HB 331, PN 306 (Brown) – This legislation will create an incentive-based savings program by authorizing certain financial institutions to offer incentives for saving money. Incentives can include prizes, additional money, etc.
Amendment A05137 (DiSanto) – This amends SB 1167 (DiSanto/Street) into HB 331 to provide for banking and insurance services for federal- or state-sanctioned cannabis related businesses and their associates and protections for financial institutions and insurers. SB 1167 passed the Senate 46-3 with all Senate Democrats voting in the affirmative and Senators Brooks, Hutchinson and Mastriano voting in the negative.
This also includes the amendments added in the House Commerce Committee to exclude services for recreational cannabis-related activities in violation of either the Controlled Substances, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act or the Medical Marijuana Act. That exclusion amendment was voted 15-9 with all House Democratic members of the Committee voting in the negative on the amendment, but positive on the bill as amended.
Finally, it adds that the bill’s protections for financial institutions and insurers are subject to the institutions’ or insurers’ (1) reasonable due diligence to determine that a cannabis-related business or its associate is in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws that authorize cannabis-related businesses, and (2) their material compliance with the bill’s obligation that they comply with:
- Other laws regarding to the provision of financial services to other customers of the institution or insurer,
- Consumer protection laws,
- Any additional requirements of any federal and governing state financial regulatory agency, the Department of Banking and Securities, and the Insurance Department, and
- Any other applicable requirements of any other jurisdiction under which the institution or insurer is providing services to a cannabis-related business.
The amendment passed by a vote of 47-2, and the bill went over in its order as amended.
SB 956, PN 1286 (J. Ward) – Amends the Constitution of Pennsylvania, specifically Article I by providing that there is no right to an abortion or utilization of public funding for an abortion.
Motion to remove from table was approved by a vote of 28-21.
HB 1867, PN 3278 (Boback) – The bill would amend the Public School Code to establish The Purple Star School Program within the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
Amendment A05182 (Stefano) – The amendment adds cyber-charter schools and intermediate units to the definition of public school. Further, the amendment provides that a public school may partner with either another public school or nonpublic school to meet program requirements under the Purple Star School Program.
The amendment passed by a voice vote and was rereferred to appropriations.
HB 1868, PN 2652 (Mako) – The bill amends Title 63 by adding provisions for veterans’ professional licensure education fulfillment and related requirements. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.
HB 2420, PN 2831 (Quinn) – The bill amends the Board of Wardens for the Port of Philadelphia Act (Act 210 of 1889) by providing for a fee increase for pilot fees on the Delaware River and Bay. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.
HB 2464, PN 2978 (Delozier) – The bill would amend the Crime Victims Act (Act 111 of 1998) to provide crime victims legal standing to assert and enforce rights enumerated under the Crime Victims Act.
Amendment A05207 (Bartolotta) – Amendment brings in Senate Bill 708, which was passed by the Senate by a vote of 50 – 0 on June 25, 2021. SB708 is the final piece of JRI II and includes necessary clean up for OVA due to the Corrections/Parole Board merger and moves the provisions of 9730.3 from Title 42 to the Crime Victims Act.
Adds definitions to the Crime Victims Act.
Revises the definition of “crime” and “personal injury crime”.
Amends the definition of “intervenor” to include a law enforcement officer who is injured in the performance of duties.
Adds a requirement to the rights of victims of crime that they be notified of the Address Confidentiality Program if eligible to apply.
Updates the requirements on law enforcement to provide basic information on the rights and services of victims and requires a law enforcement official to indicate on a police report that the information was provided to a direct victim.
Requires the prosecutor to provide the victim advocate with the victim information on all cases which the offender is sentenced for a “personal injury crime” to the Department of Corrections (DOC).
Exempts the home address of an employee of OVA and contact information of victims with OVA from the Right-to-know law.
Compensation from Victims’ Funds
Extends the time for a victim of crime to file a claim from 2 years to 5 years. Allows a claim to be accepted past the time under limited circumstances.
Decreases the cap on minimum out-of-pocket expenses for a claimant from $100 to $50.
Requires the Office of Victims’ Services (OVS) within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to establish a records retention schedule.
Repeals the emergency award $1,500 cap per claim.
Requires OVS to ensure their regulations comply with all Federal laws and regulations.
Allows the commencing of a PFA to be considered reporting to law enforcement for purposes of complying with reporting requires for eligibility for a claim.
Allows a minor who is a direct victim of a sexual offense to request their primary insurance not be billed for counseling services if the policy is held by the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
Allows the conduct of the victim to be disregarded for coverage of funeral expenses and for claims for counseling.
Victims Funds
Establishes the Crime Victim Services and Compensation Fund and Repeals the Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund and the Victim Witness Services Fund. All money in those funds is deposited into the new Crime Victim Services and Compensation Fund.
Establishes the County Supervision Fee Restricted Receipts Account to collect fees from offender supervision programs.
Transfers the remaining money from Act 87 of 2019 into the Crime Victim Services and Compensation Fund.
Makes various technical changes.
The amendment passed by a voice vote and was rereferred to appropriations.
HB 118, PN 2521 (Ryan) – Requires health care facilities to provide for the final disposition of fetal remains following a miscarriage or abortion and imposes penalties on a person who violates this act.
Motion to remove from table failed by a vote of 21-28.
SB 1152, PN 1795 (Mastriano) – This bill establishes the Overdose Mapping Act and directs the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to ascertain and document the number, trends and patterns associated with known and suspected overdoses in Pennsylvania and issue a publicly accessible annual report. PSP would also be directed to utilize an overdose mapping system in which a central repository containing information about overdose incidents is established and maintained using data from the Overdose Information Network, and any other platform improved by the PSP to capture real-time overdose reporting.
Amendment A05177 (Stefano) – The amendment makes technical additions to the bill by providing definitions of:
- Emergency medical services provider
- Law enforcement officer
- Local Leaders
- Municipality
The amendment passed by a voice vote and the bill went over in its order as amended.
SB 1277, PN 1738 (Aument) – This bill suppresses teachers and librarians’ ability to use inclusive, affirming, and developmentally appropriate instructional materials and books in public schools.
Amendment A05183 (Boscola) – This amendment changes the definition of ‘Sexual conduct’ by replacing a reference to the Crimes Code definition, and inserting instead, specific acts that qualify as sexual conduct. The change removes homosexuality from the definition of sexual conduct while retaining all other acts included in the original definition.
The amendment passed by a voice vote and the bill went over in its order as amended.
HB 1780, PN 3274 (Armanini) –The bill would amend the Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (Act 32 of 1989) to extend the sunset day of the Underground Storage Tank Environmental Cleanup Program and the Underground Storage Tank Pollution Prevention Program from June 30, 2022, until December 31, 2027. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.
SB 563, PN 1588 (Laughlin) – This legislation would require family child-care homes to have interconnected smoke detectors placed on each floor and in the basement. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.
SB 1236, PN 1777 (Vogel) – The bill would Expands the Very Small Meat Processor Federal Inspection Reimbursement Grant Program under Title 3 Agriculture. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.