Senate Bill 12     Expanding the PA Energy Development Authority  
Would enhance the ability of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) to support and foster the development of alternative energy generators, manufacturers, and products, and to encourage the adoption of energy efficient practices and products for both residential and commercial customers. The legislations would expand PEDA and encourage practices and products for both residential and commercial customers, through tax credits, grants and loans and other incentives.
Referred to Senate Energy Policies    12-07-07
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Senate Bill 13     Establishing the Energy Independence Fund  
Would establish the Energy Independence Fund, an $850 million bond issue that would seed diverse energy and conservation initiatives. The legislation also would expand the ability for an electric distribution company or Commission approved alternative supplier to acquire energy through a portfolio of varied resources, provide for long term contracts with large customers and permit contracts with energy efficient, other demand-side resources and contracts for the construction of new electric generation resources, provide for certain rate requirements, a micro-grid network and create a retail electricity surcharge.
Referred to Senate Energy Policies    12-07-07
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                                    2007-2008 Regular Session
Senate Bill 14     Electronic Prescribing  
Would require health care facilities to implement an electronic prescribing system. E-prescribing allows health care providers to write prescriptions electronically and to check for potentially harmful drug interactions.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    6-01-07
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Senate Bill 22     Student Bullying Prevention   
Requiring school districts to establish a comprehensive bullying and student intimidation prevention plan, which would include both preventative measures and programs to address bullying and student intimidation. Currently, some schools have programs in place to address bullying, but not all do.
Referred to Senate Education Committee    1-29-07
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Senate Bill 29    Merchant Marine WW II Bonus Program Changes
Ensuring all Merchant Marines who qualify based on the time period included in Act 22 of 2006 (those who served or were in training between Dec. 7, 1941 and Aug. 15, 1945) can successfully apply for the Merchant Marine World War II Bonus program.
Referred to Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee    2-05-07
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Senate Bill 34     Breastfeeding in Public
Clarifying a woman's right to breastfeed in public or private places. This legislation would protect a woman's right to breastfeed her child in any public or private place where she is authorized to be. It would prohibit local governments from prohibiting breastfeeding in public by local ordinance and would clarify that the act of breastfeeding could not be considered an obscene act.
Signed into Law (Act 28)    7-08-07
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Senate Bill 35     Breastfeeding and Workplace Discrimination
Ensuring that women cannot be fired or discriminated against in the workplace for expressing milk or breastfeeding during lunch or breaks. This legislation would add mothers who return to work and continue to breastfeed to the people protected from employer discrimination under the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act. Statistical surveys of families show that over 50 percent of mothers with children under one year are in the labor force.
Referred to Senate Labor and Industry Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 36     Breastfeeding Friendly Business Tax Credit
Providing a tax credit to businesses that support breastfeeding mothers by establishing lactation programs. The business tax credit would be for costs associated with establishing a clean, private environment for women to pump, purchase or rent equipment, hire a lactation consultant or otherwise promote a lactation-friendly work environment.
Referred to Senate Finance Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 37    Green Appliance Sales Tax Holiday  (Also introduced as Special Session S.B. 9)
Creating a tax holiday for the purchase of appliances that carry the Energy Star efficiency rating. Consumers would be able to purchase Energy Star appliances during two tax-free weeks, one in April and the other in October. The "energy star" classification is part of a voluntary labeling program established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, designed to identify and promote energy efficient products, in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Referred to Senate Finance Committee    2-05-07
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Senate Bill 38     Contraceptive Equity   
Requiring health insurance policies that provide coverage for prescription drugs to cover FDA approved prescription contraceptives. About 2.6 million women are of reproductive age and two-thirds of those women rely on employer-based insurance. A startling 21 percent of Pennsylvania insurance companies do not cover any of the six birth control methods recognized by the FDA. The cost of maternal and newborn care alone is more than $8,600 per birth, while an entire year of birth control pills costs between $350 and $422. Women of a reproductive age spend 68 percent more on out-of-pocket health-care expenses.
Referred to Senate Banking and Insurance Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 39  Office of Women's Health 
Establishing an Office of Women's Health within the Pennsylvania Department of Health to educate and advocate for women's health. The office would serve as a clearinghouse and resource for information regarding women's health data, services and programs.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 40     Lead Hazards in Child-care Centers
Requiring all preschools, nurseries and child-care centers to be inspected for lead hazards. Shortened attention span, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, developmental delays, mental retardation, neurological and physical health problems, aggression and antisocial or delinquent behavior are associated with lead poisoning. The legislation requires the Department of Health to conduct testing to determine the presence and levels of hazardous lead in child-care centers.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 41     Children in Backseat   
Requiring children under 10 to ride in a rear seat of a passenger vehicle if a rear seat is available. This legislation does allow for the oldest child to occupy the front passenger seat if children already occupy all back seats.
