| |
A state legislative update from
the PA House Democratic Caucus
THE LATEST...
WATCH: House Democratic leaders react to governor’s budget proposal
Allegheny County leaders say PA budget another disappointment
 State Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny, said Gov. Tom Corbett's 2013-14 budget proposal is another disappointment for the people of Pennsylvania.
Costa, chairman of the Allegheny County Delegation, said he is
particularly frustrated with the approach to education, transportation
and health care funding.
"This budget locks in $1 billion in previous cuts to education
putting our kids at a disadvantage. To say he's investing in education
when he's not even restoring funds to basic education he cut two years
in a row is a sham, and just plain wrong," Costa explained. READ MORE HERE.
Corbett budget is revival of failed policies
 State Rep. Cherelle L. Parker,
D-Phila., said the 2013-14 budget proposal submitted by Gov. Tom
Corbett to a joint session of the General Assembly this week appears to
be a continuation of failed policies for the state.
Parker, who is chairwoman of the Philadelphia County Delegation and a member of the House Appropriations Committee,
said like the previous two years, Corbett is introducing a budget that
puts the interests of wealthy corporations ahead of the needs of public
education, people's health and taxpayers.
"Like every year, the governor's proposal is only the beginning
of the months-long process of finalizing the state budget," Parker said.
"Unfortunately, we're not off to a good start for Philadelphia or
Pennsylvania. This budget does not look to the most reliable revenue to
fund the items he is proposing, nor does it recognize the needs of our
residents or the opportunities available to our state." READ MORE HERE.
House OKs bill to extend kids' health coverage program.
 State Rep. Tony DeLuca,
D-Allegheny, said the House of Representatives passed legislation that
would extend Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program an
additional two years.
DeLuca, Democratic chairman of the House Insurance Committee, said the legislation (H.B. 108)
would extend the expiration date for the program to Dec. 31, 2015. The
program provides health insurance coverage to nearly 200,000
Pennsylvania children at little or no cost.
"The extension of the CHIP program is imperative to the
well-being of children throughout the commonwealth," DeLuca said. "It
ensures that hundreds of thousands of children continue to have access
to the quality care they need without their families having to worry
about being able to afford it." READ MORE HERE.
Corbett refuses federal funds but 5 other GOP govs expand Medicaid
 House Democratic Caucus Chairman Dan Frankel,
D-Allegheny, issued this statement in response to this week’s
announcement by Gov. Tom Corbett that he will refuse the federally
funded Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act:
"Governor Corbett chose to pander to the far right and willfully
inflict damage on Pennsylvania's economy -- he has undermined any
promises he makes about jobs. Accepting federal funds for expansion
would be a great economic driver in Pennsylvania by allowing for the
creation of potentially thousands of quality, good-paying jobs in the
health care sector.
"The Republican governors of Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota and now neighboring Ohio have agreed to accept federal funds to
improve health care in their states because they know it's vital for
their states' economies, it's vital for keeping hospitals open and it's
the right thing to do.” READ MORE HERE.
Republicans reject Mundy’s bid to close corporate tax loopholes
 State Rep. Phyllis Mundy's
bid to close the Delaware and other corporate tax loopholes that cost
Pennsylvania taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year was
voted down on a strict party-line vote Monday.
"The state has made deep budget cuts in recent years, and that’s
resulted in higher local property taxes, along with educational and
human services programs that have been diminished or eliminated," Mundy
said. "We're leaving a lot of money on the table by failing to close the
Delaware and other loopholes. At the same time, we're failing to
address an issue of tax fairness for businesses that can't use loopholes
and tax fairness for working, middle-class families and senior
citizens."
As a result of these loopholes, Mundy said seven in 10 corporations in Pennsylvania do not pay any state income tax. READ MORE HERE.
House Liquor Control Committee approves direct wine shipment legislation
 In his first voting meeting as Democratic chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee, state Rep. Paul Costa announced the committee approved legislation that would authorize the direct shipment of wine to Pennsylvania consumers.
