September 26, 2011
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Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"We have a bipartisan commitment to helping our residents and local officials get back on their feet. There is widespread damage so we need to have a good plan in place to jumpstart our recovery effort."

-- Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, which will hold a joint public hearing Tuesday with the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee on the possibility of establishing a State Disaster Assistance Program for communities that sustain damage that falls below federal thresholds for aid.

Preview

Monday: Family Caregiver Support, Pro-Life Caucus

Senate Aging and Youth Committee Chair Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) will join a statewide coalition of advocates representing older Pennsylvanians to encourage passage of Senate Bill 639 and updates of the state Family Caregiver Support Program. (11 a.m. Main Rotunda)

The Senate and House Pro-Life Caucuses will hold a joint news conference in support of Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Chair Don White (R-Indiana), and Senate Bill 732, sponsored by Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chair Pat Vance (R-Cumberland). (11:30 a.m. Capitol Media Center)

Panel Sets Two Hearings on Transportation Funding Report

The Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery), will hold two public hearings this week on the report issued by the Governor's Transportation Funding and Advisory Commission. (10 a.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. Wednesday, N. Office Bldg. Hearing Room 1)

For highlights of transportation funding challenges, please see Fast Facts, below.

Disaster Assistance, PLCB, Developmental Programs, Pension System Status

On Tuesday, the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), will hold a joint public hearing with the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee on the possibility of establishing a State Disaster Assistance Program for communities that sustain damage that falls below federal thresholds for aid. (9 a.m. Room 8E-B)

The Senate Law and Justice Committee, chaired by Sen. John Pippy (R-Allegheny), will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the nomination of Joseph E. Brion to the Liquor Control Board. (12 p.m. Senate Majority Caucus Room)

On Wednesday, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland), will hold a public hearing to review the past payment practices of the Office of Developmental Programs. (9 a.m. Senate Majority Caucus Room)

The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster), will hold a public hearing Wednesday on the status of the Pennsylvania Public Pension System. (1:30 pm. N. Office Bldg. Hearing Room 1)

Review

Senate Approves Bill Requiring Prompt Notification of Personal Data Breaches

State and local government agencies would be required to notify the public of data breaches involving personal information within one week under legislation approved by the Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), would also require the Attorney General to investigate every breach involving state agencies, with breaches involving local governments investigated by the county District Attorney.

For more on Senate Bill 162, please see In the Spotlight, below.

Senate Sends Veterans Civil Service Bill to Governor for Enactment

Legislation requiring that at least one member of the State Civil Service Commission be a military veteran was approved by Senate on Tuesday and sent to the governor to be signed into law.

House Bill 378 was approved by the Senate State Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks), in March. It would ensure that someone on the commission would thoroughly understand required hiring practices such as "Veterans' Preference," designed to give hiring preference to qualified veterans seeking a public position.

An audit found that 25 state agencies filled at least 569 civil service employment positions without considering eligible veterans seeking employment, even though the agencies requested employment lists that included these veterans with test scores among the top three highest-scoring job candidates.

The State Civil Service Commission is made up of three full-time members who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and serve six-year terms.  

Senate Acts to Boost Promotion of PA Farm Products

Legislation designed to help promote Pennsylvania farm products was approved Wednesday by the Senate and sent to the governor to be signed into law.

House Bill 1424 was approved in June by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver). It creates the Pennsylvania Preferred Act which provides the statutory framework for the PA Preferred program which has been used to promote PA agricultural commodities.

The measure requires the department to acquire, register, license, protect and promote the PA Preferred® Trademark for use in the sale and promotion of Pennsylvania-produced agricultural commodities.

In the Spotlight

Senate Bill 162 was drafted by Senator Pileggi after reports of three separate thefts of state-owned computers containing personal information.

Although those computers included at least 17,800 Social Security numbers and other personal information of approximately 400,000 state residents, the state agencies involved did not notify the public until two or three weeks after the incidents.

The legislation would also allow courts to require individuals who are determined to be responsible for a data breach to pay the cost of the investigation and the cost of repairing or restoring the system.

Senator Pileggi: "There's no good reason for a government agency to wait for two or three weeks after a data breach to let the public know. We have an obligation to let potentially affected residents know as soon as possible when personal information is stolen so they can take steps to protect themselves from identity theft." 

Fast Facts