By a vote of 43-7, the Senate approved House Bill 1060, which was amended in the Senate to include the House-passed transportation funding bill. Senate Democrats objected to the amendment because of a provision raising the threshold for prevailing wage requirements on certain projects, but most voted in favor of the final bill citing the urgent public-safety and job benefits.
The plan will generate an additional $2.4 billion annually within five years to build and maintain roads, bridges, highways and mass transit systems. In addition, the legislation creates a $144 million pool of funds for multi-modal projects.
A total of $1.7 billion would be earmarked by year five for highway and bridge projects. Another $497 million would be targeted for mass transit and $144 million for multi-modal projects.
The average cost to the consumer would be approximately $132 per year or $2.53 per week. Some other estimates suggest that the cost would be a bit higher at $3 per week. Either way, the increased costs on the front end will save at the back end in lower maintenance and delays.
The House concurred in the Senate version and the bill was signed into law by Gov. Corbett as Act 89 of 2013.
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The Senate voted 47 to 3 in favor of House Bill 290, which would make the state’s Small Games of Chance law more flexible and accommodating for volunteer and charitable organizations. The bill would also expand the number of allowable games organizations may offer.
Some of the reforms in the legislation would:
- make more games allowable including raffle auctions (commonly known as bashes or Chinese auctions), night at the races and small sports betting pools, such as those typically associated with the NCAA tournament or Super Bowl.
- eliminate the reporting requirements and background checks for organizations that do not have a liquor license; and only require reporting for liquor licensees that garner at least $30,000 per year in small games proceeds;
- increase prize limits on the single daily drawing to $3,000, aggregate weekly limit to $35,000, and aggregate annual limit to $150,000;
- simplify prize reporting requirements by making them identical to the rules of the Pennsylvania Lottery;
- specifically prohibit organizations from offering games regulated by the Gaming Control Board; and
- permit organizations without a liquor license to operate small games of chance anywhere in their home county, allow up to three organizations to host a joint fundraising event and permit non-members to sell an organization’s raffle tickets.
El proyecto de ley pasa ahora al gobernador.
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The Senate voted 34 to 15 in favor of House Bill 1098, which would allow bars and taverns to host raffles and other small games of chance.
Under the bill, taverns, hotels, restaurants and golf courses would be permitted to offer certain small games of chance including daily drawings, pull tabs, and monthly raffles. The revenue would be split between the establishment and state, with a share going to charities. In addition, a 5 percent tavern games tax would go to the host municipality.
The governor, who supports the bill, estimates that approximately 2,000 establishments could receive tavern gaming licenses. Individual prizes would be limited to $2,000 and weekly prizes to $35,000. In a previous version of the bill, several Senate Democrats proposed that proceeds be used to freeze senior citizen property taxes, but that amendment was voted down in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The bill would enable volunteer and civic clubs to keep a higher share (40 percent) of small games proceeds for the club’s operating expenses. The measure also allows club licensees to exempt the first $20,000 in proceeds from the 60/40 distribution list collected if $40,000 or less is collected in annual proceeds.
The measure clarifies that the money retained by a licensee for charity must be spent within one year of its collection.
The bill now goes to the governor for enactment.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 714, which would better protect children from identity thieves.
The Federal Trade Commission says children’s Social Security numbers are valuable to crooks because the victims don’t often learn about the rip-off until they become adults.
The change in Pennsylvania’s Crimes Code would bump the grading of the charge for a person accused of stealing a child’s identity by one degree. Similar laws are already on the books for identity theft victims who are at least 60 years old or are care dependent.
The legislation was presented to the governor for his consideration on Nov. 21.
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All of the senators voted yes on House Bill 1356, which would mean that Pennsylvania’s wiretap law will not sunset at the end of 2013.
The legislature failed to update the date of the law’s sunset date when it approved other wiretap changes during the prior session. This proposal corrects that.
The governor received House Bill 1356 on Nov. 22.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 802 to improve safety requirements and standards for boilers.
The changes will be reflected in the state’s “Boiler and Unfired Pressure Vessel Law.” The more modern standards will allow companies to use today’s boiler technology, which was not specified – or allowed – under existing law.
The legislation was sent to the governor for enactment.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 27, which would toughen the charge of harassment by one degree if the defendant is found to be in violation of a protection from abuse order.