“The direct shipment of wine is a step toward modernization of
our state system. If a store doesn’t carry a specific wine a consumer
wants to purchase, it offers them a win-win scenario where the consumer,
the winery and the commonwealth benefit from the transaction,” Costa
said.
House Bill 121
would allow both in-state and out-of-state wineries to ship their
products directly to Pennsylvania consumers, as long as the wineries
obtain a limited winery license and direct shipper license through the
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. READ MORE HERE.
Dermody and Hanna comment on Moulton appointment
 Top House Democrats
are praising Attorney General Kathleen Kane for her selection of H.
Geoffrey Moulton Jr. as a special deputy attorney general to lead the
review of the office's handling of the Jerry Sandusky investigation.
"The new attorney general is doing exactly what she promised to do," said Democratic Leader Frank Dermody,
D-Allegheny. "The only agenda is to find the truth and determine
whether the original investigation was conducted in the best possible
way."
Democratic Whip Mike Hanna,
D-Clinton/Centre, said: "Mr. Moulton has an excellent reputation. His
combined background as a federal prosecutor and a university educator in
Pennsylvania is especially apt for the review he will conduct. This is a
very encouraging appointment." READ MORE HERE.
Goodman betting on support for legal sports pools
 State Rep. Neal P. Goodman
will introduce legislation to legalize small betting pools, such as
pools that are popular during the NCAA basketball tournament and Super
Bowl.
"These types of pools are harmless, light-hearted fun," said
Goodman, D-Schuylkill. "It's ridiculous that someone could be jailed or
fined for throwing a couple bucks into a block pool."
Under the proposal from Goodman, betting pools would be legal if
the entry is $20 or less; there are 100 or fewer participants; there is
an established social, professional or familial relationship between
contestants; and all proceeds are awarded to participants or donated to a
charitable organization. READ MORE HERE.
Dermody seeks quick action to protect money for PA abuse victims
 House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody is asking Republican leaders to move quickly on a bill passed by the state Senate
to make sure that a record-breaking fine being paid by Penn State
University stays in Pennsylvania to provide medical and counseling
services to victims of child sexual abuse and fund prevention efforts.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association imposed a $60
million fine on Penn State for actions that enabled former coach Jerry
Sandusky to abuse numerous boys, sometimes in university facilities, but
the NCAA named a national task force to set guidelines for using the
money across all 50 states. Only after Dermody wrote to NCAA president
Mark Emmert in August seeking to keep the entire fine in Pennsylvania
did the NCAA pledge that one-fourth of the money would be used here.
"This endowment, created in the wake of a Pennsylvania tragedy,
is funded by Pennsylvania money. There is no question that every single
dollar should be used to fund Pennsylvania-based child sexual abuse
programs," Dermody said. "The NCAA's actions to date fall short of the
expectations of Pennsylvania's child advocates, fall short of the need,
and fall short of fairness. With no sign that the NCAA is rethinking its
decision, it's time for our state to assert its authority.” READ MORE HERE.
House Democratic Policy Committee looks at Pa.’s voter ID law and early voting
 State lawmakers on the House Democratic Policy Committee
heard from Philadelphia elections officials, voting rights supporters
and advocates for Pennsylvanians with disabilities at a public hearing
Jan. 31 regarding the state’s voter ID law and early voting proposals.
State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown,
D-Phila., requested the hearing and served as chairwoman. The hearing
focused on how voter ID efforts went during November’s election, as well
as the prospect of having early voting in Pennsylvania. The
Pennsylvania Department of State declined an invitation to testify at
the hearing.
“Even though widespread grassroots mobilization and education efforts were successful in beating back Pennsylvania’s voter ID
in November’s election, it is still being debated in court,” Lowery
Brown said. “We need to be doing more in the commonwealth to protect our
citizens’ right to vote and look at effective ways to make voting
easier for residents.” READ MORE HERE.
