COMMONWE ALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE ...2007/04/24 · Tara to the hall of the House. Members, may we have order in the chamber. Also in the gallery today, as the guest of Representative

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2007

SESSION OF 2007 191ST OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY No. 32

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESThe House convened at 11 a.m., e.d.t.

THE SPEAKER (DENNIS M. O'BRIEN)PRESIDING

PRAYER

REV. T. GLEN BAYLY, Chaplain of the House ofRepresentatives, offered the following prayer:

Will you join me in prayer.Our gracious Heavenly Father, we pause at this time to

recognize and honor You today. We pray that we would neverforget the importance of communicating with You each andevery day and looking for Your wisdom and guidance, whichwe seek for this session of business.

We are thankful today to live in a free nation; we arethankful for our State of Pennsylvania. We are a blessed people,privileged beyond many in this world, and so we give Youthanks today. We thank You for our material blessings; wethank You for our political freedoms; we thank You for ourspiritual blessings and rich heritage.

Today we come before You and we seek Your wisdom andguidance, asking Your blessing on all who are involved in thebusiness of this session. We pray today for our troops inAfghanistan and Iraq. We ask Your protection over them andeverywhere where those representing our nation are in harm'sway. Might You be with them and protect them and guide them.

We also would pray for our President, President Bush, todaythat he might have Your wisdom from above and that Youwould guide and direct him in the heavy weight that he carries.Also be with Governor Rendell today, and may he know Yourpresence and Your blessing in his life. Be with our Senators,Specter and Casey, and our House of Representativesnationally, as well as our State Senate today, and then be withthe members of this House; minister to each and every need.We commit them to Your care, asking You to provide for body,soul, and spirit for each one, that each one might know apersonal relationship with You.

And now we give You thanks that You are a God who hearsand answers prayer, and we commit these requests to You nowin Your precious and holy name. Amen.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by members andvisitors.)

JOURNAL APPROVAL POSTPONED

The SPEAKER. Without objection, approval of the Journalof Monday, April 23, 2007, will be postponed until printed.The Chair hears no objection.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER. Turning to leaves of absence, the Chairrecognizes the majority whip. Are there any leaves on theDemocratic side? The gentleman indicates a request to putRepresentative BELFANTI from Northumberland andRepresentative Dwight EVANS from Philadelphia on leave forthe day. Without objection, these Representatives will be put onleave. The Chair hears no objection.

The Chair recognizes the minority whip, who requests thatRepresentative QUINN from Bucks County be placed on leavefor the day. Without objection, Representative Quinn will beplaced on leave. The Chair hears no objection.

MASTER ROLL CALL

The SPEAKER. The Chair is about to take the master roll.The members will proceed to vote.

The following roll call was recorded:

PRESENT–197

Adolph Gabig Mantz RohrerArgall Galloway Markosek RossBaker Geist Marshall RubleyBarrar George Marsico SabatinaBastian Gerber McCall SainatoBear Gergely McGeehan SamuelsonBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SantoniBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SaylorBeyer Gingrich Melio ScavelloBiancucci Godshall Mensch SchroderBishop Goodman Metcalfe SeipBlackwell Grell Micozzie ShapiroBoback Grucela Millard ShimkusBoyd Haluska Miller SiptrothBrennan Hanna Milne Smith, K.Brooks Harhai Moul Smith, S.Buxton Harhart Moyer SolobayCaltagirone Harkins Mundy SonneyCappelli Harper Murt StabackCarroll Harris Mustio StairsCasorio Helm Nailor SteilCauser Hennessey Nickol SternCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. StevensonClymer Hess O'Neill SturlaCohen Hickernell Oliver SurraConklin Hornaman Pallone Swanger

572 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL—HOUSE APRIL 24

Costa Hutchinson Parker TangrettiCox James Pashinski Taylor, J.Creighton Josephs Payne Taylor, R.Cruz Kauffman Payton ThomasCurry Keller, M. Peifer TrueCutler Keller, W. Perry TurzaiDaley Kenney Perzel VerebDally Kessler Petrarca VitaliDeLuca Killion Petri VulakovichDenlinger King Petrone WagnerDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WalkoDermody Kortz Pickett WansaczDeWeese Kotik Preston WatersDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatsonDonatucci Leach Quigley WheatleyEachus Lentz Ramaley WhiteEllis Levdansky Rapp WilliamsEvans, J. Longietti Raymond WojnaroskiEverett Mackereth Readshaw YewcicFabrizio Maher Reed YudichakFairchild Mahoney ReichleyFleck Major Roae O'Brien, D.,Frankel Manderino Rock SpeakerFreeman Mann Roebuck

ADDITIONS–0

NOT VOTING–0

EXCUSED–6 Belfanti Myers Smith, M. YoungbloodEvans, D. Quinn

LEAVES ADDED–3 Beyer Donatucci Gergely

LEAVES CANCELED–2 Gergely Quinn

The SPEAKER. A quorum being present, the House willproceed to conduct business.

THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE(JOSEPH A. PETRARCA) PRESIDING

GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would like towelcome Tara Scialabba, who is here today as the guest ofRepresentative Jim Marshall. Tara is here as part of a 3-dayevent for Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts sponsored by thePennsylvania Girl Scout Legislative Network to gain a workingknowledge of the legislative process and learn about careersin government. Tara is serving as a guest page and is in the10th grade at Quigley Catholic High School. Please welcomeTara to the hall of the House.

Members, may we have order in the chamber.Also in the gallery today, as the guest of Representative

Freeman, is Caitlin Donnelly, a Lafayette College student, whois interning with Representative Freeman of NorthamptonCounty. The House welcomes Ms. Donnelly.

There are also guests visiting today from State CollegeHigh School as guests of Representative Scott Conklin from

Centre County. They are in the House gallery. Please rise andbe recognized.

The Chair also welcomes Karen Stout, president of theMontgomery County Community College. The students areJohn Kemp, Anita Reed, Jedediah Stalker, and Lesley Aronson;trustees, Mike Bittner and Joe Palmer. These are the guests ofRepresentative Josh Shapiro, and they are also seated in thebalcony. Please rise and be recognized.

The Chair would also like to recognize Libby Davidson withGirl Scout Troop 507 from Warren County. She will beshadowing Representative Kathy Rapp today, and she is seatedin the gallery. Welcome to the hall of the House.

The Chair would also like to welcome Jenny Daley fromGirl Scout Troop 265. She is a 10th grader from Fort LeBeoufHigh School. She is here for Capital Days, a 3-day event forCadette and Senior Girl Scouts sponsored by the PennsylvaniaGirl Scout Legislative Network. She was selected as one of therepresentatives from Pennsylvania's 13 Girl Scout councils toparticipate in the event, and she will be shadowingRepresentative Flo Fabrizio of Erie County. She is also seatedin the gallery of the House. Please rise and be recognized.

The Chair would also like to recognize Christine Lee, aGirl Scout from Troop 3950, Penn's Woods Council. She todayis serving as a guest page on the House floor. She is the guest ofRepresentative John Yudichak and is participating in thePennsylvania Girl Scouts Legislative Capital Days programalso. Please rise and be recognized.

The Chair would also like to recognize Anna Thomas, athird grade student at Sacred Heart School in Wilkes-Barre. Sheis here with her father, Michael Thomas, and says that shewants to be Governor someday and then President. They arehere as the guests of Representative Phyllis Mundy today.Please rise and be recognized, and they are seated to the left ofthe Speaker.

The Chair would also like to welcome, as guest pagestoday, Ashley Strawser and Hannah Zimmerman. They are heretoday serving as the guests of Representative Adam Harris.Please rise.

The Chair would also like to recognize Valerie Woodhouse.She is serving today as a guest page and shadowingRep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith today. Valerie is the daughter ofRichard and Rosemary Woodhouse. She is in the 10th grade atOctorara High School. She participated in the NAIMUN(North American Invitational Model United Nations) ModelU.N. Conference 2007 held at George Washington University.She has attended the National Youth Leadership Council in2006 in Washington, DC. She is also the vice president ofBest Buddies International at her school and vice president oftheir Bible Club. She is a member of the Model United Nations,is a member of the Rough Riders 4-H, and is a member of theRed Rose Figure Skating Club. Valerie hopes to major inpolitical science in college with the goal of becoming a lobbyist.Welcome to the hall of the House.

