Open Records Bill Poised for Final Senate Vote

Special Session Committee considers alternative fuels

The Senate is poised to act on sweeping changes to Pennsylvania's Open Records Law following committee approval of the measure during the session week of November 13 and 14, according to Senator Bob Robbins (R-50).

The Senate Appropriations Committee's approval of Senate Bill 1 puts the measure on track for full Senate consideration of the measure next week, according to Senator Robbins.

SB 1 would change current law so that all records from executive agencies and local agencies are presumed to be open unless they fall under a specific exception established in law.

The bill includes exceptions so that certain records remain private, such as Social Security numbers, medical records, records that would threaten domestic security, and police investigative records.

"This bill would make it clear that the public has the right to full disclosure of government actions and activities," Senator Robbins said. "I believe this bill will address and clarify the responsibilities of government to inform its citizens.”"

Also this week, the full Senate approved and sent to the House of Representatives a bill that would create a new licensing requirement for real estate appraiser trainees to meet a federal requirement.

Senate Bill 721 amends the Real Estate Appraiser Certification Act to establish a new real estate appraiser trainee license and to make changes necessary for compliance with the 1989 Federal Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). Federal law requires real estate appraisers, including residential appraisers and general appraisers, to meet mandatory minimum qualifications established by the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation.

The State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers would be required to issue an appraiser trainee license, without examination, to persons who have met the educational requirements of the Appraiser Qualifications Board of the Appraisal Foundation. Such licenses would be issued to permit the individual to complete the experience requirement for any other class of certification.

Appraiser trainee licensees would be required to operate under the direct supervision of a certified real estate appraiser. Appraiser trainees would also be required to meet continuing education requirements as may be prescribed by the Board.

In other committee actions, the Senate Special Session Committee on Energy Policies held a Public Hearing on Wednesday on Special Session Senate Bill 1 which addresses Funding for Alternative Energy & Fuels.

The committee received testimony from a number of public and private company experts regarding the array of alternative energy sources and options that are available now or expected to become available soon in the Commonwealth.

The Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee approved Senate Bill 863, a measure cosponsored by Senator Robbins, which would permanently establish the Agricultural Land Conservation Assistance Grant Program within the Agricultural Area Security Law (Act 43 of 1981).

The Agricultural Land Conservation Assistance Grant Program authorized up to $750,000 of monies transferred to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund from the sale of state farmlands to be used to make matching grants to assist counties with their farmland preservation programs including the development of Geographic Information Systems, development of effective agricultural zoning ordinances, staff training, the hiring of contract services and the purchase certain computer software to be used in the county program.

To date six rounds of applications have been approved with six counties reaching the maximum accumulative grant ceiling of $25,000. SB 863 would also remove the $25,000 limitation, setting an annual cap of $10,000 per county. Currently $235,118 remains available to counties in this program.

Contact:

Michael Hengst
(717) 787-1322