PA House Action for the Week of Feb. 14, 2011

PA House Action for the Week of Feb. 14, 2011

Gaming Reform, Restaurant Inspections, and Vet Representation
The state House returns to session on Monday, Feb. 14, to tackle problems with the state’s gaming law, delineate state office building restaurant inspection authority, and ensure veteran representation on the state Civil Service Commission, as well as several other issues.
Gaming it Right -- Background Investigations and Commissioner Integrity

Continuing the fight to restore the public’s trust in state government, the House will debate and vote two bills aimed at fixing two clearly identified problems with the state’s Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (the law legalizing casino gambling). Over the previous two sessions, House Republicans have shown the need for clarifying and fixing the 6-year-old gaming law – through numerous investigative Policy Committee hearings, meetings and evidence uncovered through the media regarding the Gaming Control Board’s investigatory process. While the previous governor, current governor (former attorney general), auditor general, district attorneys, law enforcement and numerous editorial writers have supported efforts to remove the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement (BIE) from the Gaming Control Board, others have simply ignored the problem. House Bill 262 transfers BIE to the Office of Attorney General.

The Gaming Control Board Membership Restriction Act, House Bill 391, limits the appointment of legislators to the Gaming Control Board. The bill would disallow a legislator or executive-level public employee from being appointed to the board during their term or time of employment and for a period of one year after.

Capitol Standards, No More Mouse Poopy At The Cafe
The House will consider a bill to establish, once and for all, the licensing and inspection authority for restaurants in the state Capitol and other state office buildings. For years, the Capitol cafeteria served thousands of patrons daily, yet apparently went uninspected. In 2009, during a courtesy inspection by the state Department of Agriculture, 54 violations were discovered, including numerous instances of mouse droppings. House Bill 303 ensures restaurants operating in state facilities are complying with the same standards as other restaurants.
Veteran Perspective

Past court cases and an auditor general report have shown a need for a veterans’ advocate within the Civil Service system. House Bill 378 requires at least one member of the three-member Civil Service Commission be a veteran.

The Weekly Schedule
Bill numbers will be used to identify the legislation being considered either in committee or on the House Floor. The bills, sponsors and summaries are posted below.

Monday, Feb. 14
Committee meetings/hearings:

* HEALTH, 11:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
o HB 87 (Rep. Bob Godshall, R-Montgomery County): Requires unannounced inspections of certain facilities and persons that provide child day care.
o HB 272 (Rep. Dick Hess, R-Fulton County): Establishes a task force on Lyme Disease.
o HR 42 (Rep. Dick Hess, R-Fulton County): A resolution urging the Department of Health to revise its disease monitoring practices.

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 38 (Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, D-Berks County): Makes technical corrections to a law addressing filing fees for cases before Magisterial District Judges and the Philadelphia Municipal Court.
* HB 143 (Rep. Sandra Major, R-Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming counties): Changes the state’s Clean and Green initiative by rolling back preferential assessments on small non-coal surface mines.
* HB 262 (Rep. Mike Vereb, R-Montgomery County): Moves the Gaming Control Board’s Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement to the Attorney General’s office.
* HB 303 (Rep. Michele Brooks, R-Crawford/Lawrence/Mercer counties): Clarifies licensing and inspection authority for restaurants in state office buildings. This issue was brought to light due to the mouse droppings at the Capitol cafeteria last year.
* HB 345 (Rep. Scott Petri, R-Bucks County): Provides for Honor Guard burial details at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery.
* HB 378 (Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin County): Requires at least one member of the Civil Service Commission to be a veteran.
* HB 391 (Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Cumberland/Franklin counties): Restricts the appointment of legislators and executive level public employees to the Gaming Control Board during their term of office/employment and one year thereafter.

Tuesday, Feb. 15
Committee meetings

* STATE GOVERNMENT, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
o Presentation by Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

* LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 9:15 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
o HB 197 (Rep. Mauree Gingrich, R-Lebanon): Review of intergovernmental cooperation agreements.
o HB 372 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester County): Deals with the sale of township property and other powers in the First Class Township Code.
o HB 373 (Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester County): Deals with the sale of borough property and other powers in the Borough Code.
o HB 374 (Rep. Dave Millard, R-Columbia County): Deals with the sale of incorporated towns’ property. The bill discusses advertising, contracting, auctions and penalties.

* GAMING OVERSIGHT, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
o HB 497 (Rep. Curt Schroder, R-Chester County): Defining the powers and duties of ex officio members of the Gaming Control Board.

* JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
o HB 162 (Rep. John Bear, R-Lancaster County): Increases the grading of the criminal offense of invasion of privacy if the victim is a minor.
o HB 165 (Rep John Evans, R-Erie/Crawford counties): Adds penalties to the animal cruelty law for the owner or co-owner of a dog that kills, maims or disfigures a service dog without provocation.
o HB 201 (Rep. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware counties): Adds private residential rehabilitative institution (PRRI) employees to the protected class under the state’s aggravated assault statute and expands the definition of “school grounds” in the criminal trespass statute to include PRRIs.
o HB 270 (Rep. Nick Miccarelli, R-Delaware County): Deems a person to have been convicted of a prior offense under the child pornography statute whether or not he or she has been sentenced on the previous conviction.
o HB 395 (Rep. Bernie O’Neill, R-Bucks County): Provides immunity from prosecution for underage drinking when a minor calls 911 to summon medical assistance.

* AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL AFFAIRS, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
o HB 144 (Rep. Tina Pickett, R- Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna Counties): Clean and Green/roll-back taxes when well is drilled – Marcellus Shale-related bill.
o HB 562 (Rep. Mark Gillen, R-Berks County): Agricultural Area Security Law, specifically providing definitions dealing with contiguous acreage.

* LABOR AND INDUSTRY, 10 a.m., Room 39, East Wing
o A meeting to hear a briefing by the PA Compensation Rating Bureau on proposed workers compensation loss/cost rates.

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

Votes on Third Consideration:

* HB 38
* House Bill 67 (Rep. Curt Schroder, R-Chester County): Prohibits simulcasting of greyhound races.
* HB 143
* HB 262
* HB 303
* HB 345
* HB 378
* HB 391

Wednesday, Feb. 16
Session begins at 11 a.m. No votes will be taken, but committee reports will be read across the desk and bills will be referred to committees or placed on the calendar.

Committee meetings/hearings:

* CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 9 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
o Meeting to hear a presentation from the natural gas industry.
* URBAN AFFAIRS, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
o HB 442 (Rep. Sue Helm, R-Dauphin County): Prohibits the imposition of private transfer fees and requires disclosure of existing private transfer fees.
* TRANSPORTATION , 9:15 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
o Several bridge and road designation bills

Thursday, Feb. 17
Committee Meetings/Hearings:

* HUMAN SERVICES, 10 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
o Informational meeting on the new Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.