FILMING PERMISSION

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair has also givenpermission to Mary Jane Souder and Donna Weaver of theMontgomery Newspapers. They are here to videotape theCheltenham Girls Basketball Team citations.

2007 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL—HOUSE 573

CHELTENHAM HIGH SCHOOLGIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM PRESENTED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would like towelcome Representative Curry to come to the rostrum to make apresentation.

Mr. CURRY. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.It is my pleasure to introduce the 2007 women's AAAA

basketball State champions, the Cheltenham Panthers. Standingwith me are captains Misha Horsey and Ashley Gale, coachBob Schaefer, coach John Rogalski, and athletic directorScott Layer. Would the rest of this championship team, seatedin the back of the hall, please stand and receive a warm Housewelcome. Thank you.

We all know that in learning a sport there is more than justwinning and the desire to be successful in competition. Thesegirls have developed character; built a reservoir of courage;learned respect for others, including their opponents; came tounderstand the real meaning of sportsmanship and cooperationwith their teammates and their coaches. You also developed adesire to improve your skills while committing to accomplishcertain goals, and with it all, you learned perseverance andpersonal discipline. These values will be with these girls the restof their lives.

It was an exciting season, and when they got in the playoffs,they just started to pull away. A lot of good teams in thatcompetition, but the Cheltenham Panthers just pulled away fromeveryone else. I am happy to report also that all the seniors onthis squad are going on to college next year.

Thank you very much.

GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would like towelcome Michele Moser Deegan and Christopher Borick fromMuhlenberg College and Ziad Munson from Lehigh University.They are here today as part of the Lehigh Valley ResearchConsortium to meet with members of the Lehigh Valleydelegation, here as the guests of Representative Craig Dally.They are seated to the left of the Speaker. Please rise and berecognized.

CARL BAER PRESENTED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair requestsRepresentatives Santoni and Kessler to come to the podium fora presentation.

Mr. SANTONI. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning,ladies and gentlemen.

Along with my colleague, Representative Dave Kessler,I am proud to introduce to the members of the PennsylvaniaHouse of Representatives Carl Baer, an eighth grade student atHoly Guardian Angels Regional School in Hyde Park,Pennsylvania, in my legislative district, and I am also proudof Carl because I attended that grade school, oh, about100-and-some years ago.

Carl is our guest today because he took first place in thestatewide civics contest called CREATE. CAMPAIGN. WIN.,which was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Cable Network.Carl's task was to design a political campaign for a statewideoffice. The focus of the contest was a debate not over the right

or wrong point of view of the issues that come up in politics, butrather, the mechanics of a political campaign. From setting up acampaign office to planning fundraisers, to hiring staff andorganizing volunteers, to dealing with the media and writingboth victory and concession speeches for election night, Carllearned all the ins and outs of a statewide gubernatorialcampaign. Carl, I think I am going to try to find you some workhere on the floor of the House for next year. There are 203 of usthat might need you.

But more importantly, Carl took advantage of an opportunityto learn more about the essential part of the political processthat is often overlooked by many people – meeting the State'srequirements to officially become a candidate for office andthen following up those efforts with the elements needed to runan effective campaign. Voters can take for granted that nameswill be on the ballot when they go to the polls, but as Carl cannow explain to others, getting on the ballot is not an easyprocess.

Representative Kessler and I have a citation to present toCarl, and we are both very proud of you, Carl, for your hardwork on this project, and on behalf of the entire House ofRepresentatives, we wish you the best of luck in all your futureendeavors.

I would like to announce some guests that are here with Carl.To the left of the Speaker – if they would stand and maybe wewill give everyone a round of applause after everyone isannounced – his eighth grade teacher, Mrs. Cindy Johnson –Mrs. Johnson; Michelle Harter from PCN; and in the balconywe have some family members of Carl – his mother,Marlene Baer, and his grandmother, Margie Zettlemoyer – ifthey would stand up and be recognized.

And finally, ladies and gentlemen, if you would give akind House of Representatives welcome to Mr. Carl Baer.Thank you.

NITSCHMANN MIDDLE SCHOOLCROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONS

INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would like torecognize Representative Samuelson for remarks.

Mr. SAMUELSON. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I am joined by my colleague from the Lehigh Valley,

Representative Craig Dally.Usually in the House of Representatives we introduce high

school State champions. Today we are privileged to be joinedby some middle school champions who placed at a tristatecross-country meet and then went on to place at the nationalcross-country meet. These students are from NitschmannMiddle School in Bethlehem, and we have five champions.They participated in the Mid-Atlantic AAU (Amateur AthleticUnion) Championship in November at Gwynedd Valley,Pennsylvania, and then based on their success at the tristatemeet, they went on to the national championship in Orlando,and they all placed in the national championship.

So I would like to introduce these students. They are in theback of the House, and I would like to read theiraccomplishments. They are also joined by their coaches,coaches Garen Danyi, who is a history teacher, a readingteacher, and Jason Vajda, who is a math teacher, and Garen and


Jason both ran the Boston Marathon just 8 days ago. Socongratulations to their coaches.

But our student athletes who are here from NitschmannMiddle School, we have Thomas Darlington, who placed11th in the Mid-Atlantic Cross Country Championship and57th in the nation. Thomas is an eighth grader, and, Tom,keep standing there in the back. We have Ellen Walker, also an8th grader, who placed 10th in the tristate AAU Championshipand 51st in the nation. We have Thomas Andreas Haller, also an8th grader, who placed 5th in the tristate meet and 53d in thenation; Amy Darlington, a 7th grader, and Amy was 3d inthe tristate AAU Championship, 11th in the nation; and alsoJessica Cygan, and Jessica won the AAU Championship. Shewas first in the tristate area, went on to the nationalchampionship, and Jessica, an eighth grader, was second in thenation in her race.

So we would like to congratulate the student athletes fromNitschmann Middle School.

And, Mr. Speaker, one final thing. Representative Dally andI would also like to reserve some time in about 2 years whenthese students are at Liberty High School. We would like toreserve some time when we introduce them for the future Statechampionship that they are going to bring to our community.

So thank you and congratulations to the students ofNitschmann Middle School.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE CANCELED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair notes the presence ofRepresentative Quinn on the floor and asks that she be added totoday's master roll.

REMARKS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

The SPEAKER pro tempore. For what purpose does thegentleman, Mr. Stairs, rise?

Mr. STAIRS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I rise to offer some remarks for the House Journal.And the second thing, to say it is great to see a colleague

from Westmoreland County up front. Congratulations, Joe.The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will submit his

remarks. Thank you.

Mr. STAIRS submitted the following remarks for theLegislative Journal:

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to bring to the attention of theSpeaker and the members of the Pennsylvania House ofRepresentatives the name of Sarah Blahovec, who is here today as partof the Girl Scout Capital Days 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge Sarah Blahovec as amember of the Keystone Tall Tree Girl Scout Council. I am pleasedand humbled by her demonstration of community responsibility andloyalty to the Scouting tradition. I trust she will continue to work hard,learn many skills, develop leadership and character traits important toher troop and to herself.

Now therefore, Mr. Speaker and members of the House ofRepresentatives, it is my privilege to congratulate and place in theLegislative Journal the name of Sarah Blahovec.

REMARKS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD

Mr. PETRI submitted the following remarks for theLegislative Journal:

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to bring to the attention of theSpeaker and the members of the Pennsylvania House ofRepresentatives the names of Bryan Edwards and Sagar Vegesna, whohave recently been awarded Scouting's highest honor – Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to read to the members of theHouse of Representatives the following citation of merit honoringBryan Edwards and Sagar Vegesna.

Whereas, Bryan Edwards and Sagar Vegesna earned the EagleAward in Scouting. This is the highest award that Boy Scouts canbestow and as such represents great sacrifice and tremendous effort onthe part of these young men. They are members of Troop 152 and 147.

