Representative Dave Reed

62nd Legislative District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Media Contact: Stephen Miskin

717-705-7173 (Office) 717-756-3936 (Cell)

smiskin@pahousegop.com / Twitter: @SAM1963

Twitter: @RepReedPA / 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 June 15, 2015

 

DATE:            June 12, 2015

 

 

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, June 15, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

GAME AND FISHERIES, 11 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

  • Public hearing on:
    • HB 223 (Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie): Allows the use of semiautomatic rifles with a caliber of .223 or less and a cartridge capacity of not more than six for the hunting of coyotes, foxes and woodchucks (groundhogs).
    • HB 366 (Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Allegheny/Washington): Allows hunting with semi-automatic centerfire rifles limited to a five-shell capacity and .22 caliber semi-automatic rimfire rifles without an ammunition capacity limit.

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

  • Public hearing on HB 682 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Eliminates exceptions to the statewide smoking ban and allows for stricter local smokefree ordinances.

EDUCATION, 11:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • HB 1112 (Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike): Requires the State Board of Education to establish an advisory committee for the purpose of reviewing and possibly eliminating redundant, overly burdensome, or unnecessary public school entity data collection requirements.
  • HB 1119 (Rep. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York): Allows public schools in the Commonwealth to apply to the Department of Education for a waiver of many state mandates if the waiver will enable the public school to improve its instructional program or operate in a more effective, efficient or economical manner.

 

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 608 (Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford/Potter/Tioga): Allows the Department of Health to promptly add chemicals used to manufacture illegal drugs to the list of “precursor substances” under the Drug Act and adds new substances to the schedules of controlled substances.
  • HB 932 (Rep. Michael Driscoll, D-Philadelphia): Exempts, with specific stipulations, a surviving spouse or minor children who receive benefits under the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefit Act from paying realty transfer tax if the transfer occurs within five years of the covered person’s death.
  • HB 1120 (Rep. Tedd Nesbit, R-Butler/Mercer): Establishes a Sales and Use Tax exemption program for data center equipment purchases.
  • HB 1189 (Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-Luzerne): Expands the prohibition of use of tobacco products in schools to include nicotine products and nicotine delivery products.
  • HB 1198 (Rep. George Dunbar, R-Westmoreland): Codifies the procedures for filing amended reports to the Pennsylvania corporate net income tax report.
  • HB 1256 (Rep. Kurt Masser, R-Columbia/Montour/Northumberland): Amends the Local Tax Enabling Act to update the calculation of the maximum Earned Income Tax (EIT) rate that may be used when a school district or municipality eliminates its occupation tax.
  • HB 1276 (Rep. Kathy Watson, R-Bucks): Clarifies certain provisions in the Child Protective Services Law regarding the criminal background check clearance requirements and child abuse clearance requirements for volunteers who work with children.
  • SB 397 (Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Adams/Cumberland/Franklin/York): Privatizes and regulates the bail bondsman industry in Pennsylvania.
  • SB 485 (Sen. Joseph Scarnati, R-Cameron/Clearfield/Clinton/Elk/Jefferson/McKean/

Potter/Tioga): Increases the criminal grading for a person who impersonates a doctor of medicine and provides medical treatment from a second degree misdemeanor to a first degree misdemeanor.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 185 (Rep. Barry Jozwiak, R-Berks): Increases the penalty for the offense of trafficking of infants to a first-degree felony.
  • HB 441 (Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill): Highway designation: Captain Jason B. Jones Memorial Highway.
  • HB 817 (Rep. Tommy Sankey, R-Cambria/Clearfield): Bridge designation: 1st Lieutenant Wendell Elbert Ross Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 834 (Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill): Highway designation: Corporal David F. Heiser Memorial Highway.
  • HB 870 (Rep. Tommy Sankey, R-Cambria/Clearfield): Highway designation: Austin M. Harrie Memorial Highway.
  • HB 954 (Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Crawford/Forest/Warren): Prohibits the sales to and purchase of nicotine products and nicotine delivery products, such as e-cigarettes, vape pens, by minors.