Costa responds to Governor's liquor privatization plan
State Rep. Paul Costa,
Democratic chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee, released the
following statement in response to Gov. Tom Corbett's liquor
privatization plan:
"While we haven't yet seen the specifics of the governor's
proposal, the numbers just don't add up. On first blush, the governor's
scheme looks eerily similar to the failed liquor privatization
experiment that happened in Washington state last year, resulting in
significantly higher prices and much less selection. Meanwhile,
Pennsylvania taxpayers will lose hundreds of millions of dollars every
year in reliable revenue for critical state and local needs.
"Under the governor's booze scheme, Wal-Mart and other
multi-billion-dollar retail giants would gain an unfair advantage and
force small, mom-and-pop businesses to close their doors. We should be
empowering our small businesses with the tools they need to grow and be
more competitive. That's why I'm developing a responsible plan that
modernizes Pennsylvania's alcohol laws while saving jobs and maintaining
responsible control – resulting in improved efficiencies and more
revenue for the state. My plan will make taxpayers and consumers the top
priority – not corporate interests."
Experts support Vitali bills to save solar grant program, increase use of renewable energy
 A panel of experts testified Jan. 29 in support of renewable energy legislation being introduced by state Rep. Greg Vitali, including a bill that would save a popular program that helps homeowners and small businesses install solar systems.
"Increasing the amount of energy we use from clean, renewable
sources has many benefits," said Vitali, Democratic chairman of the
House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. "It creates
good-paying jobs, helps fight climate change and reduces our dependence
on oil that is often drilled in countries that are hostile to America."
Vitali, D-Delaware, hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing to take testimony about his bills. READ MORE HERE.
Readshaw bill would allow communities to control liquor license transfers
 State Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny, has introduced H.B. 262,
which would allow local communities to control the number and type of
liquor-license establishments that are located in a specific community.
Current law only limits liquor licenses on a countywide level.
"Under my bill, municipalities would have the right to control
the number of these establishments, not the state," Readshaw said.
"Local communities are better judges of the needs and abuses of alcohol
on a more personal level. While I have heard numerous complaints about
bars in the South Side, this bill would give all communities an avenue
to say enough is enough." READ MORE HERE.
Hanna seeks investigation of payroll delay for personal care attendants
 House Democratic Whip Mike Hanna
has written to Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane and Auditor
General Eugene DePasquale requesting that they investigate the delay in
payroll payments to personal care attendants for some 22,000 consumers
across the state.
Copies of the letters can be found on Hanna's website here.
In mid-December, the state Department of Public Welfare
consolidated the financial management service responsibilities of 37
Pennsylvania-based companies involved with the Personal Care Attendant
Program to PCG Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) of Boston.
"According to DPW and the Office of Long-Term Living, this
consolidation would save money and improve efficiency within the
program. Despite questions from House members and stakeholders, both DPW
and PPL assured the public that the transfer could be completed in less
than a month with minimal problems. Now, as we near the end of January,
legislative offices are being inundated with calls from attendants who
have not received paychecks and consumers who fear they will lose care
due to attendant non-payment," Hanna wrote to Kane and DePasquale. READ MORE HERE.
Ravenstahl stands up for consumers with ‘swipe fee’ legislation
 State Rep. Adam Ravenstahl,
D-Allegheny, is drafting legislation that would prohibit retailers from
imposing credit card transaction fees or surcharges on consumers.
“Beginning Jan. 27, merchants could start tacking on fees to
cover processing costs, or about 1.5 percent to 3 percent of a buyer’s
total purchase,” Ravenstahl said. “I’m sick of consumers being
nickel-and-dimed and I am preparing legislation to help address that."
Ravenstahl said his legislation would add Pennsylvania to the 10
other states that prohibit the swipe fees. Under the measure, retailers
would be allowed to offer discounts if consumers choose to pay with
cash, check or means other than a credit card. READ MORE HERE.
