PA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE REVIEW - September 7, 2012

A state legislative update from the PA House Democratic Caucus THE LATEST... Neuman proposes ‘Voter ID Days’ to help Pa. residents obtain photo ID State Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-Washington, is asking PennDOT to designate several ‘Voter ID Days’ in September and October when hours at driver’s license centers across the state would be extended and additional staff be dedicated to help voters in Pennsylvania obtain the photo ID they need to vote on Election Day. Neuman proposed the special Voter ID Days in a letter he sent this week to Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch. Neuman said Voter ID Days would allow more voters to get to PennDOT driver’s license centers to obtain their photo ID, and free up PennDOT employees on other days to deal with routine PennDOT requests. Under Neuman’s proposal, PennDOT would designate one or two days in September and October when driver’s license centers would be open extended hours – from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., the same hours polling places are open on Election Day. On these special Voter ID Days, PennDOT also would dedicate certain staff, including at least one customer service line, solely to processing voter ID requests. Neuman pointed out the state has already revised the process for obtaining voter ID several times, and has even created a new Department of State Voter ID card that’s not even mentioned in the Voter ID law. While these changes have made it easier for some voters to obtain ID, the state still has not indicated if it will extend PennDOT hours or dedicate more staff in the coming weeks to help voters comply with law. Neuman said special Voter ID Days would allow local and state officials to partner with community groups to organize transportation options for people who otherwise cannot get to a PennDOT driver’s license center. White legislation would make DEP boss an independently elected position State Rep. Jesse White, D-Washington/Allegheny/Beaver, introduced two bills, H.B.s 2606 and 2607, which would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to change the Department of Environmental Protection’s appointed secretary position to a commissioner post elected by Pennsylvanians. White said the legislation would end the governor’s appointment of the position and put the role of a DEP commissioner closer in line with that of the state treasurer, attorney general or auditor general, and would create more transparency for a department that has been continually scrutinized for its clear political agenda under Gov. Tom Corbett and DEP Secretary Michael Krancer’s lead. House Bill 2607 states the provisions of the elective process, noted among them that the commissioner would hold office for a four-year term and would not be eligible to serve continuously for more than two successive terms. An amendment to the state constitution would be necessary to make the change, which would take at least five years and require statewide approval through a referendum vote. House Bill 2606 would change the title of the office to commissioner. White said it’s dangerous when complex decisions about environmental safety and health are made by a politically appointed boss, presumably for political purposes. The current system only lends to political maneuvering, he said, and offers Pennsylvanians no tools to hold the DEP head accountable for poor decisions. Cornerstone Care, a nonprofit medical clinic in Burgettstown, closed on May 25 when officials were forced to evacuate the facility for a third time because of mysterious odors seemingly linked to sickness among employees and patients. The cause of the odors has not been found, but the clinic reopened to the public. White was denied access to the complete testing data, which indicated elevated levels of ethane, Ethylbenzene, Hexane, propane, Methyl isobutyl ketone, carbon disulfide and methyl tert-butyl ether. The DEP refused to acknowledge a Marcellus Shale drilling site approximately half a mile from the clinic when conducting the tests and officials then publicly stated that there was no indication the source of the problems at Cornerstone was anywhere outside. White stressed the goal of his legislation is not to favor any political affiliation, but to ensure Pennsylvanians have an honest and independent watchdog to protect the environment. Rep. George: Mine reclamation funds in jeopardy State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Clearfield County, says a bill passed by Congress threatens about $178 million in federal funds used for mine reclamation projects around the Commonwealth. Congress recently passed a transportation bill that, as amended, places a cap on funds states can receive through the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Through SMCRA, Pennsylvania has received hundreds of millions of dollars to help reclaim lands abandoned by coal mine operators more than half a century ago. George said that the issue can be fixed by Congress repealing the section of the transportation bill that amended – and capped – the funding received through SMCRA. He is currently drafting a resolution urging Congress to repeal the section and is collecting co-sponsors for the resolution. Pennsylvania has benefitted considerably from federal mine reclamation funds, receiving more than $67 million in just the last year for projects throughout the Commonwealth. The funds are distributed to the state and then awarded through the Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP has estimated that the total funds lost through the SMCRA amendment could exceed $200 million over the next 10 years. House Democrats: Corbett, GOP have failed to lead for working families As the Labor Day holiday approached, state House Democrats called on Gov. Tom Corbett and the Republican-controlled General Assembly to make Pennsylvania workers and their families a top priority. According to the state Department of Labor & Industry, Pennsylvania lost 3,100 jobs in July and 2,800 jobs in June, putting Pennsylvania below its December 2011 employment level. That’s in sharp contrast to the national employment outlook, which has gained more than 1 million new jobs since the beginning of the year. Pennsylvania now ranks 42nd among all states in new job creation since December 2011, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate has risen to 7.9 percent – the highest level since November 2011. House Democrats said Corbett’s policies have reversed years of gains in job creation, economic development and education and noted that