House Action for the Week of February 3, 2014

Governor’s Budget Proposal to be Unveiled Next Week…and the rest of the House Agenda

The House returns to session on Monday, Feb. 3. All of House session and most committee meetings will stream live on PAHouseGOP.com. Many events also may be viewed on Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP. 

The governor will present his 2014-15 state budget proposal during a Joint Session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The Joint Session will begin at 11 a.m. with the arrival of the Senate to the House Floor. The General Assembly is scheduled to elect a new executive director of the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) at that time. The LRB was established in 1909 to prepare requested legislative bills and resolutions for introduction in the General Assembly; to advise members of the Legislature and legislative committees; and, from time to time, to prepare proposed codifications of existing general statutes for adoption or rejection by the General Assembly.

Following the election of the LRB executive director, the governor will enter the chamber and deliver his budget address.

The two House floor leaders and Appropriations Committee chairs will deliver comments from the House Floor after the governor’s address.

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, February 3, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

JUDICIARY/TRANSPORTATION, 11 a.m., Room 140, Main Capitol

• Joint informational meeting on Pennsylvania’s DUI laws.

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

• Informational meeting: Overview of existing economic development programs.

TRANSPORTATION, Call of Chair, Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• HB 1646 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Highway designation: SPC Tristan C. Smith Memorial Highway
• HB 1913 (Rep. Tommy Sankey, R-Clearfield): Establishes the Department of Transportation’s responsibility regarding the maintenance and grooming of snowmobile trails.
• HB 1929 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Cameron/McKean/Potter): Bridge designation: Bucktail Regiment Memorial Bridge.
• HB 1971 (Rep. Rosita Youngblood, D-Philadelphia): Highway designation: Betty Ann Townes Memorial Highway.
• HB 1972 (Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Fayette/Greene/Washington): Bridge designation: Lieutenant Colonel Cephus Lee Roupe Memorial Bridge.

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 1246 (Rep. Jerry Stern, R-Blair): Includes utility line crews as emergency responders during declared disaster emergencies under the Vehicle Code.
• HB 1415 (Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks): Establishes a bicycle Share-The-Road registration plate.
• HB 1945 (Rep. Sue Helm, R-Dauphin): Land and building conveyances in the City of Harrisburg and Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County.
• HB 1985 (Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin): Amends the Judicial Code regarding the registration of sexual offenders – a Megan’s Law technical fix.
• SB 1097 (Sen. Donald White, R-Armstrong/Butler/Clearfield/Indiana/Westmoreland): Highway designation: James Nance Memorial Highway.

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 976 (Rep. Mike Fleck, R-Blair/Huntingdon/Mifflin): Establishes guidelines and procedures governing the investigation of correctional officers by the Department of Corrections.
• HB 1718 (Rep. Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster): Requires the Pennsylvania Department of Education to establish an online clearinghouse that features an online database of online courses which will be made accessible to public schools, nonpublic schools and home education programs.
• HB 1951 (Rep. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland/York): Prohibits individuals who are not in compliance with Megan’s Law registration requirements from receiving public assistance.
• HR 619 (Rep. Glen Grell, R-Cumberland): Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the costs and services of the adult county probation system.

Votes on Concurrence

• HB 1599 (Rep. Maria Donatucci, D-Delaware/Philadelphia): Bridge/road designations: Honorable Robert C. Donatucci Memorial Bridge and SFC Brent Adams Memorial Road.

• SB 1024 (Sen. John Rafferty, R-Berks/Chester/Montgomery): Creates the offense of aggravated arson and provides sentencing enhancements for certain arson offenses.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

• Public hearing on HB 1684 (Rep. Garth Everett, R-Lycoming): Clarifies that the deduction of post-productions costs from unconventional shale gas wells may not result in royalty payments less than the guaranteed minimum.

