Category: Pennsylvania Legislation

Laws proposed or passed in the Pennsylvania Legislature

Recidivism Reduced By Act 122

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has received recognition from the United States Department of Justice’s National Reentry Resource Center for programs aimed at reducing new crimes by those released from the prison system, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

The programs were spawned by Act 122 of 2012.

The legislation requires the Department of Corrections to  assess each offender’s needs for successful reintegration, including developing a plan and implementing that plan, and providing the offender with access to community organizations which are available to provide assistance, specifically for finding housing and employment, Cox said..

The Justice Department had specific praise for the the Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive (RRRI) program which offers eligible, non-violent offenders the chance to reduce their minimum sentences if they complete recommended programs and practice good conduct and remain misconduct free during their incarceration. The reduction provided is a percentage off their minimum sentence that is based upon the sentence length.

The Justice Department also credited the reduction in recidivism to performance incentives that reward private operators of halfway houses who hold down recidivism, specifically by revoking contracts for those that fail to accomplish this. Those measures alone are credited with reducing recidivism by 16 percent among residents of the halfway houses.

A fully report can be found here as a pdf file.
Recidivism Reduced By Act 122

Recidivism Reduced By Act 122

Act 88 Gives Whistleblowers Greater Protection

House Bill 185 has been signed into law and is now Act 88 of 2014, according to State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The legislation adds legislative employees to the list of workers protected from retaliation under existing whistleblower protection statutes.

Although the Whistleblower Law (Act 169 of 1986) prohibits a public body from discharging or retaliating against an employee if an employee makes a good faith report about waste or wrongdoing, the law did not explicitly include the staff of the General Assembly. The new extends those protections specifically to this group.

The law also prohibits a public body from retaliating against an employee if such employee is requested by an appropriate authority to participate in an investigation, hearing or inquiry.

The intention of the law is not only uniformity but encouragement of transparency and accountability among elected officials and our legislative body.

Members of the public, as well as government employees, are encouraged to report suspected fraud, waste, misconduct or abuse of government programs, operations or contracts. You can do so by visiting the Office of Inspector General’s website or calling 877-888-7927 for employee misconduct or 800-932-0582 for welfare fraud.
Act 88 Gives Whistleblowers Greater Protection

Act 88 Gives Whistleblowers Greater Protection

Pileggi Panders Property Tax Break For Senior Citizens

Pileggi Panders Property Tax Break For Senior CitizensDominic Pileggi Panders Property Tax Break For Senior Citizens

State Sen. Dominic Pileggi’s (R-9) bill freezing property taxes for homeowners over 65 years of age has been sitting around for a year but recently got some ink.

The bill is SB 299  and illustrates perfectly why  most who understand economics and government are not really fans of the Senate Majority Leader.

Pennsylvania has a debt of $128.073 billion or about $10,000 per person of which $50 billion concerns its mismanaged pension systems.

Freezing the tax for senior citizens would shift the inevitable pay-up to newlyweds, and people with kids in college and the unemployed of which there are 344,989.

And of course, the small business owner whether he owns his shop or rents.

The question we ask is why the fear to address the root causes, which are rather obvious.

You do not need a constitutional amendment to repeal Act 195 of 1970 which granted public school teachers the right to strike giving the sociopathic types that gravitate to union leadership the legal right to threaten children  for more money and power.

Nor is a constitutional amendment needed to end the prevailing wage mandate that adds 20 percent to the cost of public projects.

Nor should HB 1353, a bill that would change the pension plan for new public employees, be that difficult to pass.

State Rep. Steve Barrar (R-166), by the way, has informed us that his vote against HB 1353 was because it did not go far enough. He is pushing for a full 401 (k) type plan and not a hybrid one that would still allow some direct benefits.

He has a  point. Why should public employees get direct benefits that most of us don’t other than Social Security for which none  would begrudge the state workers from joining us in?

Should we really have to lose our homes or see our rents jacked up to pay for these goodies?

 

 

 

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

HB 1353, the government  pension reform being pushed by Gov. Tom Corbett, was re-reported as committed from the Pennsylvania House Human Services Committee, yesterday, July 2.

The bill had been sent to the committee the day before on a 107-96 floor vote in a hope to kill it. All Democrats voted aye joined by 15 Republican backstabbers.

The move was orchestrated by Republican Gene DiGirolamo who represents the 18th District in Bucks County and chairs the Human Services Committee.

Shamefully joining him in the scheme were Delaware County Republicans Steve Barrar of the 160th District and Nicholas Miccarelli III of the 162nd District.