Referred to Senate Transportation Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 42     Seatbelt Violation Primary Offense
Elevating violations of the seatbelt and booster seat laws from secondary to primary offenses. Currently, drivers can only be fined for not using seatbelts and booster seats properly if they are pulled over for another primary offense. Changing these violations from secondary to primary offenses would allow law enforcement officers to pull over individuals who fail to buckle up.
Referred to Senate Transportation Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 43     Expedite Child Support Cases with Cell Phone Records
Authorizing the Department of Public Welfare to issue administrative subpoenas to cellular telephone companies for the records of parents behind on child support payments. DPW currently has the authority to subpoena public utility or cable television records. These methods often fail because delinquent parents frequently move and cell phone billing information would help the department in tracking them down. Delinquent parents in PA owe over $2 billion in child support payments, a figure that grows by $250 to $350 million annually.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 45  Commission for Women 
Establishing the Commission for Women in statute. The Commission for Women currently exists under the Governor's jurisdiction but this bill seeks to establish the commission in statute to ensure its continued existence. This will require legislative action in order to dissolve the commission before a governor could eliminate it. 
Referred to Senate State Government Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 46     Child-care Tax Credit
Providing a tax credit for child-care expenses. Under the proposal, the tax credit would directly offset personal income taxes.
Referred to Senate Finance Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 47     Municipal Control of Novelty Fireworks
Allowing local government to regulate the sale and use of fireworks. This legislation would clarify that a municipality may, by ordinance or resolution, prohibit the sale of sparklers and other novelty fireworks. Since the fireworks law was amended in November 2004, there has been much confusion concerning local governments' authority to regulate the sale and use of fireworks.
Referred to Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 48     Assault Weapons Ban
Prohibiting the manufacture, possession, purchase, sale or transfer of all assault weapons or assault weapon conversion kits in Pennsylvania. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban expired on Sept. 13, 2004, because Congress failed to act. In addition to reinstating the former federal-level ban in Pennsylvania, this legislation addresses loopholes in the current law, which allow gun manufacturers to market copies of banned guns with minor design changes.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 49     Gun Tracing
Requiring, upon recovery of a firearm possessed by anyone under 21 not permitted by federal or state law to possess it, a local law enforcement agency to determine how and from where the person under 21 gained possession of the weapon. Local agencies, according to the legislation, shall use the National Tracing Center of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in complying with the law. Tracing access would determine how and from where these young people gained possession of the firearm and would identify gun distributors.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 51     Prohibiting the Sale of Mercury Thermometers
Prohibiting the sale or distribution at no cost of thermometers used for measuring human or animal body temperatures that contain mercury or a mercury compound. When a thermometer containing mercury breaks, the mercury can evaporate into air, which poses a risk to people who do not know how to properly clean up a broken thermometer. Additionally, mercury can be emitted in health-care settings through the spillage, breakage or improper disposal of mercury containing products. Mercury has been characterized as a neurological and reproductive toxin, which has been shown to lead to lowered IQ, as well as neurological and reproductive problems.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 52     Healthcare Professional Joint Negotiation
Allowing health care professionals to negotiate contract with insurers. Providers' inability, as individuals or in small group practices, to reject unfair contracts affects their ability to deliver quality health care to their patients. This legislation would allow professionals jointly to negotiate with insurers under certain circumstances.
Referred to Senate Banking and Insurance Committee    2-07-07
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Senate Bill 211     Pharmacy Access
Would require pharmacies to dispense, order, or transfer any customer's legal prescriptions, including contraceptives. If a pharmacist refuses to comply, another pharmacist who is employed by that pharmacy must fulfill these duties. Additionally, pharmacists with personal objections may not harass, humiliate or intentionally violate the confidentiality of customers seeking to fill prescriptions. The American Medical Association has endorsed federal and state legislation that would require pharmacies to fill all legally valid prescriptions.
Referred to Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee    5-10-07
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Senate Bill 294     Medical Malpractice Court
Creating a separate court system to resolve medical liability cases. While Act 127 addressed venue shopping in medical liability cases, medical malpractice cases are still plaguing the current court system. The proposed legislation would remove medical malpractice cases from the current system by adding the Medical Malpractice Court to the Judicial System.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee    3-09-07
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Senate Bill 478     Election Law Reforms
This bill would update the Election Code to ensure that all political advertising carries the proper disclaimers. Currently, candidates must clearly disclose who paid for direct mail, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising and broadcast ads. This bill would update the code by adding e-mail, Internet advertising and automatic dialing-announcing devices to the other forms of political advertising a candidate must disclose.
