repeal.

HB 1928 Prior Printer's Nos. 2637, 2882, 3638. Printer's No. 4307. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for permit for movement during course of manufacture and for permits for movement of a mobile home or a modular housing unit and modular housing undercarriage.

HB 1992 Prior Printer's Nos. 2733, 4506. Printer's No. 4516. An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, further providing, in Local Government Capital Project Loan Fund provisions, for assistance to municipalities; providing for budget implementation, for restrictions on appropriations for funds and accounts and for family planning funding limitations.

HB 2295 Prior Printer's No. 3220. Printer's No. 3734. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for a special registration plate for recipients of the Korean Defense Service Medal.

HB 2328 Prior Printer's Nos. 3624, 4440, 4463. Printer's No. 4440. An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and Title 42 Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for fines and costs; and providing for adoption of guidelines for fines.

HB 2627 By Representatives FLICK and MELIO. Prior Printer's No. 3958. Printer's No. 4053. An Act amending the act of October 6, 2005 (P.L.319, No.59), entitled, "An act amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), entitled, as amended, 'An act providing for the payment of death benefits to the surviving spouse or children or parents of firefighters, ambulance service or rescue squad members, law enforcement officers or National Guard members killed in the performance of their duties,' further providing for death benefit eligibility and for definitions," further providing for retroactivity of death benefit eligibility.

HB 2633 By Representative ROBERTS. Prior Printer's No. 3973. Printer's No. 4282. An Act designating the bridge on State Route 3027 which passes over U.S. Route 40 in Fayette County as the Cpl. Victor Kozares, D.S.C., Bridge.

HB 2425 Prior Printer's No. 3490. Printer's No. 3822. An Act amending the act of April 24, 1931 (P.L.48, No.40), entitled "An act requiring the recording of certain written agreements pertaining to real property, and prescribing the effect thereof as to subsequent purchasers, mortgagees, and judgment creditors of the parties thereto," providing for the requirements for valid recording of documents.