House Action for the Week of March 10, 2014

‘Don’t Pass the Trash,’ Academic Bigotry and Other Issues of Importance on House Agenda Next Week

The House returns to session on Monday, March 10. All of House session and most committee meetings will stream live on PAHouseGOP.com. Many events also may be viewed on Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP. 

Reviewing the employment history of school employees… a no-brainer!

It’s time for Pennsylvania to quell the deplorable practice known as “passing the trash.”

That’s the process by which school employees who are suspected of sexual misconduct with students move from job to job because officials, rather than report the accusations or fire the worker, agree to conceal the charges from prospective employers if the worker resigns.

Legislation to outlaw the practice in public and private schools is scheduled to be discussed and voted by the House Education Committee on Wednesday.

House Bill 2063 (Rep. Dave Maloney, R-Berks County) will require public and private schools in Pennsylvania and their independent contractors to conduct a thorough employment history review prior to offering employment to any applicant for a position involving direct contact with children

Under the bill, each applicant must provide detailed background information in order to be considered, and previous employers must provide a school entity with all requested background information regarding a former employee.  The bill provides for immunity from criminal and civil liability for employers, school entities, school administrators and independent contractors that disclose the requested background information, unless the information or records provided were known to be false.  The bill prohibits a school entity or independent contractor from entering into an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of findings or allegations of abuse against a current or former staff member. 

Academic bigotry… just plain wrong.

Often, people hear about those in the “Ivory Tower,” meaning an apparent separation from the real world of those in academia. The recent actions of the American Studies Association (ASA) to urge a boycott against the State of Israel reveals an organization with academic bigotry heretofore unknown. As Israel is the only functioning democracy in the Middle East, it has, what columnist Charles Krauthammer writes (in his Jan. 9, 2014, column), “the freest press in the Middle East, a fiercely independent judiciary and astonishing religious and racial diversity within its universities, including affirmative action for Arab students.”

House Resolution 627, sponsored by Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Armstrong, Indiana and Jefferson counties), Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County), Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny County) and Democratic Caucus Chairman Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny County), condemns the ASA’s actions as anti-Semitic and an intolerable form of bigotry. It further urges universities to acknowledge the hostile academic learning environment caused by the ASA action and calls for non-participation in the boycott by universities in Pennsylvania.

The resolution is scheduled to be discussed and voted in the House Rules Committee on Monday, with a vote by the full House Tuesday or Wednesday.

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, March 10, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

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

• Informational meeting on problem gambling.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH, 11 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• Informational meeting on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s ongoing delinquency prevention initiatives.

HEALTH, 11 a.m., Room 140, Main Capitol

• HB 2003 (Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford/Tioga): Requires health care providers and hospitals to offer screening tests and treatment for hepatitis C to those born between the years of 1945 and 1965.

HUMAN SERVICES, 11 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

• Public hearing: “Accentuating the Positive – What Works in Mental Health Treatment”

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

• HR 648 (Rep. David Millard, R-Columbia): Urges Congress to re-examine the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.

URBAN AFFAIRS, Noon, Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• Public hearing on HB 1714 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks): Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act regarding disposition of abandoned personal property.

AGRICULTURE, Call of Chair, Room B-31, Main Capitol

• SB 1181 (Sen. Elder Vogel, R-Allegheny/Beaver/Lawrence): Authorizes a $5 million transfer from the Race Horse Development Fund to the State Racing Fund.

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 359 (Rep. Dave Reed, R-Indiana): Requires charitable organizations to file registration statements by the 15th day of the fifth month following the close of the fiscal year.
• HB 1646 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Highway designation: SPC Tristan C. Smith Memorial Highway
• 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.
• SB 24 (Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Allegheny/Butler): Establishes a statewide database of protective services within the Department of Public Welfare.
• SB 84 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Reenacts into law the “Deficiency Judgment Act.”
• SB 895 (Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Adams/Franklin/York): Reduces the length of each term for members of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Board of Commissioners from eight years to four years, while allowing for multiple terms of continued service.

Votes on Concurrence

• HB 374 (Rep. Tim Krieger, R-Westmoreland): Requires county park police officers in Westmoreland County to obtain the same training as municipal police officers and requires the county to pay costs associated with the training for certification.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

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

• HB 1086 1086 (Rep. Tina Davis, D-Bucks): Makes several changes to the Scrap Material Theft Prevention Act.