Now therefore, Mr. Speaker and members of the House ofRepresentatives, it is my privilege to congratulate and place in theLegislative Journal the names of Bryan Edwards and Sagar Vegesna.

BILLS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE,CONSIDERED FIRST TIME, AND TABLED

HB 487, PN 1411 (Amended) By Rep. MARKOSEK

An Act providing for notice of motor vehicle event data recordersand for information retrieval; imposing penalties; and providing forevidentiary rules.

TRANSPORTATION.

HB 781, PN 900 By Rep. MARKOSEK

An Act redesignating the Maple Avenue Bridge on State Route271 in the City of Johnstown, Cambria County, as the ColonelJohn Joseph Tominac Memorial Bridge.

TRANSPORTATION.

HB 892, PN 1045 By Rep. MARKOSEK

An Act designating a portion of State Route 74 in Perry County asthe Marine Lance Corporal Jason L. Frye Memorial Highway.

TRANSPORTATION.

CALENDAR

BILLS ON SECOND CONSIDERATION

BILL ON THIRD CONSIDERATION

RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTIONS PURSUANT TO RULE 35

BILLS AND RESOLUTIONSPASSED OVER TEMPORARILY

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bills and resolutions onpages 1, 2, 3, and 4 are over temporarily.



Mr. BEAR called up HR 183, PN 1190, entitled:

A Resolution observing April 29, 2007, as "Joseph Kempf Day" inPennsylvania in recognition of the dedication of Squad 2-7 of theNeffsville Community Fire Company, Lancaster County, to thememory of Joseph Kempf.

On the question,Will the House adopt the resolution?

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizesRepresentative Bear on the resolution.

Mr. BEAR. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Today I rise to honor Joseph Kempf, whose selflessness and

dedication to community service should be an example to us all.Since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, we as a nation

have come to realize how important our local emergency crewsare to our safety and security. We have come to appreciate thetremendous sacrifice these brave individuals make in order tokeep us all safe, and we have come to recognize the truedefinition of a hero – not as a sports figure making millions ofdollars, but as an unselfish volunteer who steps forward for noother reason than to keep his community safe. Joe Kempf wassuch a hero.

Joe was known among family and friends for his willingnessto go out of his way to help others, which is what he was doingwhen his life was cut tragically short in 2004. On the Sundaybefore Christmas 2004, Joe, a member of Neffsville CommunityFire Company in Lancaster County, was traveling onInterstate 80 in Clinton County when he came upon a trafficaccident. As a trained and certified first responder, he stopped tohelp. As he was walking along the road, he was struck by a carthat had spun out of control. Joseph died shortly afterwards as aresult of his injuries.

It has been said that the true existence of a volunteerorganization rests not in the bricks and mortar of the buildingthat houses the organization, but with the men and women whofill its ranks and make it perform at the highest attainable levelsof perfection. I can think of no better example of this than theservice of Joe Kempf. In honor of that service, the NeffsvilleFire Company is dedicating its new Squad 2-7 to his memory.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Joe's selfless commitment tohelping others and of the dedication of Squad 2-7 to hismemory, I am offering HR 183, observing April 29, 2007, as"Joseph Kempf Day" in Pennsylvania.

GUESTS INTRODUCED

Mr. BEAR. Joining us today are Joe's parents, Jim and LoriKempf. Jim and Lori, please rise to be recognized in honor ofyour son.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolutionhonoring a true Pennsylvania hero so that his selflessness anddedication may serve as an example to others for years to come.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On the question recurring,Will the House adopt the resolution?


YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0

EXCUSED–5 Belfanti Myers Smith, M. YoungbloodEvans, D.

The majority having voted in the affirmative, the questionwas determined in the affirmative and the resolution wasadopted.


* * *

Mr. HARHAI called up HR 230, PN 1357, entitled:

A Resolution recognizing Anthony W. Salomone for his numerousyears of service to this Commonwealth, and honoring him upon hisretirement as Executive Director of the Public Employee RetirementCommission on May 11, 2007.


The SPEAKER pro tempore. On the resolution, the Chairrecognizes Representative Harhai.

Mr. HARHAI. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.It is my pleasure this morning to come before the House to

honor Anthony "Tony" Salomone for his numerous years ofservice and dedication to this Commonwealth. It is our lossthat on May 11, 2007 – no, Tony did not pass away – butMr. Salomone will be retiring as the Executive Director of thePublic Employee Retirement Commission, a position in whichI had the distinct honor of working very closely with him overthe last 7 years.

In his 21 years of service in that job alone, Mr. Salomonewas responsible for the annual reviews of the two statewidepension systems. In addition, he also served on severallegislative task forces and State boards, which certainly neededhis expertise in pension systems. However, Mr. Salomone's hardwork and dedication extended long before he started thatposition in 1986. He served in the Department of CommunityAffairs as chief of the municipal consulting division and wasdirector of the Office of Policy Development. And through itall, by his side was his wife, Eve Marie, and his two daughters,Janine and Nicole.

It is with great pleasure and my utmost respect thatMr. Anthony Salomone be recognized for his outstandingservice, and I would like for him to stand to my left over here,Tony Salomone.

Although you may not have seen him, we have all beenaffected in some way or another here through the pensionsystems by Tony and his great work, and I personally wishTony all the best in his retirement and good luck in hisretirement and the best of everything always. Congratulations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and, Tony, good luck.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard Shapiro

Boyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *

Mr. STERN called up HR 229, PN 1356, entitled:

A Resolution honoring the memory of the law enforcementofficers who gave their lives in the line of duty in this Commonwealthand recognizing the memorial service in their honor in Soldiers' Groveat the State Capitol Complex on May 7, 2007.


The SPEAKER pro tempore. On the resolution, the Chairrecognizes Representative Stern.

Will the House come to order. Members, please take yourseats.

Mr. STERN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.On Monday, May 7, 2007, at 12 o'clock noon, the Fraternal

Order of Police, Pennsylvania State Lodge, will conduct its


annual police memorial ceremony in the rear of this CapitolBuilding adjacent to Soldiers' and Sailors' Grove, near thefountain. The Fraternal Order of Police will honor the memoryof all law enforcement officers who were killed in the line ofduty throughout Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, could I have order, please.The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the gentleman suspend.Will the House please come to order. Members, please take

your seats. The gentleman has a very important resolution.Mr. STERN. On this day all the police officers that have paid

the ultimate price in Pennsylvania, giving their lives in theline of duty, will be honored as well as their family members.This past year in Pennsylvania, the year 2006, we lost threepolice officers.

Officer Gary Skerski was shot and killed while respondingto an armed robbery call at a café near the intersection ofArrott and Adams Avenues in Philadelphia. A patron in the caféhad called 911 to report the robbery, and Officer Skerski, whowas working an overtime detail for the department, respondedto the scene. As he approached the door, he was confronted bythe suspect, who was exiting the café. The suspect immediatelyopened fire, striking Officer Skerski in the neck, and then fledon foot. Officer Skerski was transported to Temple UniversityHospital where he succumbed to his wounds just beforemidnight. The suspect was apprehended 11 days later followinga shootout with the Philadelphia Police in which the suspect wasshot twice.

Officer Skerski had served with the Philadelphia PoliceDepartment for 16 years and was assigned to the 15th District.He is survived by his wife and two children.

Officer Scott Wertz of the Reading Police Department wasshot and killed in the line of duty early Sunday, August 6, 2006,after he and his partner, both working a plainclothes regionalauto theft detail, responded to a disturbance call near 8th andWalnut Streets. When they arrived at the location, they heardseveral shots in the parking lot and saw a man run from thecrowd. As the officers approached the suspect, he began to fleeon foot. When Officer Wertz apprehended him, the mansuddenly fired two shots, fatally striking Officer Wertz in thechest. Officer Wertz's partner immediately subdued the suspectand took him into custody.

Officer Wertz was a 9-year veteran of the ReadingPolice Department and had previously worked as a correctionalofficer as well as a part-time officer for the Sinking Spring andSouth Heidelberg Township Police Departments. Friends andfamily remember him as a mentor to young people and a manwho loved his family, career, and community.

He is survived by his wife, Trisha, and two sons, Jared andJoshua.

