New Legislation Introduced:


HB 39 Caltagirone Amends Title 18 re cruelty to animals
Bill History: 01-23-09 H Filed
01-23-09 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Judiciary
01-27-09 H Meeting set for 10:00 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building, House Judiciary


HB 40 Perry Amends Titles 18 & 42 re offenses w/ firearms
Bill History: 01-15-09 H Filed



HB 45 O'Brien, D Amends Title 3 re certification of employees
Bill History: 01-21-09 H Filed



HB 66 Stevenson Amends Title 18 re license & sale of firearms
Bill History: 01-23-09 H Filed



HR 17 Harper Resolution re Growing Greener Program
Bill History: 01-23-09 H Filed



SB 21 Kitchen Act re green work force training

PLS Summary: (PN 5) The Green Work Force Training Act provides for the establishment of the Green Work Force Training Program in the Department of Labor and Industry to promote job training related to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The department, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection and related organizations, would establish minimum training requirements necessary for an applicant to be considered for a grant under the program. Grants would be awarded to enable eligible entities to carry out training that leads to the development of an energy efficiency and renewable energy industries work force. The bill provides for use of and limitations on grant funds. Additionally, the bill provides for reports by grant recipients and the department. $25,000,000 shall be transferred from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to a restricted receipt account in the State Treasury for disbursement by the Department of Labor and Industry for purposes of funding grants. The moneys transferred by the authority shall derive from the proceeds of any bonds issued by the authority for alternative energy and other energy-related projects. The department shall annually disburse $5,000,000 of the amounts transferred for the purpose of funding grants. "Eligible entity" is defined as an educational institution or a labor organization. "Eligible individual" includes any of the following who is a resident of PA: (1) An individual who is an employee of an industry impacted by Federal and State energy and environmental policy; (2) An individual in need of updated training related to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries; (3) A veteran or a past or present member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces; (4) An unemployed individual; (5) A low-income individual; or (6) A formerly incarcerated or adjudicated nonviolent offender. "Eligible industry" is defined as an energy efficiency or renewable energy industry.
Bill History: 01-20-09 S Filed
01-20-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Labor and Industry



SB 27 Washington Amends Title 18 re handgun purchase limits

PLS Summary: (PN 11) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) providing for a limit on handgun purchases and sales and establishing the Violence Prevention Fund. The legislation would limit individuals to purchasing no more than one handgun within any 30-day period. The bill provides for exceptions, including firearm dealers and collectors, law enforcement agencies or certain individuals whose handgun is stolen or irretrievably lost. The bill provides for penalties and requires fines collected to be deposited in the newly created Violence Prevention Fund. Money in the fund would be appropriated to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for purposes of violence prevention and youth violence prevention, including youth education and activities designed to prevent violence and grants to law enforcement agencies for equipment and training designed to prevent gun-related injuries.
Bill History: 01-20-09 S Filed
01-20-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Judiciary



SB 35 Tartaglione Amends Title 18 re firearms registration

PLS Summary: (PN 19) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) further providing for mandatory registration of firearms in cities of the first class (Philadelphia). The bill provides for contents of the registration form, confidentiality of information and exemptions for firearms manufactured before 1898, any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock or percussion cap type of ignition system, or certain replicas. No fee may be charged for the registration. In all cases where a firearm is acquired from another person, the person who is transferring title to the firearm must submit to the Pennsylvania State Police, within 48 hours after transferring the firearm, certain information regarding the receiver and the firearm. A transferee must register pursuant to this bill. Also provides for penalties.
Bill History: 01-20-09 S Filed
01-20-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Judiciary



SB 36 Tartaglione Amends Title 18 re report of firearm theft

PLS Summary: (PN 20) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) providing any owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm who suffers the loss or theft of a weapon must within 24 hours of the discovery of the loss or theft report the facts and circumstances of the loss or theft to the police department having jurisdiction where the loss or theft occurred. Further provides when a person reports the loss or theft to a police department, the department receiving the report must forward notice of the loss or theft with the information obtained to the Pennsylvania State Police who shall receive, collect and file the information. In addition, the State Police shall cooperate and undertake to furnish or make the information available to all law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth for the purposes of coordinating law efforts to locate these weapons. Further provides a person who violates the requirement to report the loss or theft commits a summary offense punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.
Bill History: 01-20-09 S Filed
01-20-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Judiciary



SB 50 Greenleaf Amends Unfair Trade Law re dog purchasers

PLS Summary: (PN 35) Amends the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law further providing for dog purchaser protection by increasing certain time frames during which purchaser protection applies. Additionally, the bill states a dog shall not be found unfit for purchase because of veterinary findings of intestinal or external parasites unless the dog is clinically ill or dies due to the condition; on account of injury sustained or illness most likely contracted subsequent to the date of sale; or because of a health problem which, in addition to a health certificate or guarantee of good health, is separately disclosed by the seller in writing at the time of sale. Such disclosure shall be signed by both the seller and the purchaser at the time of sale and be documented in the health certificate or guarantee of good health.
Bill History: 01-20-09 S Filed
01-20-09 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Consumer Protection & Prof. Licensure




Committee Meetings / Events Scheduled:

TUESDAY – 1/27/09
House Judiciary (New)
10:00 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
Agenda to be announced

Senate Judiciary
10:30 a.m., Room 8E-B, East Wing
Public hearing on the issue of parole and violent offenders

THURSDAY - 1/29/09
House Game and Fisheries
9:30 a.m., Room 140 Main Capitol
Meeting to accept testimony from the PA Game Commission. The PGC will present its annual report to the Committee and respond to questions from members

MONDAY - 2/9/09
Joint Legislative Conservation Committee
12:00 p.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
Environmental Issues Forum with main speaker Gary Bloss, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership.

THURSDAY – 2/12/09
Joint Legislative Conservation Committee
10:00 a.m., Penn Stater, Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Boulevard, State College
Forestry Task Force Meeting

TUESDAY - 2/24/09
House Appropriations Budget Hearing (New)
Room 140 Main Capitol
9:00 a.m. - Department of Environmental Protection
10:00 a.m. - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
11:00 a.m. - Department of Agriculture

WEDNESDAY - 2/25/09
Senate Appropriations Budget Hearing
Hearing Room 1, North Office Building
10:00 a.m. - Department of Agriculture
2:30 p.m. - Department of Environmental Protection

WEDNESDAY - 3/4/09
Senate Appropriations Budget Hearing
Hearing Room 1, North Office Building
10:00 a.m. - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources


Bulletin Points: