weekly legislative update

This is a list of bills that passed the Pennsylvania House or Senate this week, and mention of any noteworthy resolutions. Standard caveats apply (resolutions not generally included, list of sponsors deleted if it was too long - three lines in the originally formatting).

Our accountant friends at PICPA have provided their usual informative weekly update. They have some interesting things to say this week about a possible increase in the sales tax.


Other updates this week:

PA GOP Senate
PA Democratic Senate
PA GOP House
PA Democratic House



Bills

Special Session

House

HB 5 Prior Printer's Nos. 4, 43.Printer's No. 51. An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for the High-Performance Buildings Tax Credit.

Senate

SB 1 By Senators M. WHITE, TOMLINSON, PILEGGI, ERICKSON, BOSCOLA, RAFFERTY, MADIGAN, GORDNER, WOZNIAK, WAUGH, PUNT, O'PAKE, FERLO, WONDERLING and EICHELBERGER. Prior Printer's Nos. 8, 33.Printer's No. 48. An Act providing for development of alternative sources of energy.

SB 22 By Senators TOMLINSON, M. WHITE, PILEGGI, WASHINGTON, RAFFERTY, ERICKSON, GORDNER, STOUT, BOSCOLA and PIPPY. Prior Printer's Nos. 13, 30.Printer's No. 47. An Act amending the act of November 29, 2004 (P.L.1376, No.178), known as the Alternative Fuels Incentive Act, further providing for definitions and for the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund; and providing for biodiesel production incentives.

SB 36 By Senators M. WHITE, TOMLINSON, PILEGGI, ERICKSON, EARLL, LAVALLE, ORIE, STOUT, O'PAKE, KITCHEN, GREENLEAF, BROWNE, WAUGH, D. WHITE and BOSCOLA. Prior Printer's No. 29.Printer's No. 32. An Act providing for the study and mandated content of biodiesel fuel.

General Session

House

HB 1281 Prior Printer's Nos. 1542, 1834.Printer's No. 2935. An Act amending the act of April 28, 1978 (P.L.87, No.41), known as the Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act, further providing for actions by municipalities and their powers and duties; and making editorial changes.

HB 1787 Prior Printer's Nos. 2384, 2919.Printer's No. 3009. An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, providing for procedure for municipal curative amendment subsequent to appellate court decision.

SB 1 Prior Printer's Nos. 772, 1509, 1553, 1562, 1583.Printer's No. 1646. An Act providing for access to public information, for a designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency, local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial review and for the Pennsylvania Public Records Office; imposing penalties; providing for reporting by State-related institutions; requiring the posting of certain State contract information on the Internet; and making related repeals.

SB 1100 By Senators PILEGGI, M. WHITE, MUSTO, ERICKSON, PUNT, VANCE, GREENLEAF, GORDNER, RHOADES, BOSCOLA, WOZNIAK, MADIGAN, ROBBINS, CORMAN, BAKER, STOUT, FERLO, WAUGH, D. WHITE, PIPPY and BROWNE. Prior Printer's Nos. 1483, 1617.Printer's No. 1483. An Act providing for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, for its funding, for expenditures from the fund and for audits of the fund; making an appropriation; and making related repeals.

SB 1156 By Senators FOLMER, PILEGGI and BOSCOLA. Prior Printer's No. 1536.Printer's No. 1576. An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for notice and hearing and for disposition of dependent child.

SB 737 By Senators RAFFERTY, PILEGGI, FUMO, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, ORIE, CORMAN, RHOADES, O'PAKE, COSTA, PICCOLA, WONDERLING, GORDNER, STACK, ARMSTRONG, REGOLA, BROWNE, MUSTO, PIPPY and WASHINGTON. Prior Printer's No. 806.Printer's No. 1188. An Act amending the act of December 3, 2002 (P.L.1144, No.141), entitled "An act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed beverages and for inducement of minors to buy liquor or malt or brewed beverages," extending the expiration provision.

SB 810 By Senator MUSTO. Prior Printer's No. 907.Printer's No. 1301. An Act authorizing and directing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey certain lands situate in the City of Pittston, Luzerne County, to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Pittston; and authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Bensalem Township, certain lands situate in Bensalem Township, Bucks County.

SENATE

HB 1109 By Representatives STABACK, BELFANTI, CALTAGIRONE, DeLUCA, FABRIZIO, GERGELY, HALUSKA, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, KORTZ, KOTIK, McGEEHAN, PETRONE, REICHLEY, J. WHITE, LEVDANSKY, HORNAMAN, DENLINGER, SIPTROTH and SONNEY. Prior Printer's Nos. 1338, 2638.Printer's No. 2984. An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing, in fishing licenses, for nonresident and tourist licenses, for one-day resident fishing licenses, for issuing agents and for license, permit and issuing agent fees.

