News, Entertainment, Enlightenment
Laws proposed or passed in the Pennsylvania Legislature
Pennsylvania has banned cities and other local governments from arbitrarily or excessively applying local business taxes to any company or employer that performs work within their boundaries for 15 days or less within the calendar year, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
Tough break, Philly. Act 42 of 2014 became law May 6.
The measure will also protect businesses from being charged the gross receipts tax twice by separate municipalities for the same earnings.
House Bill 434, which changes the mandatory reporting requirements for school employees by requiring that these individuals report suspected abuse against students directly to Department of Public Welfare’s (DPW) ChildLine, instead of to their superiors, is now before the Governor and awaits his signature, says State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
This bill also expands background checks and other security requirements to school employees and to any other volunteer working directly with children, including student teachers. Additionally, the legislation increases the penalties for refusing to cooperate with a child abuse investigation.
Anyone can anonymously report suspected child abuse by using the DPW ChildLine phone number: 1-800-932-0313.
Tanning salons in Pennsylvania must now be licensed and inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Health with the May 6 signing of Act 41 of 2014, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
Additionally, the new law bans minors age 16 and younger from using the tanning facility and requires minors at age 17 to obtain parental consent prior to using the facility.
The law also requires tanning facilities to post notifications that ultraviolet light has a carcinogenic effect on skin, along with other health and safety requirements.
Violations can result in the revocation of registration and subsequent ability to operate within the Commonwealth.
Isn’t this a violation of the child’s right to choose? Shouldn’t a girl be allowed to bypass her parents by going to a judge if she really wants a tan in winter? Where was Planned Parenthood when this intrusive law was passed?
Well girls take heart. There is always a chance a Pennsylvania governor will choose not to enforce the law.
The House Consumer Affairs Committee, April 30, approved HB 2104, which would limit electric rate hikes for customers with variable rate plans to no more than 30 percent per billing cycle, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
Many consumers experienced alarmingly high electric bills, after the harsh winter, said Cox. Most of these unusually high costs affected consumers with variable rate plans.
House Bill 2104 also would require switching requests to be completed within five business days; outline language all electric supplier contracts would contain to clearly explain terms; and give the Public Utility Commission (PUC) specific authority to investigate customer complaints related to the rates charged by electric generation suppliers.
The legislation now awaits additional consideration by the full House.
Don Adams of the always brilliant Independence Hall Tea Party Association proposed a “GasCott” during a recent appearance on WHPT’s Dom Giordano show.
He’s encouraging Pennsylvanians to fill their tanks in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware in response to the gas tax hike imposed last November by our Republican-led state government that will give our state the highest gas tax in the nation by 2018.
Don, by the time the full tax takes effect encouragement will not be needed to fill up in other states.
To make our anger known in the short-term, we propose a CorbettCott. Leave Gov. Tom Corbett’s name unchecked during the May 20 primary election while voting for the down-ticket. If enough Republicans do this, maybe a cleansing gale could be started to blow away the corrupt (insert an appropriate noun) who run the state party.
State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129) reports that the Pennsylvania Legislature is considering changes to the tax code to benefit small business.
Cox says “like-kind exchanges” would be allowed so a small business can sell property and reinvest the proceeds into similar property without immediately having to pay taxes on these proceeds. Pennsylvania is the only state which does not currently allow for this provision.
Also small businesses would be granted the ability to use the Net Operating Loss deduction when filing their Pennsylvania taxes. Only large businesses can use this deduction. I
Also a technical change would be made to allow small businesses to have access to the same Section 179 deductions as large businesses. A Section 179 deduction is one that can be made toward a business’s tax liability when the business purchases new property, equipment or even software.
The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a public hearing 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, in Hearing Room 1 of the North Office Building in the state Capitol to consider the Property Tax Independence Act (Senate Bill 76), reports state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
A rally is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on the front steps of the Capitol to show support for the bill.
The Pennsylvania House Education Committee passed on to the full body last week HB 2138 regarding changes to the formula for special education funding for charter and private schools reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
Pennsylvania spends $1 billion on special education.
Nearly one out over ever 6 students get special education services in Pennsylvania public schools.
Bill Threatens Charter School Special Ed Money
The Pennsylvania Legislature, April 9, presented HB 974 to Gov. Tom Corbett. The bill would require the Department of Education to establish a program to assist public and non-public schools in buying automatic external defibrillators, says state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
This teeny tiny straw to the taxpayers back was unanimously passed by the state Senate and passed the house with only Daryl Metcalfe (R-12) and Carl Metzgar (R-69) dissenting.
A repeat-DUI offender d kills another individual will face greater jail time under legislation reported from the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee, last week according to State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
House Bill 1733 would apply to DUI offenders who have at least one prior drunk driving conviction or major traffic offense such as vehicular homicide or vehicular assault. The bill would enhance penalties for vehicular homicide while driving under the influence from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony, and lengthen the jail sentence from three to five years.
Studies have shown that nearly 2 million drunk drivers on the nation’s highways have a prior conviction, including 400,000 who have five or more.
The bill is before the full House.