HDPC and Philadelphia Delegation examine property tax relief measures in Philadelphia
 At a joint hearing in Philadelphia Jan. 28, members of the state House’s Democratic Policy Committee and Philadelphia Delegation
heard from city leaders, citizen advocacy groups and research
organizations regarding the implementation of property tax reform
measures in the city, said HDPC Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster.
State Rep. Cherelle Parker,
D-Phila., requested the hearing and served as its co-chairwoman. The
hearing looked specifically at the implementation of the city’s new
property reassessment program, known as the Actual Value Initiative. The
hearing also considered new legislation backed by the delegation to provide tax relief to residents who may be greatly impacted by AVI.
"Soon after the city’s Actual Value Initiative was proposed, we
got to work to help mitigate the financial strains that would be placed
on some city homeowners,” Parker said. “Working together, the General
Assembly succeeded in passing legislation to delay the implementation of
AVI for one year and authorized the city to adjust school district
property tax rates to prevent large tax increases on property owners." READ MORE HERE.
Legal effort will oppose lottery scheme that will hurt Pa. seniors
 House
and Senate Democrats plan to file a "friend of the court," or amicus
brief, supporting a lawsuit brought in December by AFSCME against Gov.
Tom Corbett’s scheme to privatize management of the Pennsylvania
Lottery. In addition to the union, the petitioners on the suit include a
handful of House and Senate members, lottery employees who stand to
lose their jobs if the privatization goes forward, and senior citizens
who receive benefits from the commonwealth funded by lottery proceeds.
The suit alleges, among other claims, that Gov. Tom Corbett does
not have the statutory authority to enter into the management contract
with Camelot Global Services PA LLC, the United Kingdom-based private
company which was the lone bidder for the lucrative management contract.
"It was really a shock for me as a newly elected legislator, on
my way to Harrisburg with ideas on how to make life better for the
people of my district to discover that before I even got here, the
governor took it upon himself to sign away control of the lottery
without even consulting with those who represent the people who will be
most affected," said state Rep. Mark Painter, D-Montgomery, a freshman House Democrat who has signed on to the brief. READ MORE HERE.
Bishop, McGeehan announce reintroduction of child sex abuse bills
 Saying the move is long overdue and flanked by high-profile reform advocates, state Reps. Louise Williams Bishop and Michael P. McGeehan, both D-Phila., announced a renewed push to update archaic statute-of-limitations laws in child sexual abuse cases at a Capitol Rotunda news conference.
Bishop and McGeehan said their respective bills are patterned
after ones they introduced in the last two-year legislative session but
died after being inexplicably bottled up in the committee process.
Bishop reintroduced her legislation, now known as H.B. 237, which would abolish the statute of limitations on criminal charges and civil lawsuits in cases of child sexual abuse.
“Child sexual abuse victims are slowly beginning to break the
barriers of silence; however, they still face a daunting procedural
obstacle -- the statute of limitations,” said Bishop, who came out last
year as a victim of child sexual abuse. “Instead of suppressing
legislation that would lift the statute of limitations, we should be
voting these game-changing bills out of committee and the House, so more
victims can seek justice.”
McGeehan introduced H.B. 238
that would suspend any expired statute of limitations for two years in
child sex abuse cases, providing a window of opportunity for those
victims to file a civil lawsuit. His bill also would seek to make child
sexual abuse an exception to the sovereign immunity defense that shields
public officials from being sued.
“The effects of child sex abuse are felt everywhere,” McGeehan
said. “We are all victims. The scandals which have rocked school
districts and dioceses across the country, Penn State, the Boy Scouts --
the problem clearly is not going away. Opponents of our measures need
to rethink their positions and become part of the solution. Let’s get
this done.” READ MORE HERE.
White introduces bill forcing DEP to disclose environmental test data to landowners, leaseholders
 State Rep. Jesse White
has introduced legislation that would require the state Department of
Environmental Protection to disclose the full and complete testing
results, including raw data and documentation, of any environmental
tests conducted by the department on a landowner’s or leaseholder’s
property in Pennsylvania.
