PA House Agenda, Oct. 15 - 18

Here's this week's schedule for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Information has been supplied by Rep. Mike Turzai, Republican Majority Leader.

All of House session and most committee meetings will stream live onPAHouseGOP.com. Many events also may be viewed onFacebook.com/PAHouseGOP. 

House lawmakers will take up bills to address charter school reform, special education funding and protections for juveniles in the court system. They also will take up legislation to regulate and protect children who work on the sets of movies or reality television shows filmed in the Commonwealth.

The Weekly Schedule

Identified by bill number, the sponsors and summaries for bills scheduled to be considered in committee or on the House floor are posted below.  More information regarding these bills can be found at PAHouseGOP.com by clicking on the “Research Bills” tab.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Committee Meetings/Hearings

SELECT COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY TAX, 9:30 a.m., Room 140, Main Capitol

• Public Hearing on HR 774 (Rep. Tom Quigley, R-Montgomery):Resolution establishing a select committee to investigate and review the interrelationship between all current sources of school district and local government tax revenue, with a focus on property taxes, the current system of federal and state funding of school districts and other local government functions.

GAME AND FISHERIES, 10:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• Informational meeting – Game Commission to present information regarding the potential expansion for protection of certain species of bats. An update on the discovery of chronic wasting disease in an Adams County deer is also planned.

JUDICIARY, 11 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• Agenda to be announced.

URBAN AFFAIRS, noon, Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• SB 1303 (Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Delaware/Philadelphia):Controls the rate of tax levied on real estate after Philadelphia’s reassessment based on Actual Value Initiative (AVI) to prevent substantial tax increases for property owners.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 12:30 p.m., Room G-50 Irvis Office Building

• SB 657 (Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland): Requires county park police officers in Westmoreland County to obtain the same training as municipal police officers and requires the county to pay costs associated with the training for certification.

Session

On Monday, the House will convene at 1 p.m. for legislative business. The members will vote the uncontested calendar and Rule 35 resolutions.

Votes on Second Consideration

• HB 845 (Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie):  Allows for the direct shipment of wine to residents of the Commonwealth and requires that the wine shipper charge a 6 percent sales tax for all shipments to the Commonwealth and remit the tax to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
• HB 2065 (Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria):  Establishes a $4,000 annual tax credit to taxpayers that hire veterans to work at small businesses they own.
• SB 86 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Assists law enforcement in prevention of auto theft.
• SB 390 (Sen. Mike Brubaker, R-Chester/Lancaster): Allows for the movement of tractors and other agricultural vehicles on roads.
• SB 850 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Outlines sentencing options for juveniles convicted of murder; ensures greater protections for juvenile offenders regarding legal representation; streamlines the expungement of records; and defines the crime of cyber bullying by minors.
• SB 1144 (Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland): Prohibits insurers from setting fees for non-covered dentist services.
• SB 1185 (Sen. Michael Waugh, R-York): Permits the separation of the functions of tax collector and township treasurer.
• SB 1200 (Sen. Mike Folmer, R- Berks/Chester/Dauphin/Lancaster/Lebanon): Changes guidelines for sole source procurement and for emergency procurement.
• SB 1255 (Sen. Robert Robbins, R-Butler/Crawford/Lawrence/Mercer): Simplifies and improves the process for military personnel and citizens who are abroad to participate in Pennsylvania elections.
• SB 1261 (Sen. Edwin Erickson, R-Chester/Delaware): Permits the establishment of municipal authorities for storm water management planning and projects.
• SB 1309 (Sen. David Argall, R-Berks/Carbon/Lehigh/Monroe/Northampton/Schuylkill): Places additional restrictions on when taxing districts have the right to appeal an assessment.
• SB 1402 (Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Adams/Franklin/York): Makes numerous substantive and technical changes to the Fish and Boat Code.
• SB 1442 (Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Clarion/Forest/Venango/Butler/Erie/Warren): Repeals the current Pennsylvania Code of Military Justice (PCMJ) and enacts a new, modernized PCMJ based on the Model State Code of Military Justice
• SB 1531 (Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Pike/Wayne/Wyoming/Luzerne/Monroe/Susquehanna):  Establishes the Pennsylvania Veterans Trust Fund and provides for special license plates for veterans.
• SB 1572 (Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland): Outlines residency requirements for police officers in second class cities.