• 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.

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

• Informational meeting on HB 1494 (Rep. Kathy Watson, R-Bucks): Enables self-storage proprietors to sell content insurance to individuals who rent self-service storage space.

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

• HB 1714 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks): Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act regarding 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.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

• HB 1684 (Rep. Garth Everett, R-Lycoming): Clarifies that the deduction of post-production costs from unconventional shale gas wells may not result in royalty payments less than the guaranteed minimum.
• HB 2039 (Rep. Dan Moul, R-Adams/Franklin): Allows a General Assembly member of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin to have a designee with voting rights.

JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• 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 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.
• HB 1925 (Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny): Allows the use of “majority rule” regarding disposition of a decedent’s remains.
• HB 2026 (Rep. John Maher, R-Allegheny/Washington): Elevates the penalty for willfully or maliciously torturing, mutilating, injuring, disabling, poisoning or killing a police dog to a felony of the second degree.
• HB 2031 (Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-Washington): Clarifies the legal requirement for a living trust to serve as a substitute for a will in order to exempt property transfers from taxes.

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

• HB 845 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming): Creates a “bullying awareness and prevention” special license plate.
• HB 1317 (Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-Philadelphia): Designates Philadelphia Prison System prisoner transport units as emergency vehicles, allowing them to use flashing lights and sirens.
• HB 1899 (Rep. Adam Harris, R-Juniata/Mifflin/Snyder): Bridge designation: Juniata County Veterans Memorial Bridge.
• HB 1935 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Cameron/McKean/Potter): Bridge designation: Private First Class Roger P. Downey Memorial Bridge.
• HB 2019 (Rep. Jeff Pyle, R-Armstron/Indiana): Bridge designation: Freeport Veterans Bridge.

Session

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

Votes on Second Consideration

• HB 942 (Rep. Sandra Major, R-Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming): Addresses the recording and indexing of various documents presented to recorders of deeds for filing, updates standards and sets a fee for reprocessing documents.
• HB 1567 (Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe): Require hospitals, before discharging a woman after giving birth, to provide her with educational information on pertussis disease and the availability of a vaccine to protect against pertussis.

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 359 (Reed)
• HB 1646 (Murt)
• HB 1929 (Causer)
• HB 1971 (Youngblood)
• HB 1972 (Snyder)
• SB 24 (Vulakovich)
• SB 84 (Greenleaf)
• SB 681 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Allows a court to issue protection orders to victims of sexual violence.
• SB 895 (Alloway)

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

STATE GOVERNMENT, 9 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

• Public hearing on HB 1671 (Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Allegheny/Washington): Amends the Public Officers code regarding executive sessions.

TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan 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 39, East Wing

• 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 1893 (Rep. Ted Harhai, D-Fayette/Westmoreland): Allows a lottery winner to choose whether or not he or she wants to disclose his or her name or other personal information in a multistate lottery game.
• 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.

EDUCATION, 9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

• HB 2005 (Rep. Michael Hanna, D-Centre/Clinton): Adds municipal authorities as an entity to which school boards may convey any unused and unnecessary lands and buildings.
• HB 2063 (Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks): Requires public and private schools in Pennsylvania and their independent contractors to conduct a thorough employment history review prior to offering employment to any applicant for a position involving direct contact with children.
• HB 2074 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming): Permanently re-establishes the Governor’s Schools of Excellence.
• SB 267 (Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery): Adds “educational” to the Public School Code’s list of valid excuses for being absent from school.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

• Public hearing on HB 1822 (Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Cumberland/Franklin): Requires pharmacies located outside of Pennsylvania to register with the State Board of Pharmacy if they fill prescription orders for residents of the Commonwealth.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan 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.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH, Call of Chair, Room B-31, Main Capitol

• SB 31 (Rep. Wayne Fontana, D-Allegheny): Amends the Child Protective Services Law so that child abuse reporting also applies to school employees where there is suspected child abuse.

Session

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

Votes on Third Consideration

• HB 942 (Major)
• HB 1567 (Scavello)
• HR 627 (Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny): A resolution condemning the American Studies Association’s boycott against the State of Israel.
• HR 648 (Rep. David Millard, R-Columbia): Urges Congress to re-examine the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.