Senate News Brief
A preview of what's ahead in the Senate and a review of recent legislative
action.
2012
"Senate Bill 1296 ensures employment contracts for
school superintendents receive greater public scrutiny by requiring the details
of the contract to be made public. Under the new process included in the bill,
both superintendents and school boards will also know upfront what the
expectations are for the job and the consequences of terminating a contract
prematurely." - Senate Education Committee
Chairman Jeff Piccola (R-Dauphin)
News Brief 5/7/12
"This issue is of such vital importance to our free society that the legislature must ensure
Pennsylvania citizens have the opportunity to make their voices heard." -
Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson)
News Brief 4/2/12
"Our service men and women are often forced to leave their
jobs in order to serve our country. It is only fitting that we provide them with
the assistance to grow their businesses when they return home." - Sen.
Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks)
News Brief 3/26/12
"This is a simple, common-sense measure to protect the integrity of the voting process, the
very foundation of democracy." - Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)
News Brief 3/12/12
"By moving to this more efficient infrastructure funding plan,
customers will avoid costly rate cases and receive better, more reliable
service. Our utilities will save money and avoid expensive delays, expediting
critical projects and saving consumers money." - Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee Chairman
Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks)
News Brief 2/6/12
"There are many different views and disagreements over policy about the gas drilling in the
Marcellus Shale. But there is at least one thing on which there is a broad
consensus – the necessity of being prepared to react and respond when something
goes wrong." - Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Management
Committee Chair Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne)
News Brief 1/23/12
"We have
all recognized the need to make government more accountable and efficient.
The public expects it and our economic conditions require it." - Senate
President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson)
News Brief 1/17/12
2011
"In recent years,
the federal government and 26 other states – including our neighboring states of
Maryland, New Jersey, and Ohio – have improved their DNA collection and testing
policies. Pennsylvania has not. This bill updates our law to ensure that
Pennsylvania investigators have access to the most efficient scientific tools to
fight crime." - Senate
Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)
News Brief 12/12/11
"Through a reasonable and
well-thought-out impact fee on shale companies, we can manage this tremendous
resource in a way that improves our economy, creates new jobs and opportunities
for our residents and protects our quality of life.” - Senate President Pro Tempore
Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) News Brief
12/5/11
"Texting is one
of the most dangerous distracted driving activities that motorists engage in.
When you text, you have to take your eyes off the road, you aren't paying
attention, and the consequences can be deadly." - Sen. Tommy
Tomlinson (R-Bucks)
News Brief
11/14/11
"Members in the House have consistently said that they would consider a
school choice bill if one is referred to their chamber. It's now time to seize
that opportunity. I'm hopeful the Governor will vigorously engage on Senate Bill
1 and my colleagues in the House will move this legislation to his desk in a
dramatic fashion." - Senate
Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin)
News Brief 10/31/11
"The state will have to invest at least an additional $2
billion annually to meet our transportation infrastructure needs, and the cost
to repair our infrastructure grows with each passing year. We can't continue to
ignore these pressing challenges, which are directly related to public safety
and economic development." - Senate Appropriations
Committee Chairman Jake Corman (R-Centre)
News Brief 10/24/11
"There was one
case where $4 million in state money went to a $2 million project and because it
went to prevailing wage, it increased the price of that project by close to $2
million – it essentially threw away $2 million in state funds." - Sen.
Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster)
News Brief
10/17/11
"I am surprised and appalled that taxpayer dollars were
used to pay for these things." - Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland)
News Brief 10/4/11
"We have a
bipartisan commitment to helping our residents and local officials get back on
their feet. There is widespread damage so we need to have a good plan in place
to jumpstart our recovery effort." - Sen. Lisa
Baker (R-Luzerne) News Brief
9/26/11
"There is no question that our current winner-take-all
system for choosing electors does not reflect the diversity of
Pennsylvania." - Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)
News Brief 9/19/11
"Approximately 45,000 unemployed Pennsylvanians who currently qualify for
federal extended benefits would have been dropped from the unemployment
rolls, so I am extremely pleased we reached agreement." -
Senate
Labor and Industry Committee Chairman John Gordner (R-Columbia)
News Brief 6/20/11
"Under the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, states have the
authority to prohibit certain abortion coverage in these health plans and we
intend to exercise that power." - Sen. Don White (R-Indiana)
News Brief 6/13/11
"Underage drinking is a serious matter, and we don't want to give minors a free pass. But if kids are in trouble and
need medical attention, we don't want to discourage those who can help
them from seeking assistance." -
Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery)
News Brief 6/6/11
"I hope we can get this bill to the governor's desk very soon. It's imperative that we be
proactive to stop the spread of these dangerous drugs." - Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver)
News Brief
5/23/11
"This is a critical piece of legislation to protect victims of sexual violence. I hope
that the House of Representatives will finally send this bill to the
governor's desk." - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery)
News Brief 5/9/11
"For too long the General
Assembly has carried an amount of taxpayer money in a reserve account that
exceeds the necessary total. It is my belief that this legislation
institutes the appropriate balance needed to continue operations in case of
a budget impasse." - Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson)
News Brief 5/2/11
"An important element of proper oversight is monitoring the growing network of
gas pipelines. Transporting the gas requires extensive
infrastructure. Federal regulations set standards for siting, construction,
and maintenance, but some public entity has to oversee and enforce those
standards." - Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne)
News Brief 4/11/11
"The cost drivers in our budget are medical
assistance, prisons and pension obligations, all of which are growing far
greater than the rate of inflation and our revenues. Therefore, everything
else in the budget continues to get squeezed." - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jake
Corman (R-Centre) News
Brief 4/4/11
"If we get through this budget without tax increases, and with
responsible spending, we can set our state up to be a leader in this nation for
decades to come." - Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson)
News Brief 3/14/11
"I am eager to continue working with my colleagues in both chambers of
the Legislature and the Corbett Administration to bring this transformative
change and competition to our schools once and for all. It has been over a
decade since this issue was last publicly debated and addressed in
Pennsylvania, and our families shouldn't have to wait any longer for this
opportunity." -
Senate Education Committee Chairman Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin)
News Brief 3/7/11
"The Governor took the appropriate action in repealing
the policy. As I outlined in my letter to Governor Rendell last November, the
policy was irresponsible, and could potentially cost Pennsylvania taxpayers tens
of millions of dollars from the impairment of existing contracts." - Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Chair Mary Jo White (R-Venango)
News Brief 2/28/11
"This bill isn't the answer to all of our state's transportation and infrastructure problems,
but it is a positive and proactive step we can take now to start addressing those concerns."
- Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty (R-Montgomery)
News Brief 2/14/11
"We cannot allow children to remain trapped by their zip code and their
income in a failing school." - Senate Education Committee Chairman
Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin)
News Brief 2/1/11
"As
we turn this new page in history, Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley and I seek to chart a new course for Pennsylvania.
Together, we are dedicated to leadership that is responsive to fiscal
realities, leadership that takes on financial burdens rather than
passing those burdens to the next generation, and leadership that can
see beyond today's turbulence and into tomorrow's tranquility." -
Gov. Tom Corbett
News Brief 1/24/11
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