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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 135, which would allow Pennsylvania hunters to use leashed tracking dogs to track white tailed deer, bear, or elk to help recover an animal that has been legally killed or wounded.

The bill now goes to the House Game and Fisheries Committee.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 252, which allows agreements between the Pittsburgh Parking Authority and private developers to provide dedicated parking spaces for commercial or residential use.

The measure enables the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to enter into agreements with private businesses and projects to grant or lease public parking spaces.  This change allows the Parking Authority to participate in mixed-use projects by authorizing the use of parking facilities. The Parking Authority can develop, operate or finance mixed-use projects.

The bill was enacted as Act 76 of 2017.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 751, which would provide regulations and licensure qualifications for mortgage loan servicers.

Mortgage loan servicers are non-bank entities that handle mortgage-related transactions between lenders and consumers. Mortgage servicers are not regulated in Pennsylvania. This bill would mandate that these companies be licensed, regulated, and in compliance with federal and state mortgage laws while they take part in mortgage-related actions.

The bill would allow the Department of Banking and Securities to issue a license to a mortgage loan servicer once the department determines that the entity applying for a license has met all necessary criteria. The bill would also require that the department to ensure that state regulations have incorporated the Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s mortgage service regulations.

The bill now goes to the House Commerce Committee.

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The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 785, which would create a new section regulating the operation of golf-carts at public highway crossings.

This bill would make it illegal to operate a golf cart on any public highways except for occurrences where the driver of the cart yields to the right-of-way of oncoming traffic, the cart is brought to a complete stop before crossing, and the cart is crossing at a place where is no obstruction that would prevent a safe and quick passage.

The department on State-designated highways and local authorities with jurisdiction within the area where the highway is located can designate a golf-cart crossing with official traffic signals and signage that is sufficient and prominent to alert individuals of the upcoming crossing area.

The legislation also includes age restrictions for individuals operating a golf-cart at a highway crossing. Persons 12 to 16 years of age cannot drive a cart across any highway crossing unless they are under the direct supervision of someone who is 18 years or older.

This bill now goes to the House Transportation Committee.

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