Also while on duty in the early morning hours of Thursday,November 9, 2006, Investigator David Petzold, 32, stopped hiscruiser on the right shoulder of State Route 309 to remove adeer carcass from the roadway. As he was removing theremains, this respected police officer was struck and killed by amotor vehicle.

Officer Petzold joined the Upper Saucon Police Departmentin 1996 and in 2002 became the first detective in the history ofthe department. In June 2005 he joined the FBI as a Federalagent. He returned to the Upper Saucon department last year inorder to spend more time with his family. Officer Petzold wasbeloved by the community and deeply involved in communityaffairs.

Officer Petzold is survived by his wife, Jessica, and threechildren, Sarah, Samantha, and Jonathan.

We are profoundly saddened by this tragic loss and the lossof these three police officers in the year 2006, and HR 229memorializes the memory and honors these police officers forwhat they do for each and every one of us every day inPennsylvania and honors the memory of those who have giventhe ultimate price. To date in the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania, that total is 699 police officers.

I would just respectfully ask for support and passage ofHR 229, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thanks thegentleman.



YEAS–198



NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTIONS PASSED OVER

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Returning to page 2 of today'scalendar, resolutions.

HR 51 is over.HR 115 is over.


Mr. LEACH called up HR 27, PN 28, entitled:

A Resolution designating the week of May 6 through 12, 2007, as"Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–197

Adolph Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel Turzai

Dally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock SpeakerGabig Mantz Roebuck

NAYS–1 Argall

NOT VOTING–0



* * *

RESOLUTION PASSED OVER

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Page 3 of today's calendar,HR 48 is over.

* * *

Miss MANN called up HR 52, PN 223, entitled:

A Resolution designating the month of May 2007 as"Arthritis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller Shimkus


Brennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would again like towelcome Valerie Woodhouse to the House chamber today. Sheis serving as a guest page and shadowing RepresentativeBarbara McIlvaine Smith. Valerie was off doing errands whenshe was recognized earlier on the House floor. Please rise andbe recognized.

The Chair would also like to welcome to the hall of theHouse Samantha Stoops, a Girl Scout, who is serving today as aguest page and as a guest of Representative Jaret Gibbons.Samantha, please rise.

MEMORANDUM SUBMITTEDFOR THE RECORD

VOTE CORRECTION

Mr. ARGALL submitted the following memorandum for theLegislative Journal:

House of RepresentativesCommonwealth of Pennsylvania

Harrisburg

MEMORANDUM

TO: Dennis O'Brien, Speaker

FROM: David G. Argall

DATE: April 24, 2007

SUBJECT: Correction of Record – HR 27

I would like the record to reflect that on House Resolution 27 myswitch malfunctioned and I should be recorded in the affirmative.

GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would also like towelcome, as the guests of Representative Tim Hennessey,students from the West Chester University political scienceseminar in political history. They are accompanied byProf. John Kennedy and Dr. Peter Loedel. They are seatedbehind the rail. Please rise and be welcomed to the chamber.

RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO RULE 35

Mr. PAYNE called up HR 61, PN 321, entitled:

A Resolution designating April 29, 2007, as "Dale Earnhardt Day"in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt Sonney


Carroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would also like towelcome to the House chamber, as the guests of RepresentativesJosh Shapiro and George Kenney, St. Hilary School students.They are seated in the rear of the House.



The SPEAKER pro tempore. HR 62 is over.HR 63 is over.HR 117 is over.

* * *

Mr. HESS called up HR 146, PN 987, entitled:

A Resolution recognizing the month of May 2007 as"Older Pennsylvanians Month" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198


NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0




* * *

RESOLUTION PASSED OVER

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Page 4 of today's calendar.HR 150 is over.

* * *

Mr. READSHAW called up HR 160, PN 1009, entitled:

A Resolution recognizing the week of May 7 through 11, 2007, as"Small Business Week" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198


NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *

Mr. DeWEESE called up HR 163, PN 1070, entitled:

A Resolution designating the week of April 30 through May 5,2007, as "Perfusionist Appreciation Week" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp Williams


Everett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *

Mr. NICKOL called up HR 171, PN 1077, entitled:

A Resolution designating May 19, 2007, as "Patriot Bond Day" inPennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips Wagner

Dermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *


The SPEAKER pro tempore. HR 173 is over.HR 184 is over.

* * *

Mr. MARSICO called up HR 189, PN 1232, entitled:

A Resolution recognizing April 27, 2007, as "Arbor Day";promoting public participation in the celebration; and furtherrecognizing the value of trees to our environment.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio Staback


Casorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



GUEST INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER pro tempore. For what purpose does thegentleman, Mr. Baker, rise?

Mr. BAKER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, we have an illustrious guest here with us this

afternoon that I would like to introduce. Brian Preski hasreturned to the hall of the House, former chief of staff to theSpeaker, and I would like to introduce him and have him take abow.


Mr. Preski is always welcome in the hall of the House.



The SPEAKER pro tempore. HR 191 is over.HR 192 is over.HR 195 is over.HR 196 is over.HR 199 is over.

HR 200 is over.HR 201 is over.

* * *

Mr. GABIG called up HR 209, PN 1349, entitled:

A Resolution designating the month of May 2007 as "Online ChildPredator Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198


NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0




* * *

Mr. CALTAGIRONE called up HR 210, PN 1272, entitled:

A Resolution recognizing May 4, 2007, as the "National Day ofPrayer."



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major Reichley

Frankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *


The SPEAKER pro tempore. The remainder of theresolutions on page 6 of today's calendar will be over.

* * *

Mr. CRUZ called up HR 224, PN 1284, entitled:

A Resolution designating April 23, 2007, as "Cesar Chavez Day"in Pennsylvania to honor his achievements in improving farmworkerhealth and safety.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer Thomas


Cutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *


The SPEAKER pro tempore. HR 225 is over.HR 233 is over.HR 235 is over.HR 236 is over.

* * *

Mr. SHIMKUS called up HR 237, PN 1362, entitled:

A Resolution honoring Sister Mary Reap, IHM, Ph.D.,10th president of Marywood University, and designating May 4, 2007,as "Sister Mary Reap Day" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe Schroder

Blackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond WojnaroskiFabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *


The SPEAKER pro tempore. HR 238 is over.HR 239 is over.HR 240 is over.

* * *

Mr. SOLOBAY called up HR 243, PN 1368, entitled:

A Resolution designating the month of May 2007 as "FosterGrandparent Program Month" in Pennsylvania.




YEAS–198


NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



* * *

Mrs. WATSON called up HR 244, PN 1369, entitled:

A Resolution observing May 1 through 7, 2007, as "NationalPhysical Education and Sports Week" and the month of May 2007 as"National Physical Fitness and Sports Month" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198


NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0




SUPPLEMENTAL CALENDAR A

RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO RULE 35

Mr. ADOLPH called up HR 246, PN 1404, entitled:

A Resolution designating the month of May 2007 as "WatershedAwareness Month" in Pennsylvania.



