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Bid Limit Bills Signed Into Law

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A package of 14 bills will ease the bid limit burden on Pennsylvania’s local governments by increasing the threshold from $10,000 to $18,500, and indexing that number to inflation.  State Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry) has been working on the issue for six years, and says it will give municipalities the flexibility they need.  “I think, if anybody looks at it, they’ll see that you don’t get much done for $10,000 dollars anymore,” Keller says.  14 bills were required to address each individual class of municipality, but Keller says they all accomplish the same goal. 

David Sanko

PSATS Executive Director David Sanko

By reducing the number of projects that local governments must advertise and seek bids for, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Executive Director David Sanko says more tax dollars will be invested in local projects and services.  He says the proposed updates are not increasing anyone’s purchasing power.  “Essentially what you used to buy with $10,000 in 1990 you’ll be able to buy at the same levels,” Sanko says, “It’ll just be in what the equivalent version of 1990 dollars are.”

That index is a key part of the legislative package, according to Rep. Keller.  “By having the indexing there… it should take care of itself from here on out.”  The inflationary index is capped at 3% annually. 

The package passed both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support.  Governor Corbett signed them into law on Thursday.  Keller says it was a compromise in that he initially proposed raising the threshold to $25,000.  David Sanko at PSATS hopes it’s the first of several unnecessary, unfunded mandates the legislature will address.

Concussion Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk

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A concussion is a brain injury, and the Safety in Youth Sport Act is written to protect Pennsylvania’s children from traumatic brain injuries.  “It strengthens our overall protocols when it comes to the safety of our children in scholastic sports, in order to reduce the incidences and potential risks of traumatic head injury,” says State Sen. Pat Browne (R-Northampton), the bill’s prime sponsor. 

SB 200 received unanimous votes in both the Senate and House.  The legislation would sideline student athletes at the first display of concussion symptoms, and require the clearance of an appropriate medical professional before being allowed back on the field.  It also would require the student and parent to sign an awareness form, and mandate coaches to complete an annual concussion certification course. 

Tim Briggs

State Rep. Tim Briggs

State Rep. Tim Briggs (D-Montgomery) has been working on this issue since he was elected to the House in 2008.  He tells Radio PA the awareness piece of the bill may be even more important than the protection piece.  “If we don’t let the parents, let the kids know what can happen if they hide or shrug off the symptoms,” Briggs says, “Then it could have devastating, long-term consequences.” 

The medical community echoes those sentiments.  “I’ve talked to athletes personally… whose lives have in effect been personally affected by a concussion that was suffered in high school or college sports,” says Mike Miller, chairman of the Pennsylvania Brain Injury Coalition. 

The bill applies to students participating in interscholastic sports, school contests and activities.  It is now on its way to Governor Tom Corbett’s desk.  Supporters call it one of the best and most comprehensive bills of its kind in the nation.

Texting While Driving Ban on its Way to Governor’s Desk

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Pennsylvania could soon become the 35th state to ban all drivers from texting behind the wheel.  With a 45 – 5 vote in the Senate, Tuesday, a bill to ban texting while driving is on its way to Governor Tom Corbett’s desk.  “It’s no question that it’s distractive, it’s no question that it’s dangerous, and it’s also in many instances deadly,” Senator Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks) said during a speech on the Senate floor.  Tomlinson is the prime sponsor of SB 314. 

The bill received bipartisan support in the House too, passing the chamber with a 188 – 7 vote on Monday.  “It’s been almost five years working on this,” State Rep. Eugene DePasquale (D-York) tells Radio PA.  “I think it will make the roadways of Pennsylvania safer, and at the end of the day I think it’s a stronger piece of legislation than when it started.” 

The final version of the bill would make texting while driving a primary offense, which means a police officer could pull a driver over solely for texting.  The offense would come with a $50 fine, but points would not be added to a driver’s record and police could not seize a driver’s phone. 

Governor Tom Corbett made his support of a texting ban clear, last month, while signing a new teen driver law.  “Literally the other day, somebody was driving with their elbows and texting in the fast lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike,” Corbett recalled. 