 

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

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

  • HB 1319 (Rep. Jim Marshall, R-Beaver/Butler): Allows a tax-free savings account to be established for use by an individual with disabilities to cover qualified expenses such as education, housing and transportation.

TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 9:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • HB 970 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Cameron/McKean/Potter): Requires the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to divide the current snowmobile and ATV restricted account into two separate funds: the ATV Management Fund and the Snowmobile Management Fund; strengthens the audit requirements for the funds; updates membership of the Snowmobile and ATV Advisory Committee; provides liability protection for property owners who offer their land for riding or safety training; and requires DCNR to promulgate grant regulations.

JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 140 Main Capitol

  • HB 123 (Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland): Requires that any money posted as bail, which would otherwise be returnable, shall first be applied to the payment of any outstanding restitution, fees, fines or costs owed by the defendant in any criminal or delinquency case.
  • HB 758 (Rep. Marcy Toepel, R-Montgomery): Authorizes voluntary, automatic, periodic withdrawals from a banking account for the satisfaction of restitution, costs and fines, and authorizes involuntary wage attachment for payment of the same.
  • HB 1070 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny): Requires each county to establish an internal unit dedicated to the collection of restitution, fines, fees and other court-imposed obligations unless the county chooses to outsource collections.
  • HB 1089 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Requires that correctional facilities make minimum deductions from the wages and personal accounts of inmates who have outstanding restitution or other court-ordered obligations.
  • HB 1167 (Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria/Somerset): Requires that Pennsylvania income tax refunds be intercepted by the Department of Revenue to satisfy a filer’s outstanding required restitution payments or other court-ordered obligations.

 

Session

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

 

Votes on Second Consideration

  • HB 97 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny): Establishes the Pennsylvania Officer Down Advisory Act to assist, by prompt notification to the public, in the apprehension of those suspected of causing serious injury or death to a law enforcement officer.
  • HB 235 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon): Increases the grading of the offense of impersonating a law enforcement officer from a second-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony and imposes penalties for the sale of emergency vehicles equipped with flashing lights or audible warning systems.
  • HB 308 (Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, R-Berks): Allows a former or retired justice, judge or magisterial district judge who has not served a full term to perform a marriage ceremony.
  • HB 903 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon): Amends the Second Class Township Code regarding property maintenance, reserved powers and the Uniform Construction Code.
  • HB 904 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon): Amends the First Class Township Code regarding property maintenance, reserved powers and the Uniform Construction Code.
  • HB 906 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Amends the First Class Township Code regarding removal of elected township officers.
  • HB 907 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Amends the Real Estate Tax Sale Law to establish standardized requirements for posting tax delinquent property prior to a potential or actual sale of the property.
  • HB 908 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Amends the Second Class Township Code regarding removal of elected township officers.
  • HB 909 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Amends the Real Estate Tax Sale Law to provide for the collection of additional costs related to rehabilitation and maintenance of properties not sold at an upset sale.
  • HB 910 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Removes the provision in the law relating to incorporated towns that allows town councils to remove an elected town council member or town council president for failure to attend two successive regular meetings or for neglecting/refusing to vote.
  • SB 622 (Sen. Bob Mensch, R-Berks/Bucks/Montgomery): Removes certain recurring projects from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.
  • SB 699 (Rep. John Yudichak, D-Carbon/Luzerne): Authorizes the disposition of certain lands situate in Plymouth Township, Luzerne County, subject to Project 70 restrictions.

 

Votes on Third Consideration

  • HB 987 (Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon): Highway designation: Officer Michael H. Wise II Memorial Highway
  • HB 1256 (Masser)
  • HB 1276 (Watson)
  • SB 397 (Alloway)
  • SB 485 (Scarnati)

 

Votes on Concurrence

  • HB 188 (Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie): Provides a preserved farmland owner with at least 50 acres the access to grant a right-of-way to install a wind power generation system and requires the wind power generation company to conduct a study to determine the presence of endangered or threatened species that may be adversely affected by the system.