YEAS–198

Adolph Gabig Mantz RoebuckArgall Galloway Markosek RohrerBaker Geist Marshall RossBarrar George Marsico RubleyBastian Gerber McCall SabatinaBear Gergely McGeehan SainatoBenninghoff Gibbons McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Gillespie McIlhattan SantoniBeyer Gingrich Melio SaylorBiancucci Godshall Mensch ScavelloBishop Goodman Metcalfe SchroderBlackwell Grell Micozzie SeipBoback Grucela Millard ShapiroBoyd Haluska Miller ShimkusBrennan Hanna Milne SiptrothBrooks Harhai Moul Smith, K.Buxton Harhart Moyer Smith, S.Caltagirone Harkins Mundy SolobayCappelli Harper Murt SonneyCarroll Harris Mustio StabackCasorio Helm Nailor StairsCauser Hennessey Nickol SteilCivera Hershey O'Brien, M. SternClymer Hess O'Neill StevensonCohen Hickernell Oliver SturlaConklin Hornaman Pallone SurraCosta Hutchinson Parker SwangerCox James Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Josephs Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Kauffman Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, M. Peifer ThomasCutler Keller, W. Perry TrueDaley Kenney Perzel TurzaiDally Kessler Petrarca VerebDeLuca Killion Petri VitaliDenlinger King Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kirkland Phillips WagnerDermody Kortz Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kotik Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Kula Pyle WatersDonatucci Leach Quigley WatsonEachus Lentz Quinn WheatleyEllis Levdansky Ramaley WhiteEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WilliamsEverett Mackereth Raymond Wojnaroski

Fabrizio Maher Readshaw YewcicFairchild Mahoney Reed YudichakFleck Major ReichleyFrankel Manderino Roae O'Brien, D.,Freeman Mann Rock Speaker

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0



BILLS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEES,CONSIDERED FIRST TIME, AND TABLED

HB 71, PN 492 By Rep. FREEMAN

An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247),known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, providingfor notice to school district; and further providing for application forfinal approval.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

HB 131, PN 1414 (Amended) By Rep. FREEMAN

An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of thePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, prohibiting fees for policeservices.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

HB 588, PN 654 By Rep. FREEMAN

An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of thePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for purposes andpowers of municipal authorities.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

HB 768, PN 1412 (Amended) By Rep. CALTAGIRONE

An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of thePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for municipalpolice education and training.

JUDICIARY.

HB 769, PN 1413 (Amended) By Rep. CALTAGIRONE

An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for schoolpolice officers; and providing for school resource officers, for schoolsecurity officers and for training.

JUDICIARY.


APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would like torecognize Representative Keller for an announcement.

Mr. W. KELLER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.There will be an Appropriations Committee hearing

immediately following the call of the break. All members at themajority caucus room, please.

Thank you.The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thanks the

gentleman.Immediately following the break, the Appropriations

Committee will meet in the majority caucus room.

DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizesRepresentative Cohen for a caucus announcement.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats intend to be backon the floor at 1:30 p.m. We have no need for a Democraticcaucus today. There will, however, be a Democratic caucustomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m., Democraticcaucus tomorrow morning.

No caucus needed for Democrats today, and we will be backon the floor at 1:30 p.m.


REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizesRepresentative Major for a caucus announcement.

Miss MAJOR. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The Republicans do require a caucus today, so we will meet

immediately at the call of the recess in our caucus room.Once again, the Republicans will meet immediately at the

call of the recess in our caucus room, and we will be back onthe floor at 1:30. Thank you.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thanks the lady.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR. BASTIAN

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizesRepresentative Bastian for an announcement.

Mr. BASTIAN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.If you could give me your attention for just a moment,

please. It has been my privilege and honor to serve as theCommonwealth Prayer Breakfast chairman. We have a greatprogram on May 8 over at the Radisson Hotel. If you wantreservations, call my secretary. We have as the speaker this yearthe national president for Capitol Ministries. He is the CapitolMinistry in Sacramento for the California legislature. He alsowas a Final Four basketball player for John Wooden back in theseventies.

So if you need reservations, call my office. Thank you.The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair thanks the

gentleman.

RECESS

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Any further announcements?Seeing none, this House will stand in recess until 1:30.

RECESS EXTENDED

The time of recess was extended until 2:15 p.m.

AFTER RECESS

The time of recess having expired, the House was called toorder.

THE SPEAKER (DENNIS M. O'BRIEN)PRESIDING

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER. Without objection, Representative BEYERfrom Lehigh will be placed on leave for the rest of the day.

Without objection, Representative DONATUCCI fromPhiladelphia will be placed on leave for the rest of the day.

The Chair hears no objection. Members will be placed onleave.

BILLS REMOVED FROM TABLE

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the majority leader,who moves that the following bills be taken from the table andplaced on the active calendar: HB 179 and HB 369.

On the question,Will the House agree to the motion?Motion was agreed to.

CALENDAR CONTINUED

BILLS ON SECOND CONSIDERATION

BILLS PASSED OVER

The SPEAKER. The Chair returns to the active calendar,page 1. HB 842 is over for today.

HB 239 is over for today.

* * *

The House proceeded to second consideration of HB 906,PN 1264, entitled:

An Act amending the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73, No.17), knownas the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance ServiceGrant Act, further providing for guidelines and procedures, for awardof grants and for expiration of authority; providing for publication andnotice, for special provisions; and repealing an obsolete act.

On the question,Will the House agree to the bill on second consideration?


Mr. HERSHEY offered the following amendment No.A00454:

Amend Title, page 1, line 4, by inserting after "funding," "further defining "volunteer ambulance service";

Amend Bill, page 1, lines 10 through 12, by striking out all ofsaid lines and inserting

Section 1. The definition of "volunteer ambulance service" insection 102 of the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73, No.17), known as theVolunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act,is amended to read:Section 102. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall havethe meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise:

* * *"Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered

corporation, association or organization located in this Commonwealth,which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and is notassociated or affiliated with any hospital and which is regularlyengaged in the provision of emergency medical services, includingbasic life support or advanced life support services [and] and/or thetransportation of patients within this Commonwealth. The term shallnot include any corporation, association or organization that isprimarily engaged in the operation of invalid coaches which areintended for the routine transport of persons who are convalescent orotherwise nonambulatory and do not ordinarily require emergencymedical treatment while in transit.

* * *Section 2. Section 302 of the act is repealed:Amend Sec. 2, page 2, line 7, by striking out "2" and inserting

3Amend Sec. 3, page 2, line 15, by striking out "3" and inserting







10Amend Sec. 10, page 8, line 26, by striking out "10" and

inserting11

Amend Sec. 11, page 8, line 29, by striking out "11" andinserting

12

On the question,Will the House agree to the amendment?

The SPEAKER. On the amendment, the Chair recognizesRepresentative Hershey.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the majority whip,who requests that Representative GERGELY be put on leavefor the rest of the day. Without objection, the gentleman will beplaced on leave. The Chair hears no objection.

CONSIDERATION OF HB 906 CONTINUED

AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN

The SPEAKER. Does the gentleman withdraw amendmentA00454?

Mr. HERSHEY. Yes; I would, yes.The SPEAKER. The Chair thanks the gentleman.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the bill on second consideration?

Mr. HERSHEY offered the following amendment No.A00491:

Amend Title, page 1, line 4, by inserting after "funding," "further defining "volunteer ambulance service";

Amend Bill, page 1, lines 10 through 12, by striking out all ofsaid lines and inserting

Section 1. The definition of "volunteer ambulance service" insection 102 of the act of July 31, 2003 (P.L.73, No.17), known as theVolunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Act,is amended to read:Section 102. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall havethe meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise:

* * *"Volunteer ambulance service." Any nonprofit chartered

corporation, association or organization located in this Commonwealth,which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and is notassociated or affiliated with any hospital and which is regularlyengaged in the provision of emergency medical services, includingbasic life support or advanced life support services and [thetransportation of patients within this Commonwealth.] advancedlife support squads as defined in 28 Pa.Code § 1005.1 (relating togeneral provisions). The term shall not include any corporation,association or organization that is primarily engaged in the operation ofinvalid coaches which are intended for the routine transport of personswho are convalescent or otherwise nonambulatory and do notordinarily require emergency medical treatment while in transit.

* * *Section 2. Section 302 of the act is repealed:Amend Sec. 2, page 2, line 7, by striking out "2" and inserting








10Amend Sec. 10, page 8, line 26, by striking out "10" and

inserting11

Amend Sec. 11, page 8, line 29, by striking out "11" andinserting

12



The SPEAKER. On the amendment, the Chair recognizesRepresentative Hershey.

Mr. HERSHEY. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Amendment A00491 would allow nontransport advanced

life support ambulances to be eligible for this EMS (emergencymedical services) grant program. In my district in southeasternPennsylvania, there are a small few advanced life supportambulances that respond to vehicle accidents and other medicalemergencies using nontransport-capable vehicles. They rendercare, then another ambulance service provides the transport tothe hospital.

These small few ambulance services, which I am told by theDepartment of Health amounts to five ambulance servicesacross the State, fit the current requirements of being a 911dispatched EMS service, but they are penalized for notproviding transport, which is what we believe to be anunintended requirement in the current program.