Pennsylvania is currently one of only ten states with no law on the books concerning texting while driving.  The issue of talking on handheld cellphones is being addressed in a separate bill, which awaits state House action.

State Capitol Facing North Office Building

House Votes to Close Gaming Loophole

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Unlicensed, unregulated storefronts are starting to pop up in the Keystone State, which skirt gaming laws by offering patrons online “sweepstakes” with the purchase of Internet time or phone cards.  Those cards are then used in machines that offer casino-style gambling.  “The only difference between playing a slot machine and playing one of these Internet video terminals is that instead of pulling a handle or pushing a button, you’re touching the screen,” says State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester) who chairs the House Gaming Oversight Committee. 

Schroder visited one of these establishments while touring western Pennsylvania casinos, and tells Radio PA patrons’ “sweepstakes” points are won or lost, and ultimately redeemed for cash.   He says there are only a handful of these Internet sweepstakes cafes currently operating in the state.  “We wanted to act before they started to proliferate here in Pennsylvania,” Schroder says. 

In addition to being unlicensed and unregulated, Internet sweepstakes cafes may siphon off business from Pennsylvania casinos, thus affecting homeowners’ property tax relief.  Not to be overlooked, Schroder says, are the problems posed for compulsive gamblers who may be on casino or self-exclusion lists.  “Well now you could walk right down to one of these Internet slots cafes and play right there without any restrictions at all.” 

Legislation that makes it a misdemeanor to own or operate one of these establishments appears to be on the fast track.  It was referred to Schroder’s committee on October 14th, advanced to the House floor on the 17th and unanimously approved by the House on the 25th.  It’s now awaiting action in the Senate.

Both Sides Claim to be Protecting Your Vote

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A capitol rally has fanned the flames of the Voter ID debate.  Back in June the House voted, largely along party lines, to approve a controversial Voter ID bill.  As supporters work to get HB 934 considered in the Senate, the Protect Our Vote Coalition is speaking out.  Pennsylvania Voice field director Jeff Garis delivered a message to lawmakers: “That creation of jobs, that encouraging and building our economy, that protecting homeowners from being sent out of their homes will be the first item of business – not attempts to disenfranchise voters.” 

The coalition calls the Voter ID bill, a voter suppression bill.  “Although many people will face no inconvenience if state-issued photo ID is required to vote – those who will be inconvenienced will include a significant number of people with disabilities and elderly seniors,” says Deborah Delgaldo with the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania. 

The Voter ID bill would require Pennsylvanians to show an approved form of photo ID every time they vote.  State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) says it ensures integrity in the election process.  “It’s just hard to believe that some of these individuals will actually rally around a microphone, to defend a system that has allowed for fraud to occur and for our election code to be violated by ACORN and by other groups,” says Metcalfe, the prime sponsor of HB 934. 

Metcalfe’s bill would allow persons without an approved form of photo ID to obtain one for voting purposes at no cost.  “You’re making available the photo ID card for free, but the documentation that you need to provide is going to be an obstacle,” explains Garis.  “For some people, particularly low income people, seniors on a fixed income, there’s going to be a cost associated with that.” 

An analysis from the Pennsylvania Budget & Policy Center pegs the cost of Voter ID implementation – including free ID cards, voter notification and more – at $11 million.  While Rep. Metcalfe doesn’t believe the cost will be that high, he does acknowledge there is an associated cost for good government.  “This cost is something that taxpayers will support,” he says.

State Takeover Looms Over City of Harrisburg

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State takeover legislation is another step close to the governor’s desk, after passing the Senate 37 – 13 on Tuesday afternoon.  Despite $450 million dollars in mounting debt, officials in the City of Harrisburg cannot agree to a financial recovery plan.  SB 1151 would allow the governor to declare a state of emergency and assume control of the capital city’s finances.  The governor would then be able to appoint a receiver to create and implement a long-term recovery plan for the city.

Critics, like Senator John Blake (D-Lackawanna), call it an overreach.  “It disrespects longstanding principles of democracy, autonomy and local sovereignty,” Blake said on the Senate floor. 

