April 12, 2015
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 43, also known as the “stolen valor act.” This amendment makes fraudulently wearing military uniforms, awards, and medals a summary offense. The bill also specifies that it is illegal for someone to try and obtain...
March 1, 2015
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 42, which would make it a crime to falsely claim a veteran status on one’s driver’s license application. Under the so-called “stolen valor” bill, if one is caught misrepresenting themselves with this status, the offender can...
February 22, 2015
The Senate voted 40-8 for Senate Bill 9, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship for any individual applying for public assistance. Under the bill, known as the “Proof of Citizenship for Receipt of Public Benefits Act,” the state Human Services Department...
February 15, 2015
In a 30-19 party line vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 4, which would amend the state’s Constitution to give the General Assembly the power to determine whether an institution is a purely public charity and exempted from paying local property taxes. The...
February 1, 2015
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 210, which would exempt judges and some elderly citizens from jury duty. Under the bill, federal, state and district justices would be exempt from jury duty, along with citizens 75 or older who request to be excused....
January 25, 2015
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 283, a joint resolution that would formally abolish the Philadelphia Traffic Court from the state’s constitution. The legislation was prompted by a 2011 ticket-fixing scandal in which nine judges were indicted....
