Meeting to consider SB 795 and HB 1097

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Senate Education Committee

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | 12:30 p.m.

Room 8E-B, East Wing

Agenda

Senate Bill 795 (J. Ward) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 establishing the Lifeline
Scholarship Program and the Lifeline Scholarship Fund.

House Bill 1097 (Haddock) – Amends the Public School Code of 1949 to provide for a moment of
silence in schools for the anniversary of September 11, 2001 and require the Department of
Education to identify curriculum for instruction on the events and significance of that day.

Fallen Police Officers Ceremony

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Sen. Regan and PA Fraternal Order of Police

Monday, May 6, 2024 | 5 p.m.

Main Rotunda, state Capitol

Meeting to consider SB 1026

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Senate Labor and Industry Committee

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | 9:30 a.m.

Room 8E-A, East Wing

Agenda

  • SB 1026 (Miller) – Amends Act 173 of 1975 to modernize payroll methods to include allowing for
    employers to require payment by electronic method if certain conditions are met.

              o A04309 (Robinson)

Mastriano Introduces Bill to Defund PA-Taxpayer-Funded Colleges and Universities that Support Antisemitism

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HARRISBURG – With pro-Hamas and anti-Israel encampments being set up at higher education institutions in Pennsylvania and across the United States, state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) today introduced legislation to suspend state funding for state-owned or -related colleges and universities in the commonwealth if they support antisemitism.

“Targeting Jewish students because of their religion or perceived ties to the state of Israel is disgusting and cannot be tolerated,” Mastriano said. “Antisemitism should find no safe harbor on any college or university campus funded with Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars.”

Mastriano introduced Senate Bill 1185 as pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protests and encampments recently took root at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh and other Pennsylvania colleges and universities that benefit from state tax dollars. His bill would end taxpayer support for any state-owned or -related universities that authorize, facilitate or otherwise support any event promoting antisemitism on campus. Higher education institutions that support antisemitic events would be disqualified from receiving state funding for the following academic year.

The campus protests come following the Oct. 7, 2023, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood attack by Hamas in several Israeli communities, where more than 1,000 Israelis were killed and approximately 250 people were taken hostage.

Israel responded by defending itself through retaliatory air strikes and a large-scale ground invasion in portions of Gaza, with additional operations in the West Bank. The now six-month-long war between Israel and Palestine has resulted in a total of more than 35,000 casualties, with more than 34,000 Palestinian deaths and approximately 1,400 Israeli deaths.

The Anti-Defamation League reported a 400% spike of antisemitic incidents in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack.

“Jewish students deserve to feel the same level of safety and security on campus as students from any other religion or nation,” Mastriano said. “Pennsylvania taxpayer-funded colleges and universities that fail to protect Jewish students and quash antisemitism do not deserve to receive state tax dollars.”

U.S. college and university campuses have become ground zero in the ongoing debate surrounding the war. Public opinion among U.S. college students shifted drastically during the past six months, with only 41% of college students blaming Hamas for the Oct. 7 attack in a recent survey, compared to 52% in a mid-October poll.

Mastriano’s bill has been referred to the Senate Education Committee for consideration.

Constituents of the 33rd District can learn more about Mastriano by visiting his website at SenatorMastriano.com or following him on Facebook at Facebook.com/SenatorDougMastriano.

Media contact: Josh Herman
717-787-9603

Vogel, Kinkead Highlight Impacts of Capitol Hunger Garden as It Begins Its 14th Season

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HARRISBURG – Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) and Rep. Emily Kinkead (D-20), co-chairs of the bicameral, bipartisan Legislative Hunger Caucus, will be hosting a press conference on Tuesday, May 7, at 10 a.m., at the Capitol Hunger Garden located between the Main Capitol Building and the Ryan Office Building (501 N 3rd St, Harrisburg).

The press conference will highlight the impacts the Capitol Hunger Garden has continued to uphold in the Harrisburg community.

Event speakers include:

  • Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr.
  • Rep. Emily Kinkead
  • Corrie Lingenfelter, executive director, Downtown Daily Bread
  • Joe Arthur, CEO, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank
  • Tammy Linn, executive director, PA Vegetable Growers Association

Watch live at www.senatoreldervogel.com  or Facebook.com/Senator.Elder.Vogel.

