Capitol View from East Wing

Committee Votes to Re-Bid Foxwoods License

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The revoked Foxwoods casino license would be re-bid via a statewide public auction, under legislation penned by House Gaming Oversight Committee chairman Curt Schroder (R-Chester).  HB 65 was written to maximize state revenues, and would set the minimum bid for the casino license at $66.5-million dollars.  The original category 2 licenses were sold for $50-million dollars. 

The committee voted 21 to 4 in favor of Schroder’s bill, today.  It now heads to the House floor.  Meanwhile, the Foxwoods developers have appealed the revocation of their license in Commonwealth Court.    

The Foxwoods casino project was awarded its category 2 casino license in December of 2006.  After years of delays and financing woes, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted to revoke the Foxwoods license in December 2010.  Under current law, if the Foxwoods license is awarded to another casino developer it must stay within the City of Philadelphia. 

Earlier this fall, Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord told a Senate committee that South York and Reading were the two alternative locations that would have the biggest impact on net revenues.  McCord’s analysis of PA’s gaming markets finds that a western Philadelphia casino site could generate the 5th greatest gain to statewide gaming revenues.  The site of the proposed Foxwoods site checked in at number nine on that list.

Pennsylvania Business Group Supports Bill Aimed At On Line Retailers

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Small business owners from Pennsylvania are lending their support to a bill being introduced by an Arkansas Republican and California Democrat in the U. S. House of Representatives to address sales tax collections by on line retailers.  The Marketplace Equality Act would empower states to require online companies that do not have a physical presence in the state to collect and remit state sales tax for transactions with state residents.

Daniel Hayward of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Main Street Fairness says small business owners just want a level playing field. He says many people don’t realize when they buy on Amazon.com or other on line retailers they still are supposed to send that sales tax back to the state at the end of the year.

Hayward says this would allow the matter to become a “state’s rights” issue. He says all they’re asking is that those large on line only retailers collect the sales tax at point of sale and remit it to the state, just like brick and mortar retailers do all across Pennsylvania.

He believes Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation wants to take action to level the playing field for brick and mortar retailers in competing with the big on line retailers.

Hayward says they did a study through Carnegie Mellon University, and it found Pennsylvania may be missing out in collecting between 250 and 390 million dollars in sales tax per year through sales made by on line retailers to state residents.

The bill would include an exemption for small E-tailers to ensure that start ups and small sellers will not face the same compliance requirements that are more easily adopted by large on line retailers.

The bill is being proposed by Steve Womack (R-AR) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) . In a press release, Representative Womack says the intent of the legislation is to close a long-standing loophole that puts America’s brick and mortar businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Representative Speier stated it’s time to close the gaping loophole that is costing businesses sales to large internet retailers and depriving states, local communities and schools of sales tax revenues that they should be receiving. 

Similar legislation has been introduced in the past.  Several states have their own laws, but they apply to businesses with a physical presence in the state.

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Praises Trade Bills Passed By Congress

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There was bipartisan support in Congress for legislation to create free trade agreements that could benefit Pennsylvania agriculture.  The bills awaiting the President’s signature would create agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, eliminating tariffs and other barriers to trade.

 Mark O’Neill, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, says it’s estimated the agreements could increase Pennsylvania agriculture exports by nearly 55 million a year, while creating nearly 500 new jobs in the industry.

A variety of Pennsylvania farm products could benefit from free trade agreements, including dairy, beef, pork, fruits, vegetables, nuts and processed food products.  O’Neill says the dairy industry could benefit to the tune of 5 million a year. He says there are new opportunities for farmers across the board.

O’Neill says after the year farmers have had with weather problems reducing yields and damaging crops, this could be some very good news. He says once everything is in place, farmers will have to look at their potential for marketing their products in these countries.  He says some farmers already export their products to other countries.

O’Neill says the more opportunities farmers have to get their products out, it makes them more viable.  He says it can also give them the opportunity to expand in the future.  He calls the trade bills a very positive step.

O’Neill says the bills had broad support. He believes many recognized the need to make sure American farmers can continue to grow and prosper, and have opportunities to be competitive worldwide.  He says that’s where the growing market is going to be in the future, getting products across the world.

Study Says First Month of “Solo” Driving Is a Risky Time For Teens

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Teens are 50% more likely to crash the first after they get their driver’s license than they are after a full year of driving on their own. That’s according to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.  Three common mistakes; failure to reduce speed, inattention and failure to yield account for 57% of those crashes

Jenny Robinson of AAA Mid-Atlantic says teen drivers have certain issues they face when they’re inexperienced. She says there are certain types of crashes that occur with relatively high rates in the first months of licensed teen driving, but once they gain experience, those crash rates decline quickly.  One example is crashes involving left hand turns; they are more common for teens during the first few months of driving.

