Nonpartisan School Board Elections – Senate Bill 327:
Pennsylvania is one of only three states in the union that still allow partisan primary school board elections.
Under this bill, school board elections would only occur at the November general election and would no longer be part of spring-time primary election. In addition, party affiliation would not be listed on the ballot and the number of signatures that candidates need to get on the ballot would be determined by the size of the school district.
Suspension of School Reporting Requirements – Senate Bill 329:
School districts throughout Pennsylvania face constant reporting requirements imposed upon them not only by the state and federal Departments of Education, but also as a result of legislative enactments.
This bill calls for suspending nonessential reports (not involving budget, financial, or safety information) from school districts to the Pennsylvania Department of Education in years which state education funding decreases.
The Marcellus Shale Severance Tax – Senate Bill 352:
Pennsylvania is the only major natural gas producing state that does not charge gas drillers for the privilege of extracting this valuable and finite natural resource.
This bill would impose a tax similar to neighboring states to fund important environmental reclamation and protection programs, as well as local governments and communities affected by the drilling and transportation of the gas.
- Co-Sponsorship Memo
- Press Release
180 Days of Instruction for Schools – Senate Bill 381:
This legislation would strengthen the requirement that school districts must provide 180 days of instruction for students and ensure that it is only waived in the most extreme circumstances.
Under this bill, a school district must utilize all available days through June 30th (including those days previously schedule for vacation or in-service days or Saturday) in order to make up for school closures resulting from severe weather conditions and provide the 180 days of required instruction.
- Co-Sponsorship Memo
- Press Release
The Words Do Matter Act – Senate Bill 458:
The term “retardation” and its various forms are considered dated and harmful to those in the intellectual disabilities community.
This bill would change the name of the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966 to the Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Act, ridding the Commonwealth’s formal use of this archaic and derisive terminology.
Permanent Tax Exemption for Firefighter Relief Associations – Senate Bill 564:
Firefighter relief associations, which provide benefits to voluntary firefighters and their families, are exempt from having to pay Pennsylvania sales and use taxes on tangible property and services which they purchase. But unlike some other nonprofit groups such as those for our war veterans – which have permanent tax-exempt status – firefighter relief associations have to apply for their tax-exempt status every year.
This legislation would amend a 1968 act relating to firefighter relief associations so as to give them permanent tax-exempt status like other non-profits.
The Medal of Honor Grove Highway – Senate Bill 631:
Located just off Route 23 near Phoenixville sits the 52-acre Medal of Honor Grove, the nation’s oldest memorial site dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. The 52-acre Grove is divided into one-acre plots for each state, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Each plot features an obelisk and metal plaques set in the ground, honoring Medal of Honor recipients dating back to the Civil War.
Unfortunately, many motorists drive past it each day, without realizing how close they are to such a unique and special place. This bill would designate the section of Route 23 that is situated between Chester County’s border with Montgomery County and Route 100 as the Medal of Honor Grove Highway.
Distracted Driving Prevention – Senate Bill 749:
Car accidents caused by talking or texting on a cell phone kill and injure thousands of Americans each year. Meanwhile, motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers.
This legislation will take on the two main causes of distracted driving. First, the bill will ban hand-held cell phones and texting for all drivers while allowing hands-free cell phones for adult drivers (18 and over) only. Second, it will limit junior drivers (age 16 and 17) to one passenger under the age of 18. The limit on passengers will not apply to the driver’s siblings or relatives who live in the driver’s home.
Suspension of Continuing Education for School Administrators – Senate Bill 844:
This legislation would waive annual administrative training requirements from school districts that succeed in making annual yearly progress or show growth in student progress assessments.
Single Sales Factor – Senate Bill 868:
Under this bill, Pennsylvania would join the 12 states that use the “single sales factor” method of calculating corporate next income. Currently, Pennsylvania’s corporate net income tax for multi-state companies is based not just on goods sold in state but also on property held and size of payroll. That means Pennsylvania penalizes its multi-state companies for having a physical presence here while rewarding those who do not.
This legislation calls for considering sales alone within the Commonwealth in calculating it corporate net income tax on Pennsylvania’s multi-state companies.
The Pet Protection from Domestic Abuse Act – Senate Bill 968:
All too often, an estranged spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend will get back at his or her spouse or partner by hurting or killing their cat, dog or other pet.
This bill would stiffen Pennsylvania’s Animal Cruelty Law to increase the penalty when animal abuse happens in a domestic-violence situation.
“Daniel’s Law” – Humane Euthanization of Animals – Senate Bill 1329:
This legislation would ensure that when the euthanization of an animal is necessary, only the most humane methods are used.
The bill would prohibit the euthanization of animals with carbon monoxide, or with chloroform, ether, halothan, fluothane or any similar substance in an airtight chamber or plastic bag.
Protection of Agricultural Easements – Senate Bill 970 and Senate Bill 971:
The wording of Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation law could potentially be misunderstood to allow the sale or expiration of agricultural conservation easements after 25 years
These bills would strengthen and clarify Act 43, the Agricultural Area Security Law of 1981, so as to ensure that the agricultural conservation easements, which have been purchased with more than a billion in state, county and local taxpayer dollars, are permanently saved.
Firefighter Background Checks – Senate Bill 1082 and 1083:
These bills will require criminal background checks of those applying to become professional or volunteer firefighters. Under current law, firefighter applicants are subjected to a criminal background check or are asked to sign an affidavit affirming they have not been convicted for arson or related offenses
Smokeless Tobacco Tax – Senate Bill 1084:
Pennsylvania is the only state in the union that does not tax smokeless tobacco.
This bill calls for enacting a tax on smokeless tobacco equivalent to the tax rate on cigarettes.
- Co-Sponsorship Memo
Local Taxation – Senate Bill 1139:
This bill would permit counties to assess value to natural gas, oil and coal-bed methane. On December 19, 2002, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the legislature had not explicitly recognized gas and oil as taxable interest. Prior to that, counties were permitted to assess value in the same way they do today for coal and other mineral resources.
This legislation would correct that oversight to the benefit of counties, school districts, municipalities and their respective taxpayers.
The Energy Resource Production Water Withdrawal Tax – Senate Bill 1140:
This legislation would recognize the vast amount of water used in the hydraulic-fracturing process and tax natural gas drillers for such consumption.
Under this bill, the Energy Resource Production Water Withdrawal tax would be levied on energy companies that withdraw 750,000 gallons of water or more at a specific location in order to sever an energy resource from the Commonwealth’s soil or water. Tax revenues would be split evenly between Commonwealth programs for the environment and public education.