Pennsylvania has lost more than 22,000 public-sector jobs – including more than 15,000 teachers and public school workers – since Corbett took office. The Department of Labor & Industry statistics also show steep declines in government, education and health services in recent months. Democratic Whip Mike Hanna, D-Clinton/Centre, pointed to Corbett’s continued inaction on Pennsylvania’s transportation crisis as evidence of a leadership void in Harrisburg. He noted that the Governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission delivered its report and recommendations to Corbett on Aug. 1, 2011, yet Corbett has failed to act on them. Instead, House Democrats noted the Corbett administration continues to push outdated policies that would hurt workers and make Pennsylvania less competitive. The Governor’s Manufacturing Advisory Council report and recommendations released last week only reinforce concerns that the Corbett administration is anti-worker, they said. Buried in the report is a thinly veiled reference to anti-labor legislation, which the Republicans ironically refer to as “right to work” laws. The governor and his allies in the legislature falsely claim that such legislation, which would weaken labor unions and further depress union membership, would result in a “more competitive” workforce. House Democrats pointed to a February 2011 study by the Economic Policy Institute showing the opposite is true. That study found that wages in so-called “right-to-work” states are 3.2 percent lower than those in non-“right-to-work” states, the rate of employer-sponsored health insurance is 2.6 percentage points lower in “right-to-work” states compared, and the rate of employer-sponsored pensions is 4.8 percentage points lower in “right-to-work” states. House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, said House Democrats have taken the lead on pushing legislative strategies aimed at creating jobs and improving Pennsylvania’s economy. Last fall, House Democrats unveiled JumpstartPA, a 10-point plan to boost the economy and get Pennsylvanians back to work. HDPC continues examination of implementation of Affordable Care Act The House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing Aug. 28 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center about the state’s implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to committee Vice Chairman Flo Fabrizio, D-Erie. Fabrizio requested the hearing, and it was co-chaired by state Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, who is Democratic chairman of the House Insurance Committee Fabrizio said, “It’s incumbent upon us as legislators to help facilitate the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Our responsibility rests with providing the citizens of Pennsylvania with an efficient and effective pathway to affordable health care. Public hearings afford us the opportunity to garner valuable input from all stakeholders and will help us help all Pennsylvanians." DeLuca added, "This is a complicated law, and there is a lot of confusion out there. I hope this public hearing will clear up some of the incorrect information and clarify the more complex provisions." Those testifying at the hearing included: Sam Marshall, president/CEO, Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania; Debora Wood, chief operating officer, Adagio Health; Vince Phillips, government affairs professional, Pennsylvania Association of Health Insurance Underwriters; and Erin-Gill Ninehouser, education and outreach coordinator for western PA, Pennsylvania Health Access Network. For more information about the Policy Committee or for hearing materials, visit www.pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee. Township supervisors want tougher injection well standards State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, D-74 of Clearfield County, says a recent letter sent to Gov. Tom Corbett from the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors further shows the need for stronger regulations regarding deep injection wells used to dispose Marcellus shale gas drilling wastewater. George noted that he has already introduced legislation that would address these issues in Pennsylvania, but was told his bill was not necessary in the Commonwealth. Earlier this year, George wrote to the state Department of Environmental Protection asking for support for his H.B. 2350, the Injection Well Safe Water Act. The bill, which provides for a two-year moratorium on the drilling of new injection wells and provides for setbacks from water supplies and geologic fault lines, contains several of the new regulations adopted by Ohio earlier this year. George said that DEP Secretary Mike Krancer responded that he is “not convinced that deep well injection presents an issue that the Commonwealth needs to grapple with at this time.” House Bill 2350 remains stuck in committee, but House GOP leaders could be persuaded to move the bill if they receive pressure from the public and the Corbett administration. George said the state needs to ensure proper safeguards during the drilling process, and proper safeguards for the disposal of the drilling wastewater. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has primary oversight of deep injection wells in Pennsylvania, those wells also are permitted by the state DEP. George’s legislation requires stronger regulations to receive the DEP permits. George said that people should visit his website, www.pahouse.com/George, and view his page about deep injection wells. The page also contains letters received about the issue, including the recent letter from PSATS and the letter from DEP Secretary Krancer.

Sept. 7, 2012 IN THE NEWS There's more than one way to attract jobs Georgia lawmaker blasts Turzai at Democratic Convention Abandoned mine bill could cost Pa. millions Pennsylvanians' path to voter ID not without glitches Inquirer Editorial: Next law to go is Pa.'s voter ID Overhauled permit rules would streamline review process Pa. budget cuts cripple homeless veterans project Critics see a wrinkle in new voter ID card process for PA-born voters Sales up at state liquor stores; more money coming back to taxpayers DEP admits stronger Marcellus rules are needed Voters give Casey strong lead; not so for Corbett Pa. universities expect declining enrollment Long fight over fracking still divides Pa. town Pennsylvania Supreme Court moves voter-ID appeal up on its schedule ---------- CLICK HERE Subscribe to the Legislative Review and other email alerts from the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus.

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