HB 1621 By Representative M. O'BRIEN. Prior Printer's No. 2074.Printer's No. 2980. An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with the concurrence of the Department of Environmental Protection, to lease to VTE Philadelphia, LP, or its nominee, land within the bed of the Delaware River in the City of Philadelphia; and affirming the authority of the General Assembly to enact certain conveyances.

HB 1627 By Representative M. O'BRIEN. Prior Printer's No. 2080.Printer's No. 2981. An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with the concurrence of the Department of Environmental Protection, to lease to NCCB Associates, LP, or its nominee, land within the bed of the Delaware River in the City of Philadelphia; and affirming the authority of the General Assembly to enact certain conveyances.

HB 1877 By Representatives BUXTON, PAYNE, MARSICO and HELM. Printer's No. 2574. An Act amending the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code, further providing for authorization of hotel tax.

HB 1961 Prior Printer's No. 2719.Printer's No. 2832. An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for information relating to prospective child-care personnel.

SB 317 By Senators RAFFERTY, ERICKSON, CORMAN, O'PAKE, COSTA, WAUGH and BROWNE. Prior Printer's Nos. 352, 1088.Printer's No. 1653. An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, further providing for public buildings to be used where possible, for organization of State committee, for affidavit of circulator, for objections to nomination petitions and papers, for absentee elector files and lists, for filing fees and certificates of filing and for advertising.

SB 1135 Prior Printer's No. 1563.Printer's No. 1647. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for tests of certain electronic devices.

HB 17 By Representatives MARKOSEK and GEIST. Prior Printer's Nos. 42, 1262.Printer's No. 2982. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further defining "automated red light enforcement system" and "serious traffic violation"; and further providing for period of registration, for person with disability plate and placard, for weight restriction relating to special registration plates, for use and display of illuminated signs, for automated red light enforcement systems in first class cities, for employer responsibilities and for unlawful activities related to equipment standards.

HB 131 Prior Printer's Nos. 157, 1414, 2511.Printer's No. 2910. An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, prohibiting fees for police services.

HB 489 Prior Printer's Nos. 545, 1992.Printer's No. 2983. An Act amending the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, in insurance, further providing for medical professional liability insurance, for the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund and for actuarial data; providing for the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Reserve Fund and the Medical Safety Automation Fund; transferring the Volunteer Health Services Act into the act; further providing for license renewal, continuing education requirements and disciplinary and corrective measures; in the Health Care Provider Retention Program, further providing for the abatement program, for the Health Care Provider Retention Account and for expiration; further providing for expiration of the patient safety discount; and making a related repeal.

SB 711 Prior Printer's No. 925.Printer's No. 1608. An Act providing for the protection of consumers from having spyware deceptively installed on their computers and for criminal and civil enforcement.

SB 838 Prior Printer's No. 973.Printer's No. 1582. An Act amending the act of May 26, 1947 (P.L.318, No.140), known as the CPA Law, further providing for definitions, for State Board of Accountancy, for general powers of the board, for examination and issuance of certificate, for education requirements, for experience requirements; providing for requirements for issuance of certificate; further providing for certificates issued by domestic reciprocity and for certificates issued by foreign reciprocity; providing for practice in this Commonwealth by individuals under substantial equivalency, for practice outside this Commonwealth under substantial equivalency; further providing for licenses to practice, for licensing of firms, for peer review, for grounds for discipline, for reinstatement, for unlawful acts and for acts not unlawful.

SB 1114 By Senator KASUNIC. Printer's No. 1474. An Act designating the scenic view on State Route 40 in Wharton Township, Fayette County, as the "Blue Star Point Lookout."

SB 880 By Senators KASUNIC, FONTANA, FUMO, BOSCOLA, COSTA, ERICKSON, FOLMER, GORDNER, LAVALLE, LOGAN, MUSTO, O'PAKE, ORIE, RAFFERTY, REGOLA, ROBBINS, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE, WAUGH and WONDERLING. Prior Printer's No. 1029.Printer's No. 1570. An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for vouchers for licenses and permits.

SB 1121 By Senators BAKER, RAFFERTY, ARMSTRONG, O'PAKE, WOZNIAK, ERICKSON, McILHINNEY, ORIE, FERLO, MUSTO, BOSCOLA, DINNIMAN, EARLL, BRUBAKER and STACK. Printer's No. 1482. An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions, further defining "emergency vehicle."