"Energy independence is probably a misnomer – no feasible plan will entirely reduce our dependence on energy sources from outside our commonwealth – but we can do our part to make Pennsylvania less dependent on unstable foreign sources while providing incentives for the commonwealth’s agricultural community."

-- Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), who chairs the Senate Special Session Committee on Energy Policies, on efforts to pass a comprehensive, fiscally responsible energy policy for Pennsylvania.
 

SENATE PREPARES FOR BUDGET ADDRESS, PUBLIC HEARINGS ON 2008-09 SPENDING PLAN

Gov. Ed Rendell will address a joint session of the General Assembly on Tuesday to announce his proposed 2008-09 state budget. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Gib Armstrong (R-Lancaster), has scheduled two weeks of budget hearings to closely scrutinize the proposed spending plan. Hearings will begin Monday, Feb. 25 and wrap up Thursday, March 6.  

Last year, Senate Republicans rejected the governor’s original state budget proposal, which included $2.5 billion in tax hikes and would have caused consumers to pay more for retail purchases, utilities and gasoline. The Senate passed a spending plan that included no tax increases and controlled state spending.

SENATE AGAIN APPROVES AND SENDS OPEN RECORDS EXPANSION BILL TO HOUSE

Legislation to strengthen Pennsylvania’s Open Records Law was approved unanimously by the Senate on Wednesday and sent to the House of Representatives for action.

Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), was originally approved by the Senate in November. The measure, which makes dramatic changes in the records available from various government agencies, was again sent to the House for concurrence in Senate amendments.

Senator Pileggi said: "Senate Bill 1 is the first comprehensive rewrite of this law since Pennsylvania’s current Open Records Law was enacted more than 50 years ago, in 1957. Pennsylvania needs a stronger Open Records Law because transparency builds trust in government. As I have said before, a strong Open Records Law is the true foundation of government reform."

For more on Senate Bill 1, please see In the Spotlight, below. 

 - Sen. Pileggi
 - Sen. Brubaker
 - Sen. Eichelberger

511 TRAVELER INFORMATION SERVICE APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

Legislation to provide Pennsylvania drivers with access to around-the-clock information about traffic and road conditions through a new 511 Traveler Information Service was approved Tuesday by the Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. Roger Madigan (R-Bradford).

Senate Bill 976, sponsored by Senator Madigan and Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Chair Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne), would help prevent traffic tie-ups and make state roads safer by streamlining the Commonwealth’s current traveler call lines, which are operated by the Departments of Transportation, State Police and PEMA. It would provide one call line with up-to-date information on everything from road conditions to accidents and detours.

The legislation would require PennDOT to lead the overall implementation and deployment of the traveler information system in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and local entities. Twenty-seven states have implemented the service, which is part of a nationwide effort to provide consistent and reliable traveler information.  It allows callers to access information about construction activities, weather-related road conditions and critical incidents.

A national 511 project has documented that regions with traveler information systems report improvements in roadway efficiencies, air quality, and traveler safety. 

LEGISLATION TO ADD POLITICAL ROBO-CALLS TO DO-NOT-CALL LIST APPROVED BY COMMITTEE

Legislation that would give Pennsylvanians the ability to eliminate political automated telephone calls from their homes was approved Tuesday by the Senate State Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R-Dauphin).

Senate Bill 820, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), would allow Pennsylvania residents to opt out of political robo-calls in the same way that they can opt out of telemarketing calls, by signing up for the state's Do-Not-Call List.

Senator Pileggi said: "Automated phone calls are always a nuisance. But the impact is amplified many times over during election seasons, when people can receive dozens of political robo-calls over the course of just a week or two. I am optimistic that this legislation can be enacted in time to provide relief from political robo-calls during this April’s primary election."

 - Sen.  Pileggi
 - Sen. Brubaker

COMMITTEE APPROVES SEN. BROWNE'S LEGISLATION TO LIMIT TRUCK IDLING

The Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. Roger Madigan (R-Bradford), approved legislation Tuesday intended to reduce the noise and noxious exhaust fumes of idling tractor trailers.

