Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"Stimulus dollars are intended to help put Pennsylvanians back to work and maintain vital government services during the recession, and we must make every effort to ensure that this funding is used to meet these goals.”

Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) on Senate approval of his legislation creating a bipartisan commission to track, monitor and report on all funds distributed to Pennsylvania as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

GRADUATION COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT LEGISLATION ON SENATE AGENDA

The Senate is expected to consider Senate Bill 281, sponsored by Sen. Jane Orie (R-Allegheny), which would prohibit the Department of Education from imposing any new statewide requirement for high school graduation without legislative approval. 

Last year, the General Assembly passed and the governor signed into law legislation prohibiting the department from promulgating, approving, or proposing a regulation to change or establish high school graduation requirements during the 2008-09 Fiscal Year.  Despite the ban, the department has proceeded with development, and is working on a $210 million contract with a Minnesota firm to develop the tests. 

Senate Approves BILL PROVIDING OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL STIMULUS DOLLARS  

The Senate unanimously approved legislation that would provide transparency and oversight of all federal stimulus dollars spent in Pennsylvania. 

Senate Bill 6, sponsored by Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster), would create a bipartisan 11-member commission to track, monitor and report on all funds distributed to Pennsylvania as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The bill would create reporting standards for state agencies to determine exactly how and where these additional funds will be used and require the state to establish a searchable database of individual stimulus projects for the public to review online.  

The commission will be made up of four members of the governor's cabinet, one member appointed by each of the four legislative caucuses, and three members of the general public appointed by the governor, the Senate President Pro Tempore and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.   

In response to the introduction of Brubaker's bill in March, the governor created the Pennsylvania Stimulus Oversight Commission to provide oversight for stimulus funds. However, the governor's commission lacks the strict accountability and transparency standards included in Senate Bill 6. 
 

SENATE GOP REFORM PACKAGE: TAXPAYER TRANSPARENCY ACT APPROVED

The Taxpayer Transparency Act, a key Senate Republican reform measure to expand the public’s access to state spending records, was approved by the Senate by a 30-19 vote June 1.

Senate Bill 105, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), would direct the Department of the Treasury to create and maintain a searchable budget database-driven website that the public can access, for free.

The measure is part of a Senate Republican package designed to continue changing the culture of state government by increasing accountability and transparency.

For more the Taxpayer Transparency Act and the rest of the Senate GOP Reform Package, please see In the Spotlight and Fast Facts below.
 

SENATE GOP REFORM PACKAGE: CRACKDOWN ON SUNSHINE LAW VIOLATIONS APPROVED

The Senate approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) that would increase penalties for violating the "Sunshine Law” governing open, public meetings.  

Senate Bill 101 would increase the maximum fine for intentional violations from $100 to up to $1,000 for a first offense, and up to $2,000 for a subsequent offense.  

The Senate also approved Senate Bill 110, sponsored by Senator Smucker, which would improve public access to, and expand information contained in, state plane logs.  This measure was prompted by a critical audit report from the state Auditor General. 

The measures are part of a Senate Republican package designed to continue changing the culture of state government by increasing accountability and transparency. 

Senator Smucker said: "The Sunshine Law is designed to encourage compliance.  If it is not enforced, then compliance suffers, and the public interest loses out.  With stronger penalties in place, officials will be less inclined to loosely interpret the requirements for openness and less likely to find creative justifications for private meetings.”
 

HEALTHNET PA: EXPANSION OF SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE ACCESS SENT TO GOVERNOR

The Senate provided final approval Wednesday of a HealthNET PA measure that will extend continuation of group health insurance policies for former employees and dependents, making the option available to approximately 150,000 individuals who work for employers with two to 19 employees and who change jobs.

House Bill 1089 is identical to legislation sponsored by Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Chairman Don White (R-Indiana) that would create a Mini-COBRA Small Employer Group Health Plan.

The federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) provides former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children the right to continuation of health coverage at group rates for up to 18 months. However, COBRA benefits only apply to employers with 20 or more employees. House Bill 1089 would extend the COBRA guidelines in Pennsylvania to group plans that employ two to 19 employees.
 

Health Care Cost Containment Council Reauthorization SENT to Governor

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland) reauthorizing the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) until 2014 was approved by the Senate and sent to the governor Wednesday.

The PHC4 collects data from hospitals, freestanding ambulatory surgery centers and some managed care plans.  Comparative data is then released to the public so that consumers can make educated health care decisions and providers can evaluate the quality of their services.

Senator Vance said: "Senate Bill 89 is the result of a bi-partisan effort to see the Council's good work continue. The Legislature, the Administration and PHC4 members and staff worked together, not only to continue, but to enhance the ability to collect and disseminate quality health care data.  I think we can look forward to receiving very valuable information in the years to come."
 

Senate Votes to Authorize Problem Solving Courts  

The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation aimed at improving public safety while providing more extensive supervision of non-violent offenders through problem solving courts. 

Problem solving courts, which include mental health courts and drug courts, divert non-violent offenders from more costly jail cells and encourage rehabilitation through extensive supervision. Such courts are being used across the nation to save money and help offenders who have particular issues including drug addiction and mental health issues.  

Senate Bill 383, sponsored by Sen. Jane Orie (R-Allegheny), would statutorily authorize the implementation of problem solving courts in the Commonwealth. It does not mandate them. 

Senator Orie said: "This concept is a win-win proposition for our criminal justice system and for those individuals who need assistance. They will make our communities safer, and they will save tax dollars."
 

Senate Approves Deadline Extension for PA Climate Change Action Plan

The Senate unanimously approved legislation Wednesday to extend the deadline faced by the state Department of Environmental Protection for submitting a Pennsylvania Climate Change Action Plan. 

Act 70 of 2008 requires DEP to submit a plan by October 9. The department has acknowledged it will miss the deadline, but it cannot do so without a statutory extension. Senate Bill 829, sponsored by Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Chair Mary Jo White (R-Venango), extends the deadline by three months. 

The measure ensures that the public has a 60-day public comment period before the plan is finalized, and ensures an opportunity for the public's comments and recommendations to be incorporated into the final plan. 

The DEP’s Climate Change Advisory Committee recently voted to endorse passage of Senate Bill 829. 

SENATE ACTS TO INCREASE COUNTY COORDINATION OF JUVENILE ASSISTANCE

The Senate approved legislation Tuesday that will enable county agencies to work in a cooperative manner to address family issues.

Senate Bill 531, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), provides for county interagency sharing of juvenile records, including the contents of drug and alcohol, mental health, and education records.

The senator noted that county agencies often have information about many of the same individuals or families, but because of confidentiality concerns, are unable to legally and officially transmit information about at-risk persons or families. Senate Bill 531 would facilitate the distribution of information between relevant agencies to prevent further victimization or criminal conduct of individuals in a family.