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 1020 (Rep. Tony Payton, D-Philadelphia): Allows PEMA to consolidate county public safety answering points (PSAPs) into regional PSAPs.
• HB 2470 (Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland):Suspends expiration dates of permits issued by government agencies to allow businesses time to obtain necessary funding to complete projects.
• HB 2626 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin): Promoting Employment Across Pennsylvania (PEP). Allows qualifying companies to retain Pennsylvania income tax monies they withhold from employees’ paychecks, providing them with capital to invest in their business.
• SB 79 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Sets forth procedure applying to any civil action brought in another state or territory for which discovery is sought in Pennsylvania.

Bills on Concurrence

• HB 1548 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia):Addresses participation by minors in performances, movies and TV reality/documentary shows.
• HB 2293 (Rep. Mike Peifer, R-Monroe/Pike/Wayne): Creates a new category of offenses for unlawful takes of high-value fish and aquatic life.
• SB 444 (Sen. Jane Earll, R-Erie): Makes various changes to the Small Games of Chance Act to permit new games and outline rules for licensing of organizations.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Committee Meetings/Hearings

EDUCATION, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• Public hearing on drug testing for current and prospective employees of school districts.

INSURANCE, 9 a.m., Room 205 Ryan Office Building

• Public Hearing on HB 2299 (Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster): With regard to medical liability cases, requires the plaintiff to present “clear and convincing” evidence of malpractice when the physician involved has no history in treating the patient and is doing so under emergency conditions.

SELECT COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY TAX, 9:30 a.m., Room 245, Main Capitol

• Public Hearing on HR 774 (Rep. Tom Quigley, R-Montgomery):Resolution establishing a select committee to investigate and review the interrelationship between all current sources of school district and local government tax revenue, with a focus on property taxes, the current system of federal and state funding of school districts and other local government functions.

COMMERCE, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

• HB 1931 (Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe): Allows an individual to make or broker three or fewer mortgage loans in a calendar year without being licensed as a mortgage originator.

Session

On Tuesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

Votes on Second Consideration to be determined.

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 845 (Rep. Curt Sonney)
• HB 2065 (Rep. Bryan Barbin)
• SB 86 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf)
• SB 390 (Sen. Michael Brubaker)
• SB 1144 (Sen. Kim Ward)
• SB 1185 (Sen. Michael Waugh)
• SB 1200 (Sen. Mike Folmer)
• SB 1255 (Sen. Robert Robbins)
• SB 1261 (Sen. Edwin Erickson)
• SB 1309 (Sen. David Argall)
• SB 1402 (Sen. Richard Alloway)
• SB 1442 (Sen. Mary Jo White)
• SB 1531 (Sen. Lisa Baker)
• SB 1572 (Sen. Kim Ward)

Bills on Concurrence

• HB 1121 (former Rep. Doug Reichley, R-Lehigh/Berks): Makes recruiting criminal gang members a separate offense and increases penalties for crimes related to criminal gang activity.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Committee Meetings/Hearings

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, 9:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

• Reg. 16A-6917 (Proposed): Adds to schedule of civil penalties for social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors.
• Regulation 16A-6918 (Proposed): Clarifies continuing education audit and enforcement for social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors..
• Regulation 16A-5613 (Final): Reinstitutes the requirement that real estate education providers provide transcripts electronically or in print to licensees within 30 days following the completion of a course and also require new licensees to complete a required course as a condition of their first biennial renewal. Real estate education provider provisions are also consolidated.

Session

On Wednesday the House will meet at 10 a.m. for legislative business.

Voting schedule to be determined.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Committee Meetings/Hearings

SELECT COMMITTEE ON PROPERTY TAX, 9:30 a.m., Room 148, Main Capitol

• Public Hearing on HR 774 (Rep. Tom Quigley, R-Montgomery):Resolution establishing a select committee to investigate and review the interrelationship between all current sources of school district and local government tax revenue, with a focus on property taxes, the current system of federal and state funding of school districts and other local government functions.

Session

On Thursday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

Voting scheduled to be determined.