These volunteer nonprofit ambulance services are verydeserving of this grant program, and this amendment issupported by the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania andhas been shared with the Office of the State Fire Commissionerand the Bureau of EMS, which do not have any problems withthe amendment.

I would ask my colleagues for an affirmative vote on thisamendment, and I thank you.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the amendment?


YEAS–195

Adolph Geist Marshall RohrerArgall George Marsico RossBaker Gerber McCall RubleyBarrar Gibbons McGeehan SabatinaBastian Gillespie McI. Smith SainatoBear Gingrich McIlhattan SamuelsonBenninghoff Godshall Melio SantoniBennington Goodman Mensch SaylorBiancucci Grell Metcalfe ScavelloBishop Grucela Micozzie SchroderBlackwell Haluska Millard SeipBoback Hanna Miller ShapiroBoyd Harhai Milne ShimkusBrennan Harhart Moul SiptrothBrooks Harkins Moyer Smith, K.Buxton Harper Mundy Smith, S.Caltagirone Harris Murt SolobayCappelli Helm Mustio SonneyCarroll Hennessey Nailor StabackCasorio Hershey Nickol StairsCauser Hess O'Brien, M. SteilCivera Hickernell O'Neill SternClymer Hornaman Oliver StevensonCohen Hutchinson Pallone SturlaConklin James Parker SurraCosta Josephs Pashinski SwangerCox Kauffman Payne TangrettiCreighton Keller, M. Payton Taylor, J.Cruz Keller, W. Peifer Taylor, R.Curry Kenney Perry ThomasCutler Kessler Perzel TrueDaley Killion Petrarca Turzai

Dally King Petri VerebDeLuca Kirkland Petrone VitaliDenlinger Kortz Phillips VulakovichDePasquale Kotik Pickett WagnerDermody Kula Preston WalkoDeWeese Leach Pyle WansaczDiGirolamo Lentz Quigley WatersEachus Levdansky Quinn WatsonEllis Longietti Ramaley WheatleyEvans, J. Mackereth Rapp WhiteEverett Maher Raymond WilliamsFabrizio Mahoney Readshaw WojnaroskiFairchild Major Reed YewcicFleck Manderino Reichley YudichakFrankel Mann RoaeFreeman Mantz Rock O'Brien, D.,Gabig Markosek Roebuck SpeakerGalloway

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0

EXCUSED–8 Belfanti Donatucci Gergely Smith, M.Beyer Evans, D. Myers Youngblood

The majority having voted in the affirmative, the questionwas determined in the affirmative and the amendment wasagreed to.

On the question,Will the House agree to the bill on second consideration as

amended?

Mr. FAIRCHILD offered the following amendment No.A00504:

Amend Sec. 2 (Sec. 302.1), page 2, lines 12 through 14, bystriking out all of said lines and insertingeffective date of this section for the fiscal period beginning July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30,2008, and no later than August 8 of each year thereafter.

Amend Sec. 3 (Sec. 303), page 3, lines 3 and 4, by striking out"THE FISCAL PERIOD JULY 1, 2006, THROUGH JUNE" in line 3and all of line 4 and inserting

the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, andending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, andending June 30, 2008.

Amend Sec. 3 (Sec. 303), page 4, by inserting between lines 1and 2

(1) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide written instructions for grants under this actto the fire chief and president of every volunteer fire company inthis Commonwealth no later than September 1 of each year.

(2) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide applications to the fire chief and presidentof every volunteer fire company no later September 8 of eachyear. Volunteer fire companies seeking grants under this act shallsubmit completed applications to the agency. The applicationperiod shall remain open for 45 days each year. The agency shallact to approve or disapprove applications within 60 days of theapplication submission deadline each year. Applications whichhave not been approved or disapproved by the agency within


60 days after the close of the application period each year shallbe deemed approved.Amend Sec. 3 (Sec. 303), page 4, lines 4 through 17, by striking

out "WITHIN 30" in line 4, all of lines 5 through 16 and "FOR45 DAYS FOR EACH YEAR THEREAFTER." in line 17 andinsertingfor the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007,and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, and no later thanSeptember 8 for each year thereafter.

(2) The agency shall provide applications to thefire chief and president of every volunteer fire company for thefiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007,and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, and no later thanSeptember 8 for each year thereafter. The application period shallremain open.Amend Sec. 5 (Sec. 502.1), page 5, lines 13 and 14, by striking

out all of said lines and insertingfiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007, andJuly 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, and no later than September 8for each year thereafter.

Amend Sec. 6 (Sec. 503), page 6, line 4, by striking out all ofsaid line and inserting

period beginning July 1, 2006, and endingJune 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and endingJune 30, 2008.


(1) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide written instructions for grants under this actto the fire chief and president of every volunteer fire company inthis Commonwealth no later than September 1 of each year.

(2) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide applications to the EMS chief and presidentof EMS team no later than September 8 of each year. EMS teamsseeking grants under this act shall submit completed applicationsto the agency. The application period shall remain open for45 days each year. The agency shall act to approve or disapproveapplications within 60 days of the application submissiondeadline each year. Applications which have not been approvedor disapproved by the agency within 60 days after the close ofthe application period each year shall be deemed approved.Amend Sec. 6 (Sec. 503), page 7, lines 2 through 12, by striking

out "within 30 days of the" in line 2 and all of lines 3 through 12 andinsertingfor the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007,and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, and no later thanSeptember 8 for each year thereafter.

(2) The agency shall provide applications to thevolunteer ambulance president of every volunteer ambulanceservice for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and endingJune 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, andno later than September 8 for each year thereafter. The agencyshall act to approve orAmend Sec. 10, page 8, lines 26 through 28, by striking out all of

said linesAmend Sec. 11, page 8, line 29, by striking out "11" and

inserting10


AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN

The SPEAKER. On the amendment, the Chair recognizesRepresentative Fairchild.

Mr. FAIRCHILD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pull thatamendment and then speak on a suspension of the rules for anew technical amendment.

The SPEAKER. The Chair thanks the gentleman forwithdrawing the amendment.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the bill on second consideration as

amended?

RULES SUSPENDED

The SPEAKER. The gentleman moves that the House rulesbe suspended for the immediate consideration of amendmentA00516.

On the question,Will the House agree to the motion?

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman on thesuspension.

Mr. FAIRCHILD. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I stand to ask for a suspension of the rules to offer the

amendment. The amendment is a replacement amendment forA00504, which was filed timely. However, an error was foundin the amendment language. Thus, I would like to offer 516 asits replacement.

This amendment is identical in subject matter to the technicalchanges in the previously filed amendment. Therefore, I feelthat it is very much within the spirit of the rules to ask for asuspension on this amendment, thereby allowing us to moveforward with this important bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes Representative Surra.Mr. SURRA. Just for the information of the members, this is

an agreed-to amendment, and I urge you to vote to suspend.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the motion?


YEAS–194

Adolph Galloway Markosek RoebuckArgall Geist Marshall RohrerBaker George Marsico RossBarrar Gerber McCall RubleyBastian Gibbons McGeehan SabatinaBear Gillespie McI. Smith SainatoBenninghoff Gingrich McIlhattan SamuelsonBennington Godshall Melio SantoniBiancucci Goodman Mensch SaylorBishop Grell Metcalfe ScavelloBlackwell Grucela Micozzie SchroderBoback Haluska Millard SeipBoyd Hanna Miller ShapiroBrennan Harhai Milne ShimkusBrooks Harhart Moul SiptrothBuxton Harkins Moyer Smith, K.Caltagirone Harper Mundy Smith, S.Cappelli Harris Murt SolobayCarroll Helm Mustio SonneyCasorio Hennessey Nailor StabackCauser Hershey Nickol StairsCivera Hess O'Brien, M. Steil


Clymer Hickernell O'Neill SternCohen Hornaman Oliver StevensonConklin Hutchinson Pallone SturlaCosta James Parker SurraCox Josephs Pashinski TangrettiCreighton Kauffman Payne Taylor, J.Cruz Keller, M. Payton Taylor, R.Curry Keller, W. Peifer ThomasCutler Kenney Perry TrueDaley Kessler Perzel TurzaiDally Killion Petrarca VerebDeLuca King Petri VitaliDenlinger Kirkland Petrone VulakovichDePasquale Kortz Phillips WagnerDermody Kotik Pickett WalkoDeWeese Kula Preston WansaczDiGirolamo Leach Pyle WatersEachus Lentz Quigley WatsonEllis Levdansky Quinn WheatleyEvans, J. Longietti Ramaley WhiteEverett Mackereth Rapp WilliamsFabrizio Maher Raymond WojnaroskiFairchild Mahoney Readshaw YewcicFleck Major Reed YudichakFrankel Manderino ReichleyFreeman Mann Roae O'Brien, D.,Gabig Mantz Rock Speaker

NAYS–1 Swanger

NOT VOTING–0


A majority of the members required by the rules havingvoted in the affirmative, the question was determined in theaffirmative and the motion was agreed to.


amended?