STATE GOVERNMENT, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• HB 359 Rep. Dave Reed, R-Indiana): Requires charitable organizations to file registration statements by the fifteenth day of the fifth month following the close of the fiscal year.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 9:15 a.m., Room 140, Main Capitol

• HB 1543 (Rep. Thomas Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Amends the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act to provide contractual protection of “time and materials” provisions.
• HB 1940 (Rep. Peter Daley, D-Fayette/Washington): Changes language in the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act’s fee section to enable funds from the Home Improvement Account to be directed to the Office of Attorney General for enforcement.

URBAN AFFAIRS, 9:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

• HB 1714 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks): Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act to address the disposition of abandoned personal property.
• HB 1773 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Amends the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act with extensive additions and editorial changes.
• HR 550 (Rep. Ted Harhai, D-Fayette/Westmoreland): Authorizes a study on the occurrence, effects and trends of homelessness in Pennsylvania.

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

• HB 56 (Rep. Keith Gillespie, R-York): Creates the offenses of assault of law enforcement officer in the second and third degree.
• HB 1149 (Rep. Ron Miller, R-York): Provides immunity from prosecution for drug-related charges if an individual is attempting to summon needed medical help.
• HB 1537 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Establishes the possession of a vehicle with false compartments with the intent to use the compartments for illegal purposes as a misdemeanor of the first degree; establishes the design and construction of such a vehicle compartment as a second-degree misdemeanor; and provides for license suspension upon conviction and forfeiture of the vehicle.
• HB 1847 (Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, D-Philadelphia): Amends the Confidentiality of HIV-Related Information Act relative to the occupational exposure of certain individuals and employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.

Session

On Tuesday the House will meet at 10:30 a.m. for legislative business.

Votes on Second Consideration

• HB 1831 (Rep. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland/York): Bridge designation: Glenn Bowers Memorial Bridge.
• HB 1874 (Rep. Frank Farry, R-Bucks): Requires that a provider of counseling services to sexually violent predators notify the district attorney and the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality where the provider is located that the provider is counseling sexually violent predators.
• HB 1921 (Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria/Somerset): Bridge designation: Trooper Joseph Sepp Memorial Bridge.
• HB 1938 (Rep. John McGinnis, R-Blair): Bridge designation: Altoona Veterans Memorial Bridge.
• HB 1939 (Rep. John McGinnis, R-Blair): Bridge designation: Alvin E. Morrison Memorial Bridge.

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 1246 (Stern)
• HB 1415 (Maloney)
• HB 1945 (Helm)
• HB 1985 (Marsico)
• SB 1097 (White)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

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

• HB 1930 (Rep. Hal English, R-Allegheny): Allows individuals with incomplete General Educational Development test scores additional time to obtain their high school equivalency credential using the scores they have already successfully obtained.
• HB 1931 (Rep. Joseph Hackett, R-Delaware): Requires the Department of Education to solicit proposals for high school equivalency testing programs that are aligned to Pennsylvania’s academic standards, offer both paper-based and computer-based testing formats, and are cost effective.

HUMAN SERVICES, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• Public hearing: “Accentuating the Positive – What works in mental health treatment?”

TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

• Informational meeting on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s marketing program for 2014.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

• HB 1702 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester): Establishes a licensing program under the Department of Aging for community respite services programs in the Commonwealth.

• HB 1907 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Requires hospitals to educate consumers about their admission status when being treated in a non-emergency room setting.

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

• Public hearing on HB 1708 (Rep. Mike Tobash, R-Berks/Schuylkill): Amends the Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act to authorize a capped appropriation from the State Aid Fund to the Public Employee Retirement Commission and to require only large pension plans to advertise and bid professional services contracts.

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

• Informational meeting on the effectiveness of radar as a speed timing device.

URBAN AFFAIRS AND SENATE URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, 10 a.m., Room 8 E-B, East Wing

• Joint House and Senate public hearing on the release of data concerning Act 90 of 2010, which aims to address blight.

Session

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