Legislative Services
Committees
- Senate Bill 1405 — Scholarship Opportunities for Low-Income Children
Senate Bill 1405 would establish a scholarship program through the Department of Education to provide opportunity scholarships for low-income children who reside in a school district with at least one chronically failing school. It would improve the educational opportunity and achievement of children whose current education options are limited to a poorly performing school by offering them this opportunity to receive an education tuition-free.
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- Senate Resolution 355 — Merit-Based System for Teacher Layoffs
Senate Resolution 355 strongly urges all Pennsylvania public schools to use a merit-based system for teacher layoffs. Seniority alone should not be a determining factor in teaching quality; recently hired teachers are some of the state’s best and brightest educators.
- Senate Bill 1354 — Halting Lawmakers' Pay for Budget Inaction
Senate Bill 1354 would stop the payment of state officials if a budget is not enacted by the June 30 deadline. If the General Assembly and governor do not enact the 2010-11 budget on time, the governor, lieutenant governor, state senators and representatives, state treasurer, auditor general, attorney general, Supreme Court justices, statewide court judges, Common Pleas Court judges, Philadelphia Municipal and Traffic Court judges and district judges would not receive a paycheck until a budget is in place. State budget negotiations have gone past June 30 for the past seven years in a row. Last year, the budget impasse lasted 101 days.
- Senate Bill 99 — Parent Accountability
Senate Bill 99 would encourage parents and guardians to take an active, positive role in the lives and upbringing of their children. It would hold them accountable under the law when they abandon their duty by encouraging the corruption of their children. A key component of this bill is the Diversion Program, which is a voluntary training program that would encourage and teach parents ways to be more proactive parents. Upon completion of the programs, the charges would be withdrawn and expunged from the parent’s record. The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Senate Bill 128 — Grands As Parents
Senate Bill 128 would help grandparents or generational skipping relatives who are raising minor children. It would set up a pilot program through the Department of Public Health and Welfare to provide these relatives with assistance with rent payments, daycare to working caretakers and more. In an effort support relatives who are raising children, this bill would give a voice and hope to this once overlooked population. The bill is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
- Senate Bill 420 — Employer Credit Checks
Senate Bill 420 focuses on unlawful discrimination practices by prohibiting employer credit checks unless it is job related or proper notice is given. Too often, workers are caught in a vicious cycle where they become behind on their bills because they’re not working. Discriminating against employees with poor credit only allows that cycle to continue. Studies have shown that credit history does not correlate with employee conduct, job performance or likelihood to commit fraud. The bill is currently in the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
- Senate Bill 1113 — False Claims Act
Senate Bill 1113 would give individuals who discover the theft of state money the opportunity to come forward to the state attorney general to recover the funds on behalf of the Commonwealth, as well as reward and protect that person, while punishing the person who committed the fraud. This bill would mirror the federal False Claims Act. This is a bipartisan effort and a primary weapon for fighting fraud and abuse in taxpayer-funded programs. The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Senate Bill 1178 — Decedent's Life Insurance Policy
Senate Bill 1178 would require the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to provide a decedent’s life insurance information to a licensed funeral director. Currently, less fortunate families have to wait for the distribution of the proceeds from a life insurance policy before proceeding with funeral arrangements. This legislation would allow funeral home directors to contact insurance agencies directly regarding the deceased’s life insurance policy, providing the funeral homes with immediate answers. This will also allow for the family of the deceased to know if the life insurance policy will cover the funeral expenses and whether other arrangements need to be made. The bill is currently in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.
- Senate Bill 1336 — Narrowly Limits Attorney General Powers
Senate Bill 1336 would narrowly limit the power of the attorney general by prohibiting this office from participating in actions challenging a federal funding law on Constitutional grounds without authorization. The purpose of this bill is to prohibit misuse of taxpayer dollars by disallowing the attorney general to join frivolous lawsuits. The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Senate Bill 1212 — Mentor-Protégée Program for Small and Disadvantaged Businesses
Senate Bill 1212 would establish a Mentor/Protégé Program that would assist, support, and enable small businesses to successfully compete for prime and subcontract awards by partnering with large companies (mentors) in state contracts. The bill is currently in the Senate State Government Committee.
- Senate Bill 1215 — Disadvantage Business Assistance
(Oversight & Responsibility)
Senate Bill 1215 would require agencies, boards, commissions, colleges, and universities to follow nine best practices to significantly increase contracting opportunities for disadvantaged businesses. The bill is currently in the Senate State Government Committee.
- Senate Resolution 315 — Anti-Semitic Resolution
Senate Resolution 315 condemns the resurgence of anti-Semitism on college and university campuses and calls for the state Department of Education, the State System of Higher Education and each college and university in the Pennsylvania to remain vigilant and guarded against acts of anti-Semitism against college and university students. This resolution is currently in the Senate Education Committee.
