Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"If we want to prime the pump, so to speak, we should be investing in technology advancement, we should be investing in research – so that entrepreneurs can take the research that’s completed and then go out and create jobs. If we just go ahead and create facilities around the state, science may go in a different direction in five or ten years and the facilities may be worthless."

-- Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), expressing concern about the governor’s plan to promote alternative energy in Pennsylvania with large-scale debt and a short-term infusion of cash, rather than a more deliberate approach.

THE SENATE THIS WEEK IS EXPECTED TO CONSIDER legislation improving assistance and outreach to Pennsylvania veterans and local firefighting partnerships.

Senate Bill 915, sponsored by Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), will provide financial assistance to Veterans Administration-accredited service officer programs. (See Review, below). Senate Bill 96, introduced by Sen. Don White (R-Indiana), would encourage regionalization and partnership efforts among volunteer fire departments.

The Senate is also expected to consider a package of bills increasing education accountability, and providing citizens with greater access to information.

COMMITTEES: STATEWIDE RADIO SYSTEM, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, LEGISLATIVE BONUS BAN

THE SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE, chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), and the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, chaired by Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery), will hold a joint hearing Wednesday.

The hearing will be held to receive testimony on the status of the implementation and deployment of the Commonwealth’s Statewide Radio System.

THE SENATE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE, chaired by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware), will hold a public hearing Tuesday on legislation that would change the state’s Mental Health Procedures Act to include assisted outpatient treatment.

Senate Bill 226, sponsored by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery), establishes a procedure for obtaining court orders for certain individuals with mental illness to receive and accept outpatient treatment.

THE SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), is expected to consider Senate Bill 986, sponsored by Sen. John Eichelberger (R-Blair), known as the Bonus Ban Act.

ONE WEEK AFTER THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEGAN A SPECIAL SESSION ON ENERGY, Gov. Ed Rendell unveiled his plan before a joint session Monday.

Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Chair Mary Jo White (R-Venango) and Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee Chair Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks) announced their “Alternative Energy Investment Act” earlier this month.

Under the White-Tomlinson legislation, $60 million would be allocated annually out of existing revenues to provide grants and loans to projects that improve energy supply and efficiency, support conservation and reduce demand for energy. The plan rejects the administration’s proposal to fund alternative energy with increased taxes.

- Sen. White

- Sen. Tomlinson

- Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre)

- Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer)

Part 1 - Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)

Part 2 - Sen. Pileggi

- Sen. Pileggi

- Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery)

WORKING TO CRACK DOWN ON SEXUAL PREDATORS who use the internet as a way to prey on victims, the Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would require convicted offenders to register their email addresses and online screen names with state authorities.

Senate Bill 490, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), would require sex offenders to provide this information to the Pennsylvania State Police and the state Board of Probation and Parole. Currently, sex offenders are required to register their residential addresses, employment and student information with authorities.

In addition to the requirement that offenders register their information, Senate Bill 490 also requires those who change their email addresses or instant messaging screen name to report those changes to state authorities within 48 hours.

Senator Browne said: "I am pleased that the Senate has taken this step to protect our young people. I hope the House will consider this bill in the near future and send it to the governor for enactment into law. Sexual offenders have found electronic communications to be an easy way to contact children. We must ensure that Pennsylvania's law enforcement officials have the capability to monitor convicted offenders and their online activities as a way to protect our children."

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JAMES RHOADES (R-SCHUYLKILL) on Wednesday unveiled his proposed Property Tax Elimination Act, a plan that would eliminate $9 billion in school property taxes if it is approved by the voters.

The Property Tax Elimination Act will require that a statewide referendum question appear on the November 4, 2008 ballot. If Pennsylvanians vote “yes” on the referendum question, the state personal income tax and the state sales tax will increase and school property taxes will be reduced dollar for dollar, totaling $9 billion in total relief, an amount equal to 96 percent of all school property taxes.

If the statewide referendum question is approved, the state sales tax would increase from its current rate of 6 percent to 9.19 percent and the personal income tax would increase from 3.07 percent to 4.36 percent. The funds would be directed to school districts by providing each school district with at least $5,000 for each student enrolled or an amount equal to 100 percent of their property tax revenues. School districts would be required to use these funds to reduce or eliminate property taxes on all property taxpayers across the board.

