WEEKLY SESSION NOTES
Senate Republican Policy Committee
Sen. Jake Corman, Chairman
Monday, October 1, 2007
Senate Bill 999 (Corman)
would designate State Route 26 in Marion and Spring Townships, Centre
County, from segments 450/748 to 570/000, as the Marine Sergeant David "DJ"
Emery Highway. Private First Class Emery served with distinction in the 4th
Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2/4 Gulf Company until February 7, 2007,
when he was seriously wounded in an attack by a suicide bomber. Emery was
promoted to Sergeant on May 9, 2007. Passed: 47-0.
Senate Resolution 183
(Rhoades) designates October 18, 2007 as "Lights On Aftershool! Day" in
Pennsylvania to promote the critical importance of quality afterschool
programs in the lives of children, families and communities. Adopted by
Voice Vote.
Executive Session
Nominations to Various
Boards and Commissions. (See
Attached) Confirmed: 47-0.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Senate Bill 805 (Folmer)
would amend the Public School Code to require the Department of Education to
submit an annual report summarizing the operation of the educational
assistance program for that fiscal year to the Chairmen and Minority
Chairmen of the House and Senate Education and Appropriations Committees.
The report would have to include a listing of approved providers, a listing
of each eligible school entity, a listing of each eligible school entity to
which the Department has provided technical assistance and other information
as outlined in the bill. The measure would also clarify that enrollment of
students in a charter school or cyber charter school would not be subject to
a cap or otherwise limited by any past action of a school board, a board of
control, a special board of control or any other governing authority unless
agreed to by the school as part of a written charter. The provisions would
apply to a charter school or cyber charter school regardless of whether the
charter was approved prior to or is approved subsequent to the effective
date of these provisions. The addition of the provisions relating to
charter schools and cyber charter schools would be retroactive to June 19,
1997. Passed: 43-2.
Senate Bill 1016
(Greenleaf) would amend the Administrative Code of 1929 to provide that if
the Commonwealth or one of its instrumentalities owns, leases or exercises
jurisdiction and control of the airport at the Joint Interagency
Installation to be established on the Naval Air Station Reserve Base (HASJRB)
Willow Grove, the property must be used by the Pennsylvania National Guard,
Department of Defense, federal, state and local government and other users
to perform national defense, homeland security and emergency preparedness
missions. The Commonwealth would be prohibited from allowing use of
airfield property for regularly scheduled commercial passenger operations,
cargo operations, routine reliever airport operations or
other nongovernmental aviation operations. Nothing in the bill would
diminish or alter authorized uses of the installation by the federal
government or limit use of the property for authorized purposes in exigent
circumstances. Passed: 43-2.
Senate Resolution 173
(Gordner) designates the month of October 2007 as "Disability Employment
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted: 46-0.
Senate Resolution 184
(Rafferty) designates October 13, 2007 as Schuylkill River Day in
Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 185
(Dinniman) designates the week of October 13 through 21, 2007 as "Binational
Health Week" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 186
(Tartaglione) designates October 14, 2007 as "Pulaski Memorial Day" in
Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
Senate Resolution 187
(Tartaglione) designates the month of October 2007 as "Polish American
Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
House Bill 1624 (Millard)
would designate the bridge carrying State Route 42 over the Catawissa Creek
in Catawissa Borough, Columbia County as the William F. Gittler, Sr.
Memorial Bridge, in honor of William F. Gittler, Sr., prominent citizen,
leading industrialist and philanthropist. Passed: 45-0.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Senate Bill 96 (D. White)
would create the Volunteer Emergency Service Partnership Grant Program Act
to authorize a grant program to provide incentives to encourage volunteer
emergency service organizations to consolidate, merge or form partnerships,
where appropriate, for the purpose of providing emergency services in a more
effective and efficient manner. All volunteer emergency services
organizations located in the Commonwealth would be eligible applicants.
Local governments could apply on behalf of volunteer service organizations,
but grant funds could not be paid to local governments. Relief
associations, social clubs, retirement programs or length of service award
programs would not be eligible to receive grants. Applicants would be
required to provide proof of formal partnerships or a merger or
consolidation. Any volunteer emergency service organization that entered
into and executed a formal partnership on or after January 1, 1995 would be
eligible for funding under the conditions of the act.
Grant funds could be used for
emergency response vehicles; building construction, expansion or renovation;
the reduction or elimination of debt; a member recruitment and/or retention
plan; legal and administrative costs associated with creating a formal
partnership; costs associated with the development of a long-range capital
budget or capital expenditure plan for a period of at least 10 years; and
costs associated with live-in quarters. Grant funds could not be used for
salaries, fundraising supplies or equipment, or personal benefit programs
for members.
The act would be administered by
the Center for Local Government Services in the Department of Community and
Economic Development (DCED). The Center, through the Department, would
promulgate guidelines in order to carry out the provisions of the act. In
the event that a company proposes a partnership that is not specifically set
forth in the act, the Center would be required to create and appoint a board
of review comprised of the manager in charge of the program, the State Fire
Commissioner, a representative from the Department of Health and the deputy
secretary for programs of DCED. Any decision of the board of review with
regard to any application for funding would be final. The act would expire
on June 30, 2013.
Funding for the program would be
provided by the sale of bonds approved and authorized by the voters at the
November 2002 election. The program would be authorized for a period of
five years and would be financed by an initial $25 million ($5 million per
year for each of the five years). Any funds not used during a fiscal year
would roll over to the successive fiscal year. If additional funds are
necessary after five years, the act could be reauthorized and additional
bonds could be sold to finance the program. Passed: 46-0.
Senate Bill 915
(Baker) would amend Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes to establish a grant program within the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs to provide operating support to veterans'
service officer programs. The goal of the grant program would be to improve
the coordination and distribution of veterans' benefits and to increase
veterans' participation in available benefit programs. Grants could be used
to support accredited veterans service officer organizations including costs
incurred for wages, benefits, training costs and equipment purchases.
Eligible veterans' service organizations would include the American Legion,
AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and Disabled American
Veterans. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs could identify
additional veterans' service organizations as eligible participants if the
organizations are active members of the State Veterans Commission.
The Department would be required
to establish procedures, policies, forms and guidelines within 45 days of
the effective date of the act. This information would have to be submitted
to the House and Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committees for review and comment. The Department would be required to
submit an annual report by October 1 of each year to the Adjutant General,
Deputy Adjutant General and the Chairmen and Minority Chairmen of the House
and Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committees detailing
activities under the act for the prior fiscal year and setting forth a
proposed budget for the succeeding fiscal year. The Auditor General would
be authorized to audit the program.
The Department would determine grant award amounts and would be
required to prorate grant awards in the event that grant awards exceed
available funds. Monies for the program would be provided from
appropriations by the General Assembly. The act would apply to fiscal years
beginning on or after July 1, 2007, when and if funds are specifically
appropriated to support the grant program. The measure specifies that the
appropriation included in the General Appropriation Act of 2007 for the
program would be disbursed consistently with the provisions of the act.
Passed: 46-0.
Senate Resolution 189
(Piccola) designates the month of October 2007 as "Italian American Heritage
Month" in Pennsylvania. Adopted by Voice Vote.
House Bill 872 (Cappelli) would
designate the bridge carrying State Route 1017, known as Lycoming Creek Road,
over Bottle Run, Old Lycoming Township, Lycoming County as the John Gross
Memorial Bridge. Passed: 46-0.
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