Representative Dave Reed

62nd Legislative District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Stephen Miskin

717.260.1852

smiskin@pahousegop.com

RepDaveReed.net / Facebook.com/RepReed

 

 

TO:                  Capitol Correspondents, News Editors, Assignment Editors

 

FROM:            Stephen Miskin

                        Press Secretary to the Majority Leader

 

SUBJ:              House Action for the Week of May 4, 2015

 

DATE:            May 1, 2015

 

 

House Returns to Session Next Week

 

The House returns to session on Monday, May 4. Live web streams of House session and the majority of committee meetings are available at PAHouseGOP.com. Important information and events may also be viewed by visiting Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP.

 

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, May 4, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

EDUCATION, 11 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • HB 499 (Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton): Prohibits teacher preparation programs from requiring education students to obtain a passing score on a Praxis exam in order to graduate and from including a student’s score on the Praxis exam as a component of a student’s course grade.
  • HB 752 (Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver/Washington): Increases the amount of available tax credits for the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program from $100 million to $170 million and the amount of available tax credits for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program from $50 million to $80 million.
  • HB 805 (Rep. Stephen Bloom, R-Cumberland): Ends the process of seniority-based layoffs of teachers.
  • HB 1039 (Rep. Bernie O’Neill, R-Bucks): Allows public school entities to employ uncertified individuals as substitute teachers in the event certified substitutes teachers are unavailable.

LIQUOR CONTROL, 11:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

  • HB 770 (Rep. Kurt Masser, R-Columbia/Montour/Northumberland): Allows liquor licensees to offer discounts on food and malt or brewed beverages to patrons who are part of a bona fide club or group program that the licensee offers.

STATE GOVERNMENT, Call of Chair, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

  • SB 266 (Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair/Cumberland/Franklin/Fulton/Huntingdon): Authorizes the conveyance of two permanent utility and access easements in Peters Township, Franklin County.

 

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 153 (Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill): Reduces the size of the House of Representatives to 151 legislative districts.
  • HB 283 (Rep. Fred Keller, R-Snyder/Union): Excludes retail purchases of gun safes and gun locks from the Sales and Use Tax.
  • HB 384 (Rep. Fred Keller, R-Snyder/Union): Reduces the size of the Senate of Pennsylvania to 37 senatorial districts.
  • HB 421 (Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton): Increases the exemption for total death benefits from $5,000 to $10,000 when calculating income eligibility for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
  • HB 501 (Rep. Mark Keller, R-Cumberland/Perry): Bridge designation: Army Pfc. Harold “Sam” E. Barrick Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 504 (Rep. Matt Gabler, R-Clearfield/Elk): Applies sales and use tax exclusions to timbering operations.
  • HB 683 (Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Crawford/Forest/Warren): Eliminates veterans’ disability payments from income eligibility under the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program.
  • HB 779 (Rep. Kurt Masser, R-Columbia/Montour/Northumberland): Highway designation: Staff Sergeant Thomas Allen Baysore Memorial Highway.
  • HB 971 (Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Bedford/Somerset): Eliminates Pennsylvania’s inheritance tax for property transfers from a natural parent, adoptive parent, or step-parent to or for the use of their child, if the child is 21 years of age or younger.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 367 (Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster): Privatizes and regulates the bail bondsmen industry in Pennsylvania.
  • HB 664 (Rep. Sue Helm, R-Dauphin/Lebanon): Establishes “Juneteenth National Freedom Day” as an annual observance.
  • HB 720 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Cameron/McKean/Potter): Bridge designations: Port Allegany Veterans Memorial Bridge and Lt. William E. Daisley, Jr. Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 743 (Rep. Barry Jozwiak, R-Berks): Requires all Commonwealth agencies and the General Assembly to procure only American and Pennsylvania flags which are manufactured in the United States.
  • HB 863 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin): Bridge designation: Bellefonte Veterans Bridge.
  • HB 866 (Rep. Jeff Wheeland, R-Lycoming): Highway designation: Kelly Rae Mertes DUI Awareness Memorial Highway.
  • HB 911 (Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester/Delaware): Updates and enhances Pennsylvania’s 911 emergency communications law.
  • HB 934 (Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver/Washington): Codifies the Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) program.
  • SB 79 (Sen. Patrick Stefano, R-Fayette/Somerset/Westmoreland): Bridge name correction: Officer McCray Robb Memorial Bridge.

 

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

  • HB 806 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Cameron/McKean/Potter): Amends the Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act (Clean and Green) to prohibit the application of use values that result in assessments higher than fair market value.