Sen. Rhoades said: "If the people vote ‘yes’ on the referendum question, every single nickel will go to reduce or eliminate property taxes on all property taxpayers: residences, businesses, farms, everyone. This could be the last property tax reform plan that the General Assembly ever has to pass. This is a bill that requires difficult choices, choices about taxes and what kinds of taxes are most fair for the people who have to pay them. The decision should be up to the people. So, let's allow them to make it."

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LEGISLATION AIMED AT IMPROVING OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS throughout Pennsylvania was approved Tuesday by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne).

Senate Bill 915, introduced by Sen. Baker and co-sponsored by 50 senators, will provide financial assistance to the Veterans Administration accredited service officer programs offered by nationally chartered veteran service organizations including The American Legion, AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the Disabled American Veterans.

The program will be coordinated by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to enhance the availability of veterans assistance throughout the state, to measure performance and program outcomes, and most importantly, ensure the ongoing monitoring and continual improvement of services to Pennsylvania’s veterans community.

Since August 1990, Pennsylvania has ranked fourth in the nation for the number of armed service members serving on active duty with at least one in four soldiers returning from combat seeking federal Veterans Administration compensation for service-connected injuries or illnesses.

Sen. Baker said: “Given the complexity of the federal claims process, our large veterans community, and our future veterans population given the number of active military as well as National Guard and Reserves who are currently deployed, the need for a more effective veterans outreach program here in Pennsylvania is significant.”

COMMITTEE APPROVES MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR MUNICIPAL PURCHASES

A BIPARTISAN PACKAGE OF BILLS that would provide local governments -- counties, cities, townships, boroughs, towns, and municipal authorities -- greater flexibility when it comes to purchasing was approved Wednesday by the Senate Local Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Bob Regola (R-Westmoreland).

The Local Government Bid Limits Package, which Sen. Regola is coordinating with Senate colleagues, would amend the various local government codes by raising for the first time in 17 years the level at which local governments must go through the competitive bidding process. Sponsors of the measures include Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer), Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), Sen. John Gordner (R-Columbia), Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), Sen. John Eichelberger (R-Blair) and Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster).

Ten measures in the 16-bill package were sent to the full Senate for consideration. (For more on the package, and a list of bills approved by the committee, please see In the Spotlight and Fast Facts, below.)

FUNDRAISING HELP FOR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HELP VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS in their fundraising efforts was approved Tuesday by the Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. Roger Madigan (R-Bradford).

Senate Bill 351, sponsored by Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer), would permit charitable organizations, such as firefighters who collect boot donations, to solicit funds along local roadways, provided local approval had first been granted.

Said Sen. Robbins: “Several of my local volunteer organizations -- including my local fire department -- have historically held fundraisers along roadways without incident. These types of fundraisers are often successful because they are highly visible to the community. Without such visibility, it is difficult to attract attention for such worthy causes. Ultimately, my legislation would make this issue a local matter.”

CURRENTLY, WHEN A MUNICIPALITY PLANS TO PURCHASE AN ITEM above $10,000, it must go through the bidding process by advertising twice in a newspaper, receiving sealed bids by vendors, and voting at a public meeting on the lowest bid. The Local Government Bid Limits Package would amend the local government codes for counties, cities, townships, boroughs and school districts by raising from $10,000 to $25,000 the level at which local governments must go through the bidding process.

The bills also increase the range requiring written or telephoned quotes from $4,000-$10,000 to $7,000-$25,000. To end the need to regularly amend the law, the bid limit thresholds would be adjusted annually by the Department of Labor and Industry based upon the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.

Sen. Regola said: “As a former township supervisor, I know first-hand how cumbersome the purchasing process is. If we want local governments to operate more like a business, we need to provide them with the flexibility they need to do their jobs without being constrained by too much red tape. Furthermore, the ability to make relatively small purchases without the time and expense of advertising will be more efficient and save money for municipalities.”