Robinson suggests parents ride with their newly licensed teens as much as possible and use every teachable moment. That includes offering tips on the road when the parent is driving and the teen is the passenger.

Robinson says the more practice the better, the more teaching the better.  Currently, Pennsylvania requires teens to have 50 hours of behind the wheel training before getting their license. A bill recently passed by the legislature would increase that to 65 hours.

Robinson says driving is an acquired skill that gets better with experience.  She says the judgment is not always there with a new driver to determine how fast car is coming, how much time and care they need to allow when making a turn and what the stopping distance is when they have to make a sudden stop.

You can see the full study at AAAfoundation.org and also view videos of teen drivers behind the wheel taken as part of the study. Those videos captured a number of close calls likely due to inexperience behind the wheel.

Casinos, Cards

Gaming Reforms Scheduled for Committee Action

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The 21-recommendations contained in May’s gaming grand jury report have been turned into bill form, and the House Gaming Oversight Committee is scheduled to take up three of them on Monday.  One of them is HB 2009, which encompasses grand jury recommendation number 12.  It would require the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) to post online a description of all Right-to-Know Law requests it has received, including the number of denied requests and the status of any appeals. 

The other bills would require the PGCB to include an agenda from each of its executive sessions in its annual report, and to post a salary matrix for members and employees of the board online.  Those two initiatives correspond with grand jury recommendations numbers 12 and 21. 

Grand Jury Report

The scathing grand jury report probed Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board activities from 2004 - 2007.

The May grand jury report blasted the Gaming Board for overseeing a political process that neglected or ignored its policy objectives, avoided transparency and failed to protect the public from unlawful gaming practices.  The grand jury probed PGCB activities from 2004 – 2007. 

Bill Ryan, the new chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, was actually serving as acting Attorney General last spring when his office released that scathing grand jury report.  Earlier this month, Ryan told the Gaming Oversight Committee that he will do everything in his power to ensure the public perception of the Gaming Board is changed.  “None of the members of the board were on the board during the time that is covered by the grand jury report,” Ryan testified.  “I see nothing but seriousness of purpose among every other member of the board.” 

An unrelated bill that’s expected to come before the Gaming Oversight Committee, on Monday, would prohibit so-called Internet sweepstakes cafes in the Keystone State.  Neighboring Ohio has recently been cracking down on these unlicensed establishments that offer electronic games that look like slot machines, mislead players and exasperate law enforcement.

Third Annual Report Shows Progress on Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections

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Pennsylvania hospitals are making progress on reducing some healthcare associated infections according to the third annual report from state health officials.   There was a decline in the overall number of health care associated infections in 2010.  There was significant improvement in reducing infections in two areas; catheter associated urinary tract infections and central line blood stream infections.

Central line blood stream infections, the most costly and potentially serious, were down 24% in 2010 compared to 2009.  Catheter associated urinary tract infections were down 13%.   But the report looked at surgical site infections for the first time on a hospital-specific level and the numbers indicated they’re not going down as quickly as other categories.

Dr. Stephen Ostroff, acting Pennsylvania Physician General, says there are certain things to be done, such as reviewing the way catheters are inserted, the way they’re maintained and removing them as soon as possible without affecting patient care. He adds hand washing is also critical. He says hospitals have been working to decrease infections and their associated costs.  

Dr. Ostroff calls the drop in central line blood steam  infections very significant.  But he believes we have to strengthen efforts to reduce the number of surgical site infections and get them on the decline as well.

The report was required under 2007 legislation.  In addition, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council and the Patient Safety Authority also review healthcare associated infection data. You can see the report at the Health Department’s web site under the “What’s Hot” section.

Marcellus Shale

New Database Will Track Water Quality in Marcellus Shale Drilling Areas

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A new database will help track water quality in areas affected by Marcellus Shale drilling.  Development of the database is being led by Penn State researchers.  It’s funded with a 750 thousand dollar grant from the National Science Foundation. 

Penn State Geo sciences professor Susan Brantley says the web site is already being set up and they’ve started collecting data. The Director of Penn State’s Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and principal investigator says it should be on line by early this winter. 

The database will collect information from government agencies, researchers and citizens groups that are sampling water quality. Brantley says they want to make data available to everyone, so people can share it, look at other people’s data, compare it and think about it.  She says they hope to study it a scientists and work with citizens to help them learn how to look at water quality data and understand what it means.

Brantley says with the Marcellus Shale industry developing as fast as it is, citizens want to be able to look at their water chemistry and water quality and make sure any impacts are kept to a minimum.  She says some environmental impacts happen with almost any industry.