JUDICIARY, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • HB 65 (Rep. Robert Godshall, R-Montgomery): Establishes audiovisual material of autopsies as confidential and limits their release.
  • HB 609 (Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford/Potter/Tioga): Increases the grading for impersonating a physician and providing medical treatment from a second-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree felony.

TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 9:30 a.m., Room 39, East Wing

  • HB 204 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Establishes a tax credit for tourism marketing and promotion.

 

Session

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

 

Votes on Second Consideration

  • HB 11 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York): Establishes the Lean Government Practices Program within the Governor’s Office of Transformation to provide training to state agencies for training new state employees in using lean government practices.
  • HB 74 (Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin): Increases the grading of offenses relating to endangering the welfare of children to reflect the degree of risk and the age of the child victim.
  • HB 122 (Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland): Increases the dollar limit of a transfer that may be made from the custodial account of a minor without court approval from $25,000 to $50,000 and allows a judge to order that assets of a minor acquired through inheritance be placed in a “529 account.”
  • HB 124 (Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland): Requires that courts have a complete record regarding whether a child subject to a proceeding has been abused or is the subject of a child abuse investigation.
  • HB 410 (Rep. Joseph Hackett, R-Delaware): Addresses termination of parental rights for persons convicted of certain sexual offenses which resulted in the conception of a child and provides for paternity testing and child support.
  • HB 424 (Rep. Justin Simmons, R-Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton): Increases the grading for the offense of a parent concealing the death of his or her child from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, increases the maximum penalty to seven years and/or a fine up to $15,000, and clarifies the definition of parent and persons who can be charged with the offense.
  • HB 972 (Rep. Tina Pickett, R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna): Allows for the electronic delivery of life insurance policies and annuities.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 153 (Knowles)
  • HB 283 (Keller, Fred)
  • HB 384 (Keller, Fred)
  • HB 421 (Samuelson)
  • HB 501 (Keller, Mark)
  • HB 504 (Gabler)
  • HB 683 (Rapp)
  • HB 779 (Masser)
  • HB 971 (Metzgar)

 

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, 9:15 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

  • HB 138 (Rep. Frank Farry, R-Bucks): Authorizes volunteer first responder organizations to solicit contributions at controlled intersections of highways or roadways, with written permission from the municipality or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
  • HB 175 (Rep. Neal Goodman, D-Schuylkill): Extends the application deadline for the Persian Gulf Veterans’ Bonus Program to Aug. 31, 2018.
  • HB 602 (Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester/Delaware): Increases the base “minimum” state active duty pay for National Guard personnel to $100 per day.
  • HB 824 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks): Prohibits the Commonwealth and its instrumentalities from disclosing confidential information related to a public safety official and his/her spouse, child or parent upon written request from the public safety official.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9:30 a.m., Room 39, East Wing

  • Informational meeting with a presentation by AARP Pennsylvania on their organization and their legislative priorities.

GAMING OVERSIGHT, 9:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

  • Public hearing on statutory and regulatory changes to casino gaming in Pennsylvania.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 9:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • HB 823 (Rep. Keith Greiner, R-Lancaster): Makes corrections and updates to Act 164 of 2014 regarding basic and continuing education for tax collectors.
  • HB 859 (Rep. Craig Staats, R-Bucks): Exempts transfers of perpetual agricultural conservation easements, historic preservation easements, and recreational use and scenic preservation easements to or between the United States, the Commonwealth or any of their instrumentalities, agencies or political subdivisions from payment of the realty transfer tax.
  • HR 212 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Establishes a task force to examine the management and funding of municipal retirement programs and make recommendations including any proposed legislative solutions.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 10 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • HB 579 (Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Allegheny/Washington): Enhances requirements for precious metal dealers regarding transaction records, item retention and licensing status.
  • HB 844 (Rep. Robert Godshall, R-Montgomery): Regulates the contracts offered to residential and small business customers by competitive electric generation suppliers.

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

  • Informational meeting on the municipal pension crisis.

TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 10 a.m., Harrisburg Hilton, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 1 North Second Street, Harrisburg

  • Informational meeting with a presentation by the Pennsylvania Association of Travel and Tourism.

 

Session

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

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 11 (Grove)
  • HB 74 (Kauffman)
  • HB 122 (Delozier)
  • HB 124 (Delozier)
  • HB 410 (Hackett)
  • HB 424 (Simmons)
  • HB 972 (Pickett)

 

Thursday, May 7, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

LABOR AND INDUSTRY, 9:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • Public hearing on HB 782 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon): Requires that municipalities which opt to utilize a private third-party agency to enforce the Uniform Construction Code contract with at least two or more such entities to provide inspection services.

 

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