Proponents, like Senator Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), call the takeover unfortunate, but necessary.  “If this bill does become effectuated, and a declaration of fiscal emergency is made by the governor, [there’s] a 30-day window of opportunity for the mayor, city council and the commonwealth to resolve their differences and come to a consent agreement,” says Piccola, who would prefer city officials come to a resolution themselves. 

A federal bankruptcy judge has set a Nov. 23rd hearing date to hear oral arguments over the legal issues that surround Harrisburg City Council’s Chapter 9 bankruptcy petition.  Council defied Mayor Linda Thompson and state officials, earlier this month, by voting 4 – 3 to seek bankruptcy protection.

Councilman Brad Koplinski says bankruptcy is a better option than accepting a harsh recovery plan that would doom the city, thus putting it on a path to bankruptcy anyway.  Mayor Thompson, however, says City Council does not have the authority to file the bankruptcy petition.  “They have people in their ears who believe they know the law, people who have their own political agendas as well, and they’ve been led down the wrong lane,” Thompson said at a recent news conference. 

HB 1151 still requires one more House vote before it can be sent to the governor’s desk.  That could happen as early as Wednesday.  Meanwhile, the capital city’s ongoing woes have recently caught the attention of the national media.

Busy Week for State House Committees

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Unanimous votes in the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee have advanced two bills to the House floor.  A newly amended version of HB 955 would both extend and expand the Pennsylvania Fire and EMS Grant Program.  Gaming dollars currently fund $25 million in firefighting grants per year, but Chairman Stephen Barrar’s(R-Chester) bill would raise that to $40 million.  “It’s very important that we get this $40 million dollars into the hands of our fire companies, the great majority of them are volunteer companies,” Barrar says.  He notes that state gaming revenues have increased dramatically in recent years, but the program’s dollars have been constant.  The legislation would also reauthorize the program for another four years. 

The second bill to see action in the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, Tuesday, would raise Pennsylvania National Guard members’ minimum pay.  Under current law, National Guard members ordered into state service by the governor are to receive a minimum of $75/day.  “The minimum pay for state activated National Guard troops would be increased, it has not been done so for the past 15 years,” says State Rep. Doug Reichley (R-Lehigh), whose bill would raise that minimum to $100/day.  The Pennsylvania National Guard Association lists HB 1758 among its legislative priorities.  “Obviously, with the amount of work and strain we’re putting on our National Guard troops who are activated in state of emergencies, now is the time to recognize them for their service,” Reichley told the committee.

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.

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.

House Votes to Update Caregiver Program

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Vicki Hoak is executive director of the Pennsylvania Homecare Association.

Vicki Hoak is executive director of the Pennsylvania Homecare Association.

Pennsylvania’s Family Caregiver Support Act was written to reimburse eligible families for expenses relating to caring for an older adult at home, but reimbursement rates have never increased and restrictive guidelines have kept many families on the outside looking in.  “In fact, these restrictions have led to almost $1-million dollars going unspent last year,” says executive director of the Pennsylvania Homecare Association Vicki Hoak.  That’s despite a waiting list for the program. 

The state House voted unanimously (199 – 0) for a bill that would ease those restrictions to allow non-relatives into the program, and increase the maximum monthly reimbursement rate from $200 to $500 dollars.  “I developed a keen interest in the program, and became concerned with the fact that despite the obvious increase in our cost of living, since the program began in 1990, the reimbursements to caregivers were never adjusted upward,” says the bill’s prime sponsor Matt Baker (R-Tioga/Bradford), who has personal experience as a family caregiver.   

Advocates say seniors want to age in their own homes, and State Rep. Phyllis Mundy (D-Luzerne) points out that it’s far less costly to care for a person at home than in an institutional setting.  “The economic value of Pennsylvania’s caregivers has been estimated in the billions,” Mundy said on the House floor.  “Without the support of these unsung heroes, our commonwealth would face even greater fiscal challenges.” 

This is the fourth time the House has passed such a bill, and Rep. Baker hopes this is the year it makes it past the goal line.  He says the Corbett administration has indicated its support.  Up next for HB 210 is the State Senate, where Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) has introduced a companion bill.  The Family Caregiver Support Program is funded through the Pennsylvania Lottery.