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WEEKLY SESSION NOTES
Senate Republican Policy Committee
Sen. Jake Corman, Chairman
Monday, April 23, 2007
Senate Bill 112 (Piccola) would amend the Public School Code to add
provisions relating to school violence. The measure would require the
Department of Education's Office of Safe Schools to convene an advisory
committee of law enforcement and school personnel to develop a standard form to
report school violence no later than 60 days after the effective date of the
act. Specific offenses are added to the list of incidents a chief school
administrator must annually report to the Office of Safe Schools. Under
additional provisions, language would be added to require all chief school
administrators to consult with local law enforcement regarding the content of
school violence reports so that discrepancies can be resolved before submission.
The bill would require that a memorandum of understanding between local law
enforcement and a school entity provide: 1) immediate notification to law
enforcement of crimes committed on school property; 2) emergency response
procedures; and, 3) a process for local law enforcement to review school
violence reports. The measure also provides that school officials who fail to
initiate a memorandum of understanding, fail to report acts of violence or
falsify reports would be subject to prosecution under Section 4904 (Relating to
Unsworn Falsification to Authorities) of the Crimes Code and to civil penalties
imposed by the Professional Standards and Practices Commission, which includes a
fine of $2,500 for the first violation, $3,500 for the second violation and
$5,000 for a third and subsequent violations. Passed: 48-1.
Senate Resolution 78 (Pileggi) designates April 24, 2007 as "Pennsylvania's
Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923." Adopted: 49-0.
Senate Resolution 80 (Earll) recognizes the week of April 29 through May 5,
2007 as "National Charter School Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 93 (Tartaglione) designates the month of May 2007 as "Law
Month" in Pennsylvania and urges lawmakers, lawyers, judges, and schools to
participate. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 94 (Tartaglione) honors Pennsylvania's senior citizens by
designating the month of May 2007 as "Older Americans: Making Choices for a
Healthier Future Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 95 (Washington) designates the month of May 2007 as
"Foster Care Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 96 (Orie) designates April 24, 2007 as "Equal Pay Day" in
Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Senate Bill 72 (Greenleaf) would amend the Volunteer Health Services Act to
lower the continuing medical education requirements for volunteer physician
licensees from 100 hours to 20 hours. Specifically, volunteer physician
licensees who complete 20 hours of continuing education during the biennial
licensure period would be exempt from the 100-hour continuing education
requirement under Section 910 of the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of
Error (MCARE) Act. Health care practitioners who provide services in an
approved clinic without remuneration under an active non-volunteer license and
who are entitled to indemnity and defense under section 10.2 of the Act would be
required to complete the 100-hour continuing education requirement under section
910 of the MCARE Act. Passed: 50-0.
Senate Bill 83 (Tomlinson) would designate State Route 132 from its
beginning point at State Road, Bensalem Township, Bucks County to its terminal
point at Lower State Road, Warrington Township, Bucks County as the Armed Forces
and Veterans Memorial Highway. Passed: 50-0.
Senate Bill 760 (Kasunic) would designate the section of State Route 219
located in Somerset County as the Flight 93 Memorial Highway. Passed: 50-0.
Senate Resolution 97 (A. Williams) designates April 25, 2007 as "Arts in
Education Day" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 98 (Costa) designates the week of May 7 through May 13,
2007 as "Juror Appreciation Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
House Bill 195 (Payne) would designate the bridge carrying SR 441 over the
Swatara Creek, locally referred to as the Canal Street Bridge, in the Borough of
Royalton, Dauphin County as the Sgt. Major Clarence Edward Mathias Bridge.
Passed: 50-0.
House Bill 294 (Scavello) would designate the Interboro Bridge on State
Route 2012, passing over Brodhead Creek, Monroe County as the Veterans Memorial
Bridge. Passed: 50-0.
Executive Session
The Honorable Stephen M. Schmerin – Secretary of Labor and Industry.
Confirmed: 47-3.
Various Nominations, including The Honorable Estelle B. Richman as Secretary
of Public Welfare. Confirmed: 50-0.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Senate Bill 262 (Gordner) would amend the Vehicle Code to permit the
Department of Transportation to waive the driving skill test for a member of the
armed forces or a veteran who applies for a commercial driver's license and is
or was regularly employed in a position in the armed forces requiring operation
of a commercial motor vehicle and who has legally operated, for at least two
years immediately preceding application for a commercial driver's license, a
vehicle representative of the commercial motor vehicle that the driver applicant
expects to operate. Passed: 50-0.
Senate Bill 365 (Greenleaf) would amend the Judicial Code to extend the
expiration date of the senior judge operational support grants by five years
from June 30, 2007 until June 30, 2012. Passed: 50-0.
Senate Resolution 99 (Madigan) recognizes the United Parcel Service of
America, Inc., on its centennial celebration honoring its contributions to the
citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 100 (C. Williams) designates April 26, 2007 as "Take Our
Daughters and Sons to Work Day" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Executive Session
The Honorable Nora Anne Dowd Eisenhower – Secretary of Aging. Confirmed:
50-0.
The Honorable Dennis C. Wolff – Secretary of Agriculture. Confirmed: 50-0.
The Honorable Dennis Yablonsky – Secretary of Community and Economic
Development. Confirmed: 50-0.
The Honorable James P. Creedon – Secretary of General Services. Confirmed:
50-0.
The Honorable Calvin B. Johnson – Secretary of Health. Confirmed: 50-0.
The Honorable Allen D. Biehler – Secretary of Transportation. Confirmed:
46-4.
Thomas W. Wolff – Secretary of Revenue. Confirmed: 50-0.
Denise McGregor Armbrister – Philadelphia School Reform Commission.
Confirmed: 50-0.
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