 

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • Informational meeting on HB 1265 (Rep. John Lawrence, R-Chester/Lancaster): Requires that any “milk check” made to a farmer delineate the dollar amount of the total that consists of money collected from the state mandated over-order premium.

INSURANCE, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

  • Informational meeting on HB 1178 (Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester/Delaware): Requires that an insurer only retroactively deny reimbursement during a 12-month period after the date the insurer paid the health care provider.

VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • HB 677 (Rep. Michael Hanna, D-Centre/Clinton): Expands local emergency planning committee membership and increases emergency reporting requirements.
  • HB 784 (Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria/Somerset): Provides a tax credit to Pennsylvania businesses for each unemployed veteran hired.
  • SB 285 (Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Luzerne/Pike/Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming): Authorizes an “Honoring Our Veterans” license plate for motorcycles.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES

  • Informational meeting for discussion on the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act.

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

  • HB 414 (Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery): Limits the professional services contracting requirements of Act 44 to municipal pension systems with 100 or more active members.
  • HB 905 (Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery): Authorizes borough councils to consider environmental concerns, long-term and short-term effects on public and private property, and the effect on pedestrian and traffic safety when establishing shade tree ordinances.
  • HB 912 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Amends the Consolidated County Assessment Law to clarify that buildings, whether or not permanently attached to land, water, gas, electric or sewer facilities, are subjects of taxation for real estate purposes.
  • HB 914 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Amends the Sewage Facilities Act to remove a cap on the fee that municipalities may charge for a person installing a permit-exempt septic system.
  • HB 1040 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Reduces standby charges for volunteer fire companies, nonprofit rescue squads and nonprofit ambulance services that own or rent structures equipped with automatic fire protection systems.
  • HB 1092 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Amends the Second Class County Code to allow a county row officer (with the exception of a county commissioner, district attorney, treasurer or controller) to also serve as a member of a municipal governing body, as a school board director or a member of a board of health.

TRANSPORTATION, 9:30 a.m., Room 140, Main Capitol

  • Public hearing on SB 385 (Sen. Dominic Pileggi, R-Chester/Delaware): Streamlines the Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) creation process, sets clear parameters for TRID funding and the use of those funds and authorizes a new “tax capture” funding mechanism.
  • HB 838 (Rep. James Santora, R-Delaware): Bridge designation: Nicholas A. Micozzie Bridge.
  • HB 1154 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny): Repeals the elimination of vehicle registration stickers.
  • HB 1278 (Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton): Allows for the sale of in-vehicle entertainment image display devices.
  • HB 1279 (Rep. William Keller, D-Philadelphia): Boulevard designation: William J. Guarnere and Edward James Heffron Memorial Boulevard.

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

  • HB 564 (Rep. Tina Pickett, R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna): Establishes Celestite as the state mineral of Pennsylvania.
  • HB 826 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon): Requires the Independent Fiscal Office to prepare a fiscal impact statement of general and permanent Executive Orders that are issued by the governor.

 

Session

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

 

Thursday, June 18, 2015

 

Committee Meetings/Hearings

URBAN AFFAIRS, 9:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • HB 974 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks): Requires all severely distressed pensions to develop a plan which would move them from severely distressed to moderately distressed over a maximum of 10 years.

JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

  • Public hearing on HB 322 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon): Amends the Crimes Code with an additional provision for an evaluation for gambling disorder for those violating the Gaming Board’s self-exclusion list.

LABOR AND INDUSTRY, 10 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

  • HB 53 (Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Allegheny/Westmoreland): Establishes the PA Workforce Investment Strategy (“PA WinS”) program.
  • HB 725 (Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Berks/Lehigh): Establishes the CareerBound program.

 

Session

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

 

 

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