The bill is modeled on an existing statute that does the same for the crime of stalking. Currently, harassment is a summary offence punishable by up to 90 days in jail. Under this bill, harassment would become a third degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 668, which would allow second class townships to purchase used municipal equipment from other government bodies.
Currently, municipal officials must advertise and bid contracts over $10,000 unless they are purchasing equipment from a public entity. This bill would expand that exception to cover any government entity.
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 669, which would allow first class townships to purchase municipal equipment from other government bodies.
Currently, municipal officials must advertise and bid contracts over $10,000 unless they are purchasing equipment from a public entity. This bill would expand that exception to cover any government entity.
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 403, which would assist the Pennsylvania National Guard in recruiting and retaining military resident physicians.
The bill would leverage $300,000 in Education Assistance Program (EAP) funding to incentivize military physicians to join the Pennsylvania National Guard after they complete their military service. Physicians would receive $15,000 per year of service. According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, this would not affect programs funded under EAP due to an average balance of $736,000 remaining at the end of the last two fiscal years.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for its concurrence.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 1115, which would change the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Educational Assistance Program to provide eligible service members with additional financial aid to cover costs of pursuing an approved education program after the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency first considers federal tuition assistance awarded to the member.
The bill would ensure proper distribution of state financial aid after federal aid is taken into consideration. All costs must be documented by the educational institution.
El proyecto pasa ahora a la Cámara para su examen.
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The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 995, also known as the Pennsylvania Livery Providers Fair Lien Act.
The bill would allow stable owners to place liens of people who abandon their horses and leave them in the care of the stable owners. The legislation creates a lien attachment for services rendered to cover the costs of food and veterinary care.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for its concurrence.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 391, which would allow the City of Philadelphia to collect property taxes through installment payments.
Under this bill, the city would be able to enter into written agreements with any taxpayer to facilitate the collection of taxes. The city would have the authority to determine program eligibility and how often installments are collected.
The bill now returns to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the Senate amendments.
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The Senate unanimously passed a bill that would give the City of Philadelphia more leverage in collecting delinquent taxes from property investors. Under current law, city official could place a lien on the property for unpaid taxes, but that act often proves ineffective, especially if the property in question is perceived as being worth less than the taxes owed.
House Bill 388 would allow the city to place a lien on any property owned by the same person or entity within the same county.
The bill is now before the governor for his signature.
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The Senate approved House Bill 390 by a vote of 48-2. The legislation would provide property tax relief for long term owner-occupants in Philadelphia based on financial need or age.
Although the City of Philadelphia already had authorization to provide relief under the First and Second Class County Property Tax Relief Act, it was unable to take a resident’s financial need or age into consideration. This bill would allow Philadelphia to take this information into account when granting tax relief.
The bill was presented to the Governor on Nov. 21, 2013.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1193, which would amend the First Class Township Code to allow police officers to serve on their local school board.
This legislation would allow police officers to seek office on a local school board, provided they do not campaign in uniform, when on duty, or when using township property. It also dictates that they cannot serve as a school police officer if elected to a school director position. The bill also clarifies procedures for the police or fire force reductions via furlough.
The bill now returns to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the Senate amendments.
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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 267 which would amend the Public School Code to extend the acceptable excuses for school absence to include educational reasons.
School boards may provide guidelines for the absences, but the guidelines must be approved by the Department of Education.
The bill also makes Automatic Emergency Defibrillators (AEDs) available in all school buildings, provided schools offer staff training. The Department of Education could assist schools by providing a discounted or no-cost AED to schools.
This bill now goes to the House of Representatives.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1348, which would amend the Medical Practice Act to establish requirements for physicians to review any patient records that are completed by physician assistants.
When records are written by a physician assistant, the supervising physician would be required to review and countersign all patient records within 10 days for a certain period of months depending on the physician assistant’s experience level. As physician assistant’s get more experienced and work with a certain physician for a set period of time, the requirement to countersign all patient records would be set by the supervising physician.
The bill was presented to the Governor on Nov. 22, 2013.
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The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 1351, which would amend the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act to establish requirements for physicians to review any patient records that are completed by physician assistants.
When records are written by a physician assistant, the supervising physician would be required to review and countersign all patient records within 10 days for a certain period of months depending on the physician assistant’s experience level. As physician assistant’s get more experienced and work with a certain physician for a set period of time, the requirement to countersign all patient records would be set by the supervising physician.
The bill was presented to the Governor on Nov. 22, 2013.
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