Referred to Senate State Government Committee    3-15-07
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Senate Bill 479     Robo Calls, Disclaimer Required
This bill would amend the Telemarketer Registration Act to ensure that non-election related calls advocating for a political position disclose the name of the organization or business paying for the call. It also would prohibit advocacy push polls between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Referred to Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee    3-29-07
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Senate Bill 730     C.A.R.E. Act
The C.A.R.E. Act -- Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies -- will ensure that all hospitals inform rape victims about emergency contraception (EC) and provide them with the full regimen of EC upon the victims' request. Hospitals also will be required to contact the local rape crisis center so that a rape crisis counselor can join the victim at the emergency room. As an advocate, the counselor can advise the rape victim of available services and answer questions.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    4-02-07
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Senate Bill 809     Reporting Child Support Arrearages
This bill would ensure that late child support payments caused by employers not forwarding attached wages to the proper authorities would not be reported to consumer reporting agencies.
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee    4-27-07
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Senate Bill 909     Residential Sewer Lateral Loans
This bill would authorize PENNVEST to underwrite an annual total of $5 million in low interest loans from local lending institutions to existing residential homeowners who are required to install water or sewer laterals to connect to public systems. It also allows residential owners who are forced to replace existing laterals to qualify for those low interest loans.
Referred to Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee    6-01-07
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Senate Bill 910     Second Class Township Audits and Employment Contracts
This bill would require Second Class Townships to provide two-year written contracts to managers and finance directors hired by the municipality and to post fiscal audits on the municipal Web site. The Attorney General recommended these changes to allow these officials to monitor township spending in a more independent manner. Townships that do not have Web sites would be required to send audit results to residents by direct mail.
Referred to Senate Local Government Committee    6-01-07
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Senate Bill 911     Borough Audits and Employment Contracts
This bill would require Boroughs to provide two-year written contracts to managers and finance directors hired by the municipality and to post fiscal audits on the municipal Web site. The Attorney General recommended these changes to allow these officials to monitor borough spending in a more independent manner. Boroughs that do not have Web sites would be required to send audit results to residents by direct mail.
Referred to Senate Local Government Committee    6-01-07
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Senate Bill 912     First Class Township Audits and Employment Contracts
This bill would require First Class Townships to provide two-year written contracts to managers and finance directors hired by the municipality and to post fiscal audits on the municipal Web site. The Attorney General recommended these changes to allow these officials to monitor township spending in a more independent manner. Townships that do not have Web sites would be required to send audit results to residents by direct mail.
Referred to Senate Local Government Committee    6-01-07
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Senate Bill 985     Reporting of Secondary School Athletics Equity
This bill would require public middle schools and high schools to report to the Pennsylvania Department of Education athletic opportunities being offered to both boys and girls. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 bars discrimination on the basis of gender in educational institutions that receive federal funds. This legislation would clarify that athletic opportunities are available to boys and girls at Pennsylvania's schools and will not direct schools to alter their offerings.
Referred to Senate Education Committee    6-19-07
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Senate Bill 1052     Third Class City Audits and Employment Contracts
This bill would require third class cities to provide two-year written contracts to managers and finance directors hired by the city and to post fiscal audits on the city Web site. These changes were recommended to allow these officials to monitor city spending in a more independent manner.
Referred to Senate Local Government Committee    8-27-07
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Senate Bill 1053     Second Class City Audits and Employment Contracts
This bill would require second class cities to provide two-year written contracts to managers and finance directors hired by the city and to post fiscal audits on the city Web site. These changes were recommended to allow these officials to monitor city spending in a more independent manner.
Referred to Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee    8-27-07
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Senate Bill 1094     Electronic Prescribing
This bill would provide funding and Department of Health monitoring of an electronic prescribing system. E-prescribing allows health care providers to write prescriptions electronically and check for potentially harmful drug interactions.
Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee    9-17-07
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Senate Bill 1098     Teen Drivers and Cell Phone Use
This bill would prohibit drivers under 18 from using cellular phones while driving. Any driver under 18 would violates the law would be fined up to $300 or assigned a period of community service. An exception is provided to individuals reporting emergencies.
Referred to Senate Transportation Committee    9-28-07
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Senate Bill 1110     Condo and Association Management
This bill would require property managers of condominium and other property associations to maintain separate accounts for association funds and would prohibit co-mingling of accounts.
Referred to Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee    10-15-07
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Senate Bill 1115     E-Waste Recycling
This bill would create a statewide electronic waste recycling program. The program would be funded through the enactment of an advanced recovery fee ranging from $6 to $10 on the purchase of new televisions and computers. This fee would be similar to the one currently paid by Pennsylvania consumers to dispose of old tires. The Department of Environmental Protection would be responsible for certifying recyclers and distributing funds. Additionally, the legislation would ban the disposal of cathode ray tubes in landfills and incinerators. These tubes are found in computer and television monitors and contain lead.
Referred to Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee    10-22-07
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