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June 8, 2007

Pennsylvania Senate Republican News Brief

"Controlling infections will save millions of dollars in health care costs, save lives, and improve the quality of life of a consumer who has been hospitalized."

-- Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Ted Erickson (R-Delaware), convening Wednesday’s public hearing on hospital-acquired infections.

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ENDING LAME DUCK SESSIONS TOPS SENATE AGENDA

The Senate is expected to consider numerous important bills next week, including the following: 

• Senate Bill 468, a constitutional amendment introduced by Sen. Bob Regola (R-Westmoreland) to eliminate sine die (also known as “lame duck”) voting sessions -- voting that occurs after a general election and before the start of a new legislative session.
• Senate Bill 246, sponsored by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery) to provide for smoke-free workplaces and public places in Pennsylvania.
• Senate Bill 218, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) to reform collection of the Local Services Tax.
• Senate Bill 385, sponsored by Sen. Jake Corman (R-Centre) to require voice over Internet (VoIP) providers to collect E-911 fees supporting county emergency dispatch centers.
• House Bill 906, to permanently authorize the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program.
   

Review

TAXPAYER PROTECTION ACT SPENDING LIMITS MOVE FORWARD

THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, chaired by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), on Wednesday approved the Taxpayer Protection Act bill and Constitutional Amendment, designed to rein in state government spending.

Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Bob Regola (R-Westmoreland), is a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania State Constitution that would limit state spending to the average inflation rate plus the average percentage change in state population over the three preceding years. Senate Bill 707, sponsored by Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon), would provide the same limitation, but not as a Constitutional Amendment.

To prevent the state from pushing spending requirements onto local taxpayers, the measures were amended to include a provision by Sen. John Eichelberger (R-Blair) stating that the spending limit would be decreased when funds are cut to a mandated service.

In addition to the spending limits in the Taxpayer Protection Act, the proposal also sets realistic restrictions on the use of any unanticipated revenues received by the Commonwealth. Specifically, 75 percent of any revenues exceeding the spending limits imposed by the bill would be returned to taxpayers. The remaining 25 percent would go directly into the Rainy Day Fund to help address unanticipated revenue shortfalls.

 Senator Regola
 Senator Browne
 Senator Folmer

HEARING HELD ON OPEN RECORDS, BILL TO BE GREATLY EXPANDED 

THE SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin), held a public hearing Monday on legislation to strengthen and clarify Pennsylvania’s Open Records Act (also known as the Right-to-Know Law).

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), would add General Assembly and judicial branch financial records to the law, and clarify that the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is covered by the law. Records at state-related universities and community colleges would also be covered.

Senate Bill 1 also would require agencies to accept email requests, shorten the period in which state agencies must respond to a request for documents from 10 days to 5 days, and improve the process for appealing denials. 

Senator Pileggi said he would offer an amendment to the bill to go beyond these changes and fundamentally reform how government records are treated in Pennsylvania.

"Since introducing Senate Bill 1, I've heard from many people who believe that the legal presumption should be that a government record is public unless it meets an exception specifically listed in law. That position was also advocated by several of those who testified at today's public hearing. I am now convinced that we should reverse the presumption in Pennsylvania's law, despite concerns that doing so could lead to an increase in litigation and delay the benefit from strengthening our Open Records Act,” Senator Pileggi said.

Senator Pileggi
Senator Piccola 

SENATE PASSES BILL TO HELP DOCTORS, HOSPITALS DIGITIZE MEDICAL RECORDS

THE SENATE APPROVED LEGISLATION Tuesday to help hospitals, doctor’s offices, and health care clinics create computerized systems to better diagnose and treat patients. 

Currently, 90 percent of health care data information is exchanged via telephone, fax, or mail. Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Senate Communications and Technology Committee Chairman Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery), would enable grant recipients to receive up to $1 million in matching funds to purchase health information technology, help pay the costs and expenses associated with implementation, and train personnel in the use of the new system. 

Senator Wonderling said: "While many larger urban hospitals are already fully automated, many rural, smaller health care providers are unable to pay the cost of digitizing. E-records, when balanced with the proper protection of an individual’s personal sensitive data, improve health care quality, reduce medical errors, lower the cost of medical care, and advance the delivery of patient-centered health care."

The bill now goes before the House of Representatives for consideration. (For more on Senate Bill 8, please see In the Spotlight, below.)

SENATE VOTES TO CRACK DOWN ON HOME REPAIR CON ARTISTS

THE SENATE APPROVED LEGISLATION TUESDAY to protect state residents from home improvement scam artists. 

Senate Bill 100, sponsored by Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee Chairman Tommy Tomlinson (R-Bucks), would give local law enforcement officials the tools they need to crack down on disreputable contractors.  It also sets down strict criminal penalties and even tougher sanctions if the victim is a senior citizen.

Senator Tomlinson’s legislation gives District Attorneys and the Attorney General strong enforcement authority for investigating and prosecuting home improvement scams. Those who violate the law could face a possible misdemeanor or felony conviction, and revocation or suspension of their registration. The bill also includes tougher penalties if the victim is 60 or older, since many scam artists target older homeowners. 

Senator Tomlinson said: "This legislation will not only crack down on scam artists, but it will help to protect the good name of reputable business owners. There are many good home repair companies and contractors – but in a small portion of cases, scam operators are not living up to their obligations." (For details, please see Fast Facts, below.)

In the Spotlight

In addition to improving health care quality and reducing costs, Senate Bill 8 would help make the medical process more convenient for consumers. Patients would be able to get their lab results sent to their home computer, prescription drugs could be renewed with a click of a button, individuals could receive medical advice from their doctor over the internet, and parents could print out their child’s immunization records at home. 

Specific funding for the program will be addressed through a separate budget-related measure. Senator Wonderling is advocating a $50 million set-aside within the governor’s Jonas Salk Legacy Fund proposal. As proposed, the fund would securitize approximately 9.5 percent of revenues Pennsylvania anticipates receiving from the Tobacco Settlement in order to obtain $500 million for capital projects at universities, colleges and hospitals for healthcare-related research.

Fast Facts

Questions or Comments?

Contact the Senate Republican Communications Office or call 717-787-6725.

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