HB 1353 would allow current state employees to keep their sweet defined-benefit pension plans but place new workers in a 401 (k) type defined contribution plan.

Pennsylvania’s pension systems are $50 billion in debt. If the Republican-controlled legislature can’t get this small but necessary step taken towards fixing Pennsylvania’s financial problem any small sliver of hope Corbett has towards re-election vanishes as does fixing Pennsylvania’s financial problem.

 

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

Corbett Pension Reform ReReported From Human Services

 

Telephone Solicitation Holiday Ban Passes House

The Pennsylvania House, June 24, unanimously passed legislation that would prohibit telephone solicitation on legal holidays and allow consumer phone numbers registered on the state’s “do-not-call” list to remain on the list permanently.

Currently, numbers are only valid for five years and consumers must re-register to protect themselves against unwanted telemarketing calls.

The bill — HB 129 — was introduced Jan. 29, 2013 by State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
If the bill becomes law, phone numbers will remain permanently protected from telemarketers, unless the subscriber chooses to have their number removed, or the number is no longer valid, Cox said.

To enroll a phone number to the “do-not-call” list, click here or call 1-888-777-3406.

For tips on how to handle unwanted telephone solicitations visit here.

Telephone Solicitation Holiday Ban Passes House

Telephone Solicitation Holiday Ban Passes House

Lyme Disease Pa Leads

A bill has passed the Pennsylvania House and Senate that would establish a task force to address Lyme disease.

SB 177 calls for establishing a system of to issue public alerts from the Department of Health through the public school system, the Penn State Agricultural Extension system and on state game lands and state parks.

The program will also if funds should become available seek to develop an active tick collection, along with performing tests and surveillance, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

Pennsylvania leads the nation in Lyme disease with about 4,000 cases reported annually with the highest incidence being in the southeastern part of the state.

Lyme Disease Pa Leads

Lyme Disease Pa Leads

Paycheck Protection Passes Senate Committee

The Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee, this morning, June 26, passed its version of paycheck protection 7-4 reports Matt Brouillette of Commonwealth Foundation.

The Senate bill is SB 1034.

The House State Government Committee passed its version, HB 1507, on Monday.

The bills would end the taxpayer-funded collection of government union political money.

Paycheck Protection Passes Senate

Paycheck Protection Passes Senate Committee

CHIP Renewal Eased Via HB 2299

A bill to make it easier to renew coverage in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was unanimously passed by the Pennsylvania House Insurance Committee June 9 and is now before the Rules Committee, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
House Bill 2299 would create a simple form sent directly to the parent or guardian to confirm the information remains accurate or to allow for changes, if necessary. This would allow for easier renewal of the child’s annual enrollment in the program.

The bill would also allow for “express lane eligibility” which would provide parents with information on CHIP, using information obtained through other state agencies including the departments of Public Welfare and Health.

“Many of the provisions in the legislation are already being done but need to be written into law to ensure they continue in the future,” Cox said.

CHIP Renewal Eased Via HB 2299

CHIP Renewal Eased Via HB 2299

Psychologists Can Treat Vets Outside Clinics

 HB 43, an amendment to the Pennsylvania Volunteer Health Services Act, was “signed in House” June 18 after unanimously passing the state House and Senate.

The amendment allows Pennsylvania psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors to volunteer to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families outside a clinic through approved programs such as “Give an Hour”,  says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

Programs like Give an Hour provide free services, such as family counseling and substance abuse counseling, at a site that is likely outside a clinical setting such as a library, community center or church.

Psychologists Can Treat Vets Outside Clinics

Psychologists Can Treat Vets Outside Clinics

HB 2107 Punishes Digital Degraders

A bill to protect against digital degraders is now before the Pennsylvania Senate.

HB 2107, which passed the House on June 9 with a 197-0 vote, wil make it a third-degree misdemeanor to share an intimate image of another person without consent.

“With the rise of digital photography through the use of social media, protecting one’s privacy continues to be an important issue, especially when unscrupulous individuals use social media to post intimate images of others,” says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The law allows for state-level prosecution of an alleged perpetrator, if the victim is a Pennsylvania resident, regardless of the perpetrator’s state of residence.

The bill also would allow victims to bring both criminal and civil charges against someone who engages in this activity. Conviction for this charge includes a criminal sentence of up to six months in prison and up to a $1,000 fine. Civil penalties could be much higher, including the cost of actual damages, attorney fees and additional relief the court deems necessary and proper for loss of reputation, money and property.

HB 2107 Punishes Digital Degraders

HB 2107 Punishes Digital Degraders