Brantley believes the database will be valuable to citizens and the drilling industry. She says there’s no reason why the gas companies want to have problems in Pennsylvania.     

In addition to Penn State, Pitt, Bucknell and Dickinson College are collaborating.  Dickinson scientists have been training citizens in water sample collection.

Brantley says she’s excited that she’ll be working with some of the citizen scientist groups.  She will help them put their information into a larger database and determine what it means. She says they’ll be looking at all of the data together to try to understand what impact there is, if there is impact from the shale drilling.

Grant Helps Fund Groundbreaking Breast Cancer Research

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A naturally-occurring virus has been discovered, which successfully kills breast cancer cells in Dr. Craig Meyers’ laboratory at the Penn State College of Medicine.  “It appears that this virus is signaling the cells to turn on themselves and basically commit suicide,” Dr. Meyers says.  “And this virus is inducing it only in the cancer cells, but not in the normal cells.”   

In 2007, the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) provided Dr. Meyers’ team with $35,000 dollars in seed money.  “We were ecstatic to know that money was put to such good use, and at the same time, to know that we had a hand in it,” says Kevin Smith with the PBCC.  At this week’s 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference, Dr. Meyers was presented with a new, $100,000 dollar grant to help continue his research.  Smith calls it the largest single contribution in the PBCC’s 18-year history. 

The adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) is yielding promising results, but it is not yet to the stage of being tested on humans.  “So far in mice, our results in mice are looking really good,” says Dr. Meyers.  “The tumors we’ve made in mice are really just dissolving when we put this virus in.”  Meyers knows there’s much additional research to be done, but the early results are so promising that he says they can’t move fast enough. 

Smith says it’s amazing to have this kind of research underway in the Keystone State.  He says it shows that research dollars do matter.  “Even with the economy the way it is, we need to continue the research, because that is how we are going to find a cure.”  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

New Prostate Screening Recommendations Worry Men’s Health Groups

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The U. S. Preventive Services Task Force has released a draft recommendation downgrading routine testing of blood levels for signs of prostate cancer.   Advocates for men’s health are worried about the report.

The PSA, or prostate-specific antigen,  testing would no longer be recommended for men who do not have symptoms that are highly suspicious for prostate cancer. The Task Force says research shows overall, the test leads to unnecessary surgery for slow-growing cancers.

 Ana Fadich of the Men’s Health Network worries this will put men who need to be screened at risk.  She says it may discourage people from getting screened.  She says the Network encourages anyone over the age of 40 with a family history of prostate cancer to be screened and see their doctor on a regular basis.

Fadich says the African American population and Vietnam Veterans are among those more susceptible to prostate cancer and she fears they will not get the proper screenings. She says people should consult with their physician.

 Theresa Morrow, co founder of Women Against Prostate Cancer, says the downgrade could affect insurance coverage. She says in the Affordable Care Act, there’s guaranteed insurance coverage of any preventive health screenings that have an “A’ or “B” rating from the Task Force.  The new recommendation for the PSA screening would give it a “D” rating.  Morrow says they don’t know if it would continue to be covered.

Morrow says a couple of insurers have said they will be looking at their policies on covering the PSA screening.  She says in an economy where states are trying to save money, this could be an excuse for them to cut one more thing.

Morrow says in younger men, prostate cancer can be aggressive. Early detection is very important. She says a man will not show symptoms until prostate cancer is in its late stages.

 Morrow says they would like to see men’s preventive health services be included in affordable care legislation and would like a national Office of Men’s Health similar to the Office of Women’s Health. She agrees that it’s not always easy to get some men to go to the doctor and downgrading the PSA test might further discourage them. She says a “D” rating would give them an excuse not to seek the screening and confuse them about whether they should, or shouldn’t do it.

Flooded backyard near Goldsboro railroad underpass.

PHEAA OFFERS SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO FLOOD VICTIMS

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Students who were hit hard financially by flooding from Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee might be able to get additional state grant money to help with higher education costs.    The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency has a process that allows grant award applicants to submit a casualty loss form for reconsideration of state grant awards when they’re affected by a disaster.

PHEAA spokesman Mike Reiber says the process applies to those who received grant awards and even those who applied, but did not receive an award. However, those who did not apply for a state grant for the current academic year will not be able to seek the extra assistance.

Reiber says if a disaster affects a student’s ability to pay for their education, they should learn more about submitting a casualty loss form. He says they may be eligible for an increase in their award to help them through this difficult time.

Reiber says he was a victim of Agnes flooding in 1972, so he understands that it can be very devastating and it’s encouraging for these students to know there may be some help available.

The forms are available at PHEAA.org/casualty-loss.