Mr. FAIRCHILD offered the following amendment No.A00516:

Amend Sec. 2 (Sec. 302.1), page 2, lines 12 through 14, bystriking out all of said lines and insertingeffective date of this section for the fiscal period beginning July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and ending June 30,2008, and no later than August 8 of each year thereafter.

Amend Sec. 3 (Sec. 303), page 3, lines 3 and 4, by striking out"THE FISCAL PERIOD JULY 1, 2006, THROUGH JUNE" in line 3and all of line 4 and inserting

the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, andending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, andending June 30, 2008.


(1) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and endingJune 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, the agency shall providewritten instructions for grants under this act to the fire chief andpresident of every volunteer fire company in this Commonwealthno later than September 1 of each year.

(2) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and endingJune 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, the agency shall provideapplications to the fire chief and president of every volunteerfire company no later September 8 of each year. Volunteerfire companies seeking grants under this act shall submitcompleted applications to the agency. The application periodshall remain open for 45 days each year. The agency shall act toapprove or disapprove applications within 60 days of theapplication submission deadline each year. Applications whichhave not been approved or disapproved by the agency within60 days after the close of the application period each year shallbe deemed approved.Amend Sec. 3 (Sec. 303), page 4, lines 2 through 21, by striking

out all of said linesAmend Sec. 5 (Sec. 502.1), page 5, lines 13 and 14, by striking

out all of said lines and insertingfiscal period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007, andJuly 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, and no later than August 8 foreach year thereafter.

Amend Sec. 6 (Sec. 503), page 6, line 4, by striking out all ofsaid line and inserting

period beginning July 1, 2006, and endingJune 30, 2007, and July 1, 2007, and endingJune 30, 2008.


(1) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide written instructions for grants under this actto the president of every volunteer ambulance service in thisCommonwealth no later than September 1 of each year.

(2) Beginning with the fiscal period commencing July 1,2006, and ending June 30, 2008, and each year thereafter, theagency shall provide applications to the president of everyvolunteer ambulance service no later than September 8 of eachyear. Volunteer ambulance services seeking grants under this actshall submit completed applications to the agency. Theapplication period shall remain open for 45 days each year.The agency shall act to approve or disapprove applications within60 days of the application submission deadline each year.Applications which have not been approved or disapproved bythe agency within 60 days after the close of the applicationperiod each year shall be deemed approved.Amend Sec. 6 (Sec. 503), pages 6 and 7; by striking out line 30,

page 6 and lines 1 through 16, page 7Amend Sec. 10, page 8, lines 26 through 28, by striking out all of

said linesAmend Sec. 11, page 8, line 29, by striking out "11" and

inserting10


The SPEAKER. On the amendment, the Chair recognizesRepresentative Fairchild.

Mr. FAIRCHILD. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.This amendment is a technical amendment which corrects

several section-number discrepancies and also corrects draftingerrors in regard to the deadline time frame for receipt in filing ofthese fire/EMS grant applications. The program will now runfrom September 8 when applications will be made availablethrough the beginning of February of each year, at which timethe grant checks will be disbursed.

This amendment is a product of working closely with theDemocratic committee staff, the chairman of the committee,


their leadership, the Governor's Office, and the State FireCommissioner. The amendment is agreed to, and I encourageyour support.


On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the amendment?


YEAS–195

Adolph Geist Marshall RohrerArgall George Marsico RossBaker Gerber McCall RubleyBarrar Gibbons McGeehan SabatinaBastian Gillespie McI. Smith SainatoBear Gingrich McIlhattan SamuelsonBenninghoff Godshall Melio SantoniBennington Goodman Mensch SaylorBiancucci Grell Metcalfe ScavelloBishop Grucela Micozzie SchroderBlackwell Haluska Millard SeipBoback Hanna Miller ShapiroBoyd Harhai Milne ShimkusBrennan Harhart Moul SiptrothBrooks Harkins Moyer Smith, K.Buxton Harper Mundy Smith, S.Caltagirone Harris Murt SolobayCappelli Helm Mustio SonneyCarroll Hennessey Nailor StabackCasorio Hershey Nickol StairsCauser Hess O'Brien, M. SteilCivera Hickernell O'Neill SternClymer Hornaman Oliver StevensonCohen Hutchinson Pallone SturlaConklin James Parker SurraCosta Josephs Pashinski SwangerCox Kauffman Payne TangrettiCreighton Keller, M. Payton Taylor, J.Cruz Keller, W. Peifer Taylor, R.Curry Kenney Perry ThomasCutler Kessler Perzel TrueDaley Killion Petrarca TurzaiDally King Petri VerebDeLuca Kirkland Petrone VitaliDenlinger Kortz Phillips VulakovichDePasquale Kotik Pickett WagnerDermody Kula Preston WalkoDeWeese Leach Pyle WansaczDiGirolamo Lentz Quigley WatersEachus Levdansky Quinn WatsonEllis Longietti Ramaley WheatleyEvans, J. Mackereth Rapp WhiteEverett Maher Raymond WilliamsFabrizio Mahoney Readshaw WojnaroskiFairchild Major Reed YewcicFleck Manderino Reichley YudichakFrankel Mann RoaeFreeman Mantz Rock O'Brien, D.,Gabig Markosek Roebuck SpeakerGalloway

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0


The majority having voted in the affirmative, the questionwas determined in the affirmative and the amendment wasagreed to.


amended?Bill as amended was agreed to.

(Bill as amended will be reprinted.)

* * *

BILL PASSED OVER TEMPORARILY

The SPEAKER. HB 112 is over temporarily.

GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes, as the guests ofRepresentative Marguerite Quinn and RepresentativePaul Clymer – I hope I get this right – Nancy Janyszeski,Bruce and Patti Keyser, Kathy Bobb, and Rosemarie Curran.They are in the balcony. Would you please join me inwelcoming them to the House. Would you please rise.


The House proceeded to third consideration of HB 112,PN 1354, entitled:

An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284),known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, further providing foreffect of act on existing laws and, in insurance holding companies, fordefinitions; providing for the Insurance Restructuring Executive Boardand for Insurance Restructuring Executive Board approval; furtherproviding for acquisition of control of or merger with domestic insurerand for acquisitions involving insurers not otherwise covered; andmaking an inconsistent repeal.

On the question,Will the House agree to the bill on third consideration?Bill was agreed to.

The SPEAKER. This bill has been considered on threedifferent days and agreed to and is now on final passage.

The question is, shall the bill pass finally?

The Chair recognizes Representative Schroder.Mr. SCHRODER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, one of the advantages and one of the good

things about our new House rules is that it gives us a longeropportunity to deliberate and review legislation than perhaps weotherwise might have, after the legislation was amended andbefore we go to final passage.

Now, Mr. Speaker, there is a provision in this bill that is ofgreat concern to me, and to be clear, it was not the result of anamendment that was passed the last time we took this up onsecond consideration. But on the final page of the bill, there is aprovision here that actually requires the InsuranceCommissioner to approve any consolidation as long assubstantial economies of scale exist, and the public benefits


which would arise from such economies exceed the publicbenefits which would arise from not lessening competition.

