Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"In the spirit of openness and transparency, the Senate will not convene for a lame duck session after the November 2 elections. We are announcing this now to provide plenty of time for everyone – the Governor, the House and the Senate – to plan ahead so that this year's legislative work is completed before the election."

-- Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) announcing that the Senate will not convene for a regular, post-election lame duck session in 2010.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HOLD JOINT SESSION FOR BUDGET ADDRESS

The Senate and House of Representatives will meet Tuesday in joint session for the Governor's 2010-2011 budget address.  

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre), will begin three weeks of public hearings on the proposed budget February 16.  

POLICY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE GOVERNOR'S MID-YEAR BUDGET REDUCTIONS 

The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Erickson (R-Delaware), will hold a public hearing Wednesday on the impact of the Governor's mid-year budget reductions.  

The hearing will focus on five of the many programs that were reduced by the Governor on January 12: Community Education Councils, agricultural research and animal health, Science in Motion, tourism promotion assistance, and health clinics.  

The Senate Communications and Technology Committee, chaired by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon), will hold a public hearing and meeting Wednesday on measures sponsored by Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer) to protect the privacy of Social Security numbers. Also on Wednesday, the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), will hold a public hearing on mandate waivers.

Senate Republicans: No Lame Duck Session in 2010 

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) announced Thursday that the Senate will not convene for a regular lame duck session in 2010. 

The 28 days between November 2 and November 30 are known as a "lame duck" session because some members of the General Assembly can vote on legislation despite the fact that their successors have already been elected.  

Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) has introduced Senate Bill 106, a constitutional amendment which would eliminate regular lame duck sessions. It would allow the legislature to convene if a special session is necessary. A similar bill was approved by the Senate last session but did not advance in the House.

For more on this Senate GOP reform effort, please see In the Spotlight, below.  

Experts Testify on Proposed Senate Rules of Ethical Conduct

Five experts testified Wednesday before the Senate Rules Committee, chaired by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), on a proposal to implement Rules of Ethical Conduct for the state Senate. 

The proposed Senate Rules of Ethical Conduct were introduced last month by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), Senator Pileggi, and Senate Democratic Leader Robert Mellow as Senate Resolution 228. 

Provisions include a strict prohibition on campaign activity on Senate work time and a requirement that Senate employees responsible for taking or recommending official actions file Financial Interest Statements. It also makes clear that Senate mailing lists and email lists may only be used for legislative purposes, and cannot be sold or given to any other entity, including campaigns. 

The committee heard from the Executive Director of the State Ethics Commission, the Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee, a member of the Center for Ethics in Government at the National Conference of State Legislatures, and a public service professor from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Sen. Yaw's Clean and Green Proposal APPROVED BY Senate  

The Senate passed legislation Tuesday sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) to benefit farmers and landowners by eliminating the inconsistent interpretation of the state Clean and Green law. 

Under Senate Bill 298, a roll-back tax could be levied only on the portion of land filed under the well restoration report and land which is incapable of being immediately used for agricultural use, agricultural reserve or forest reserve. Land devoted to subsurface transmission or gathering lines would be exempt from a roll-back tax, which is the difference between the taxes paid based on the Clean and Green rate and the taxes that would have been paid if the land were not enrolled in Clean and Green. 

"Farmers and landowners need this bill to become law so that there isn't any confusion on how the Clean and Green Program operates. Farmers continue to be under financial pressure, and I am hopeful this bill will alleviate a substantial burden caused by a roll-back tax on all property enrolled in the program."  

For more on Senate Bill 298, please see Fast Facts, below.
 

Senate Votes to Aid Baked-Goods Community Fundraisers 

The Senate unanimously approved legislation Monday sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) barring the state from taking action against groups that sell commonly prepared baked goods.  

Senate Bill 828 was sent to the state House of Representatives for consideration. The measure eliminates the ability of the Department of Agriculture to cite non-profit community groups such as volunteer fire companies, churches, and school booster clubs for selling home-baked food at fundraisers.   

Senator Vogel introduced the bill after the Department of Agriculture cited a local church for selling homemade baked goods prepared by ladies of the church at a Lenten fish fry. 

Senator Vogel said: "I believe we should all be concerned about food safety. However, I also believe that the Commonwealth could make much better use of its resources than to pursue volunteers and groups who are working to improve their communities.”

Committee Backs Sen. Robbins' Bill Helping Veterans' Homes 

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer) designed to alleviate the nursing shortage in Pennsylvania's six veterans' homes was approved Tuesday by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne). 

Senate Bill 1076 would exempt direct care positions in veterans' homes operated by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) from the Civil Service Act, enabling the facilities to make faster selections of personnel and put nurses in place more quickly The DMVA supports the legislation.  

Veterans' homes operated by the DMVA include: the Delaware Valley Veterans Home in Philadelphia, the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home in Hollidaysburg, the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton, the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home in Erie, the Southeastern Veterans Center in Spring City, and the Southwestern Veterans Center in Pittsburgh.
 

SEN. Rafferty Calls for Commission To Oversee Disbursement of MCARE Funds 

Seeking to keep doctors in Pennsylvania and hold down health care costs, Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) joined medical representatives Wednesday to push for legislation he is sponsoring that would create an MCARE Commission to oversee the future disbursement of MCARE funds. 

Under Senate Bill 1174, the MCARE Commission will consist of representatives from the physician and hospital communities, the four legislative caucuses, the Administration and a medical student.   

Senator Rafferty was joined by Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, president of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society, who said the legislation is crucial to keeping young surgeons in the state and make health care available for more state residents.

The MCARE Abatement Program subsidizes 100 percent of the MCARE surcharge for high-risk specialty surgeons and 50 percent of the MCARE surcharge for other healthcare providers. The program is the keystone of the medical liability reforms enacted during 2002 and 2003. The program was renewed annually three times, up until the end of 2007.

PUBLIC Hearing HELD on Proposed State Police Assistance Program

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) concerning municipalities and State Police services was the focus of a public hearing Thursday in Westmoreland County. 

The Senate Law and Justice Committee, chaired by Sen. John Pippy (R-Allegheny), discussed Senate Bill 984, which would create the State Trooper Services Contractual Program, allowing municipalities without police departments to contract with the State Police for additional troopers beyond the current complement. 

The committee heard from representatives of the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Association, the Pennsylvania Township Supervisors Association, as well as local municipal officials. 
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