Senate Bill 295, sponsored by Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), would bar commercial diesel vehicles from idling for more than five minutes during any 60-minute period. The committee approved an amendment by Sen. Madigan to provide specific exceptions to the limit.

Any person who violates the provisions of SB 295 could face fines ranging from $50 to $150. Senator Browne said the restriction on idling would help Pennsylvania’s environment, while helping reduce Pennsylvania's energy dependence.

Senator Brown said: "Idling motor vehicles needlessly waste hundreds of millions of gallons of diesel fuel. By enacting this restriction, we will save fossil fuels and make Pennsylvania less energy dependent. This legislation meets many of our goals for the environment and energy independence that we have set in the Senate."

For a list of exceptions to the idling limit, please see Fast Facts, below.

COMMITTEE CONTINUES HEARINGS INTO HIGHMARK-INDEPENDENCE BLUE CROSS MERGER

The proposed merger of Highmark and Independence Blue Cross (IBC) would effectively end health care insurance competition in most of Pennsylvania, Capital Blue Cross CEO and President Anita Smith told the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Wednesday.

Speaking at a public hearing on the merger, chaired by Sen. Don White (R-Indiana), Smith asked committee members to consider whether the $1 billion “one-time benefit” to the Commonwealth would be worth forever losing the benefits of statewide competition.

The committee also heard testimony from James R. Buckley, President of the Delaware Valley Health Care Coalition (DVHCC), who urged the Commonwealth to consider enacting price control legislation to promote competition in the health insurance marketplace. Frank Sirianni, president of the Pennsylvania State Building and Construction Trades Council, raised concerns about the impact the proposed merger could have on competition in Pennsylvania and the use of “surplus” money for government programs.

 - Sen.  White

LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW RETAILERS TO SELL REDUCED-COST FISHING/HUNTING LICENSES

Legislation that would make it easier for active-duty military personnel to purchase hunting and fishing licenses at a reduced cost was introduced Jan. 28 by Sen. Bob Regola (R-Westmoreland) and Sen. Bob Robbins (R-Mercer).

Senate Bills 1256 and 1257 would amend the Game and Fish Codes by allowing all hunting and fishing license retailers to sell special reduced-cost hunting or fishing licenses for active duty military, National Guard, and Reserve personnel.  Currently, the special licenses, sold for $1.00, are available only at Game Commission, Fish and Boat Commission, and county Treasurer offices.  The cost of a resident adult hunting license is $20 and $22 for a resident fishing license.

Senator Regola said:  “Our legislation would make the purchase of reduced-cost licenses more convenient for military personnel who are on limited leave from duty -- particularly during the holidays when government offices are typically closed.”

Senator Robbins said: "The truth is, our men and women in uniform are on duty 24-7 in the defense of freedom around the world. It is only fair and right that we take every possible step to ensure that they have the opportunity to relax and have fun when they come home on leave."

 - Sen.  Robbins
 - Sen. Regola

For executive agencies and local agencies, Senate Bill 1 reverses the presumption of access to records and puts the burden of proof on a government agency denying access to a record. This is the one change that many advocates of open government consider the most essential.  Legislative records and financial records of the judiciary are subject to the same presumption and the same burden of proof.

Senate Bill 1 provides a list of 29 plainly stated exceptions for executive agencies and local agencies. These exceptions include such things as criminal investigations, Social Security numbers, personal financial information, and individual medical records.  An independent Office of Open Records will hear appeals regarding access to records of commonwealth agencies and local agencies.

Legislative agencies, including the Senate and the House, are required to provide access to 19 categories of records. Judicial agencies are required to provide financial records.

The four state-related universities – Temple, Penn State, Pitt and Lincoln – are required to provide information from IRS Form 990, whether or not the university is required to file that form, along with a list of the highest 25 salaries for university employees.

The rewrite of Pennsylvania’s Open Records Law is the latest government reform measure embraced by the Senate during the current legislative session. The Senate has also approved legislation to increase penalties for violating the Sunshine Law, to eliminate lame-duck voting sessions, and to prohibit bonuses for state employees. All of those measures are awaiting consideration in the House.