 

CONTACT:    Abby Chiumento, 717-787-3076 (Sen. Vogel)
                        Bradley Gebhart, 717-481-3039 (Downtown Daily Bread)
                        Aaron Troutman, 717-480-9166 (Rep. Emily Kinkead)
                        Corrina Wilson, 717-979-3407 (Central Pennsylvania Food Bank)
                        Tammy Linn, (PA Vegetable Growers Association)

Meeting to consider SB 1084 and HB 660

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Senate Banking and Insurance Committee

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 | 10 a.m.

Room 461 MCB

Agenda

Senate Bill 1084 Rothman: Amends Title 13(Commercial Code) & Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and
Fiduciaries) to adopt changes to the Uniform Commercial Code to accommodate emerging technologies and adding a new Division on Controllable Electronic Records.

House Bill 660 Schlossberg: Amends Title 40 (Insurance) Establishing uniform rules and regulations
regarding issuance and sale of pet insurance policies to consumers

Senate OKs Yaw Bill to Create Independent Energy Office in Pennsylvania

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HARRISBURG – The state Senate today approved Senate Bill 832, sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) to establish an Independent Energy Office (IEO) within the commonwealth.

“Pennsylvania has one of the most diverse energy portfolios in the United States,” Sen. Yaw said. “There is no question we can capitalize on our state’s energy richness, but first we must stop apologizing for it. I believe an Independent Energy Office can provide impartial, timely and data-driven analysis to guide our state in determining and meeting future energy needs.”

An analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration highlights Pennsylvania’s significant role in energy production and distribution:

  • The state achieved a record natural gas production of 7.6 trillion cubic feet in 2021, making it the second-largest producer in the nation – primarily from the Marcellus Shale.
  • Pennsylvania ranks third in coal production, following Wyoming and West Virginia, and is the second-largest coal exporter to foreign markets.
  • In 2021, Pennsylvania stood second in electricity generation from nuclear power, trailing only Illinois.
  • More than half of Pennsylvania households rely on natural gas as their primary heating fuel, supported by the state’s 48 underground gas storage sites, the most of any state, which meet regional heating demand in winter.
  • Pennsylvania emerges as the second-largest net supplier of total energy to other states, after Texas.

Yaw noted the IEO would be modeled after Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), which was created by Act 120 of 2010 and Act 100 of 2016.  The IFO does not support or oppose any policy it analyzes and discloses the methodologies, data sources and assumptions used in published reports and estimates.

Additionally, Senate Bill 832 overhauls the former Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority by replacing its 19-member board with the 11-member board of the Pennsylvania Opportunities with Energy Reliability Authority or POWER.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

For more state-related news and information, constituents can visit Senator Yaw’s website at www.SenatorGeneYaw.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @SenatorGeneYaw.

CONTACT:
Elizabeth Weitzel
717-787-3280

Senate Committee Passes Stefano Bill Enabling Reduced Ratepayer Costs

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HARRISBURG – To reduce ratepayers’ costs and offer public utilities flexibility, the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano (R-32).

Senate Bill 1174 would enable a public utility to petition the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for relief from a law, regulation or policy statement under the PUC’s jurisdiction if the utility can show it will reduce costs for ratepayers and operate in a more efficient and effective manner.

“Consumers continue to see increases in their utility bills and we need to find ways to reduce them,” Stefano said. “As every utility operates differently, this will give each of them an opportunity to seek cost savings that will provide the most benefit to every ratepayer.”

The utility must provide supporting data and information to the PUC explaining the benefit obtained from the waiver and how it will save costs or avoid future ratepayer impacts. The request must also include an evaluation procedure to determine the effectiveness of the waiver or program that will be instituted due to the waiver. It should also indicate how safety and reliability standards will be maintained or exceeded.

Having received committee support, the bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

This legislation is part of a package of bills sponsored by Stefano to further reduce ratepayer costs on utilities.

CONTACT:  Amanda Cuteri, 717-787-7175

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