According to H.B. 268,
DEP would have to make the information available at no cost and within
five business days of receiving a written request from the landowner or
leaseholder, or face civil penalties of up to $1,500 if the department
fails to make the information available. White, who previously called on
DEP to make public the full testing data and other details related to
air and water quality tests amid concerns of nearby Marcellus Shale
drilling operations, said his legislation would ensure that Pennsylvania
residents can access their complete test results, and prevent that
information from being withheld through bureaucratic maneuvering.
“Pennsylvanians have a right to know the entire truth about what
DEP discovers from testing on their property; nothing more, nothing
less,” said White, D-Washington/Allegheny/Beaver. “DEP has used
exemptions in the Open Records Law to deny requests for testing data and
has even claimed there was a greater interest in withholding data than
in releasing it to the public, which is fundamentally wrong. There is no
justification whatsoever for disclosing anything less than 100 percent
of the information about the substances in the air and water of
Pennsylvania residents.” READ MORE HERE.
Briggs wants testing for radon gas in schools - cites DEP concern over issue
 State Rep. Tim Briggs,
D-Montgomery, is reintroducing legislation that would require radon
testing in schools, as well as educate and inform parents and guardians
of the levels of radon gas in their child’s classroom.
Briggs said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection conducted public outreach in January as part of National
Radon Action Month, warning residents about the dangers of radon gas. He
said his legislation calling for school testing matches DEP Secretary
Mike Krancer's message to homeowners – that radon gas is present in
nearly half of all Pennsylvania homes; that it can be deadly; that
everyone needs to test their homes for radon; and that a radon problem
can be "easily and inexpensively" fixed.
"I am happy the DEP is discussing the dangers of radon gas and
bringing the issue to the forefront," Briggs said. "Radon gas is
radioactive, colorless, tasteless and odorless. There is no way of
knowing its presence unless you test for it. By not taking the simple
precaution of testing, we are needlessly endangering our children’s
lives every day they go to school." READ MORE HERE.
Santarsiero calls for election-spending reform at state, federal levels
 State Rep. Steve Santarsiero,
D-Bucks, announced he will again introduce legislation to address the
effects of campaign spending in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court
decision on Citizens United. His proposal, which he also introduced in
2010 soon after the decision and again last session in 2011, initiates a
federal constitutional amendment through the state process.
Specifically, his legislation is a concurrent resolution calling
for a U.S. Congressional convention to amend the Constitution on the
subject of election spending. Included in the amendment is the specific
language for the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution to specifically
allow Congress and the states to pass laws limiting the amount of money
that can be raised and or spent and further limit the amount of money
any person or group can donate in federal or state elections.
Santarsiero said it is no coincidence that his call for reform
falls on the three-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling
in Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission. In its decision,
the Court found by a 5-4 vote that corporations and other groups could
spend their money to support or oppose political candidates, and that
denying them their right to do so was in violation on the First
Amendment. READ MORE HERE.
Haggerty introduces school resource officers bill, HB 196, as talk peaks nationally
 State Rep. Kevin Haggerty, D-Lackawanna, has introduced H.B. 196,
which calls for funding for school resource officers, following
President Barack Obama’s call for 1,000 school resource officers
inelementary schools across the nation.
Following the president’s announcement, Gov. Tom Corbett
discussed the $500 million federal executive action for schools to hire
more mental health counselors and school resource officers. He stated:
"That’s going to require money. We have some areas that we think we can
find some money to go into that."
"Both the president of the United States and the governor of
Pennsylvania don’t see funding as an issue, nor should our elected
legislators in Washington and Harrisburg,” Haggerty said. “The safety
value of resource officers in our schools compels us to see this
through." READ MORE HERE.
|
|
|
  
|
|
White
House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters Thursday that the Obama
administration will not be releasing any more information about the
controversial use of drones to kill American citizens.
