Harrisburg Happenings

A report on the Legislative Session week of March 15, 2010
By Senator Bob Robbins
50th Senatorial District

CHIP extension receives final legislative approval

The Senate gave final approval on March 16 to legislation extending the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and providing additional protections for consumers who purchase annuities.

Senate Bill 237 reauthorizes CHIP through December 31, 2013. The program provides health insurance to all uninsured children and teens who are not eligible for enrollment in Medical Assistance. The legislation also requires those selling annuities in Pennsylvania to make sure the product is right for those purchasing them based on financial status, tax status and investment objectives.

SB 237 now goes to the Governor for his signature and enactment into law.

Senate approves prescription redistribution measure

The Senate approved legislation on March 15 that would authorize the state Department of Corrections and county prisons to redistribute unopened prescription medicines. Senate Bill 1044 authorizes correctional facilities to return the medicines to the pharmaceutical wholesaler for credit and potential redistribution to other correctional facilities.

Overall, the Department of Corrections budget for the current fiscal year is $1.6 billion or about 5 percent of the state's $27.8 billion General Fund Budget. Of the Department's 2009-10 budget, $229.5 million is allocated for inmate medical care. That total represents a $15.3 million increase from the $214.2 million allocated for inmate medical care in the 2008-09 budget.

Pennsylvania's correctional facilities currently participate in a prescription redistribution program, but there are no provisions under existing law to govern these activities, which have been shown to be safe and save taxpayers $1million annually. SB 1044 is modeled after prescription drug recycling laws in 37 states.

Senate approves education compact for military families

The Senate approved my legislation on March 15 to help students of military families cope with the frequent and stressful relocations associated with active duty service. Senate Bill 213, the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children legislation, authorizes Pennsylvania to enter into the Interstate Compact as a way to make education more accessible to children of military families and make school transfers and transitions more uniform and less stressful.

I am pleased that the Senate approved this bill that will help students of military families ease into new schools. The average student of a military family faces transition challenges more than twice during high school and most military children will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten through graduation. The Compact provides a comprehensive approach to address the major areas of education that are affected such as the transferring of education records, course sequencing and graduation requirements.

The Compact was developed and drafted by the Council of State Governments with the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Personnel and Readiness. Currently, 28 states have already passed similar legislation.

Marcellus Shale reporting bill headed to Governor

The Senate of Pennsylvania gave final legislative approval on March 16 to Senate Bill 297 -- the first regulatory legislation relating to Marcellus Shale gas extraction.

Senate Bill 297 requires operators of Marcellus Shale wells to provide production information to the Department of Environmental Protection. That information would be made public in six months and be posted on DEP's website.

The bill will enable drillers to identify areas for optimum natural gas production. This will help Pennsylvania’s economy and encourage greater production and use of natural gas. SB 297 now awaits the Governor's signature and enactment into law.

Three bills signed into law

The Governor signed three bills into law this week.

Act 9 of 2010 (House Bill 1533) extends the Military Family Relief Assistance Program until 2016 and adds the National Guard to the list of service members who are eligible for the program. The legislation also expands eligibility guidelines so military families could be eligible for assistance for up to a year following their return from active duty.

The Military Family Relief Assistance Program provides grants to military members who have a direct and immediate financial need due to the sudden loss of income directly related to their service or an emergency need for child care, food, shelter or other necessities. The program also provides emergency funding for travel and lodging in the event of the death or serious illness of a spouse, parent, sibling or child.

Act 10 of 2010 (House Bill 1783) designates State Route 35 from Selinsgrove to the Snyder County line near Richfield as the PFC Justin W. Dreese Memorial Highway. Dreese died as a result of injuries suffered during a mortar attack in Iraq on Sept. 2, 2006. He was 21.

Act 11 of 2010 (Senate Bill 605) establishes robbery of a financial institution as a second degree felony, regardless of the method used to commit the crime. Act 11 amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, which only contains sections pertaining to "robbery" and "robbery of a motor vehicle." Therefore, bank robberies were grouped with other "robberies" and -- if no bodily harm was done -- they were classified as third degree felonies. Act 11 now classifies such a bank robbery as a second degree felony.

Contact:

Michael Hengst
(717) 787-1322