Now, there are several problems with that language,Mr. Speaker. First and foremost, I would defy anyone to tell meexactly what that means. The language is highly subjective.No one that I have talked to can tell me what the Commissionerwould use as a test or what criteria the Commissioner would useto make these determinations. But the reality is, we are probablynot going to be able to successfully eliminate all subjectivityfrom the bill. However, Mr. Speaker, I think we can make avery simple change that would not require the Commissioner totake this action and to tie and bind her hands, or his or herhands, but we can take action and amend this bill that wouldmerely make this area a consideration for the Commissioner inher deliberation on whether to approve this merger.

So, Mr. Speaker, I know that we are on third and finalpassage, third consideration and final passage of this bill. I havefiled an amendment today before 2 o'clock, and in order to runthis amendment, I would like to make two motions. The firstmotion, Mr. Speaker, would be a motion to revert to secondconsideration on this bill, and, Mr. Speaker, if that motionwould be successful, I would then move to table the bill untiltomorrow so that the amendment can be considered as timelyfiled.

So, Mr. Speaker, I move that we revert and go back tosecond consideration of HB 112.

The SPEAKER. I do not think the gentleman's motion is inorder. You cannot revert to second consideration. Thegentleman can file a reconsideration that the— The Chair canreconsider its announcement that this bill has been agreed to onthird consideration and moved to final passage. The gentlemanthen could move for a suspension of the rules for theconsideration of a nontechnical amendment. Saving that, hecould file it from a reconsideration motion to move the bill fromthird consideration back to second consideration.

Mr. SCHRODER. And could I make that motion orally, ordoes that have to be in writing?

The SPEAKER. If the Chair rescinds its announcement thatthe bill is agreed to on third consideration, is the gentlemanmaking a motion to suspend the rules for the consideration of anontechnical amendment on third consideration?

Mr. SCHRODER. Yes, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly whatI would be doing.

DECISION OF CHAIR RESCINDED

The SPEAKER. Without objection, the Chair rescindsits announcement that the bill is agreed to. The bill is now onthird consideration.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the bill on third consideration?

MOTION TO SUSPEND RULES

The SPEAKER. The gentleman moves that the rules besuspended for consideration of amendment A00526.

On the question,Will the House agree to the motion?

The SPEAKER. On the motion, the Chair recognizes thegentleman, Mr. Schroder.

Mr. SCHRODER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, as I pointed out, this bill and this law as

currently drafted in the final analysis, I believe, weighs heavilyin favor of approval of the consolidation of Highmark andIBC (Independence Blue Cross).

Now, Mr. Speaker, the other day on the floor I voted againstRepresentative Maher's amendment, which would have stoppedthe merger in its tracks basically. I did so because I do notbelieve that that was proper use of our legislative authority herein the House. I thought that approach and that amendment reallywent too far.

With that said, however, I do believe there are serious issuesthat the merger raises. At this point I am not taking a position onit, but I do not want it to be reviewed under a law or under aprovision that is weighted heavily in favor of approving theconsolidation. Let us level the playing field somewhat andapprove my amendment, and what my amendment would nowdo, it would say, an order under subsection (e)(1) shall considerwhether the economies of scale outweigh, you know, not takingany other action basically.

So, Mr. Speaker, with that, I would ask for approval tosuspend the rules to offer this amendment.

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes Representative Vitali.Mr. VITALI. A parliamentary inquiry.The SPEAKER. The gentleman will state his point of

parliamentary inquiry.Mr. VITALI. I am just trying to get a handle on these new

rules as we work our way through them, because I think theywere designed to avoid a situation like this where we reopenthings. My question is this: If we suspend the rules and add theSchroder amendment to the bill, do the rules require us to wait aday to have this in print before we vote on final passage?

The SPEAKER. The gentleman is correct. First the Housewould vote on suspension of the rules. If the House approvesthe suspension of the rules, then we would move to theamendment. If the amendment is adopted, then we would haveto wait 24 hours for the bill to be moved to final consideration.

Mr. VITALI. Thank you.

The SPEAKER. Representative Eachus.Mr. EACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the gentleman's

substantive revision of this bill.You know, the Reform Commission went through a very

thorough discussion about our House rules, and what the secondand third consideration rules change relates to is the ability forus to contemplate technical issues within a bill within theintervening time of the second and third consideration period.

Now, as you know, we passed this bill on Monday, or I amsorry, last week, and there has been ample time forconsideration of the technical issues. However, the gentlemanclearly knows that the House rules focus on nonsubstantivetechnical amendment changes between second and thirdconsideration. As the gentleman admitted clearly, clearly to theSpeaker of the House, this is a substantive change, and my God,what have we done the entire process of reform for if a memberof the commission itself, the Reform Commission, as the


gentleman is, is attempting to in our first opportunity to adhereto the new rules ask for consideration of this House under asuspension vote to change the rules that he voted for? I have totell you, there is a bit of hypocrisy in that.

The other issue before us is that this is a substantive change,as the gentleman admits. It changes a "may" provision in the billwhich allows the Insurance Commissioner in two separatesections to evaluate the facts of this transaction. What hislanguage does is it takes it to a "shall" provision. I am sorry, butthat is a substantive change to this proposal, and I have to tellyou, there is ample time to discuss and negotiate these issues.This is not the time under our new rules, and in the firstopportunity as new members, our new members should focus onadhering to these rules. If we are going to abide by what theSpeaker's Commission on Reform has set forth, then we shouldlive by our own rules.

I oppose the amendment from Mr. Schroder based on thevery rules that we voted on just a few months ago, and I ask fora "no" vote on suspension based on the argument that I havemade.

The SPEAKER. Representative Manderino.Ms. MANDERINO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, I am voting "no" on the suspension of the rules,

but with all due respect, I cannot let what was said by the lastspeaker go unchallenged.

It is not hypocritical for a person to offer an amendment onthird consideration. The whole notion of amending on secondconsideration was to give folks 24 hours to look at the bill in itsfinal form and decide if they were comfortable with that. Therules clearly intended to allow people, if they were notcomfortable with what the final product was after the amendedprocess, to, if the rest of the majority of the House agreed, allowa potential other amendment with the proviso that if thatamendment happens, that that would require another 24-hourdelay so that members can look at it in its full and final form.And with all due respect, I do not know that there was anintention to slight the reform process or to slight the memberoffering this amendment, but I just had to come to his defense.I think he is doing exactly what the rules intended for members,each and every member of this chamber, to be able to do.

So while on the issue at hand I am not with the maker of thismotion, I felt that that could not be left said like that, and I justfelt the need to make the record reflect the intention, thehonorable intention, I believe, of the maker of this motion andthe actual intention of the rules change.

The SPEAKER. The Chair thanks the lady for theamplification of the rule.

Representative Schroder.Mr. SCHRODER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I will not go on for long, but I would just mention that

certainly I do not take this step lightly, trying to suspend rules tooffer an amendment. However, I believe it is our finalopportunity to clear up what I believe is a very troublingprovision of this bill, and I think there are few issues that aregoing to have more impact on Pennsylvania, on Pennsylvania'seconomy, on the health care of Pennsylvania, than this merger,this consolidation of Highmark and IBC. And as I said, I am notsaying this should or should not go through, but the provisionthat is of particular concern would tie the hands of the InsuranceCommissioner and force her to approve the merger if theeconomies of scale basically outweigh, you know, not lesseningthe competition.

As I said, not only is it a very subjective standard that I donot believe anyone has stood up to say exactly what it means,but it weighs the bill heavily in favor of requiring theCommissioner to approve the consolidation. I think that weshould just allow the Commissioner to consider these factors,not require her to approve based upon those factors.

So for this reason I would appreciate consideration ofsuspension of the rules.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the motion?


YEAS–54

Adolph Grell McIlhattan RoaeBaker Harper Millard RockBarrar Harris Miller RohrerBastian Helm Moul RossBoyd Hennessey Murt RubleyClymer Hershey Nailor SamuelsonCreighton Hutchinson Nickol SaylorDally Kauffman Perry SchroderDenlinger Keller, M. Petri StairsFairchild Killion Pickett SteilFleck Mackereth Quinn SternGabig Maher Rapp VitaliGillespie Mantz Raymond WatsonGingrich Marsico

NAYS–140

Argall Freeman Marshall ScavelloBear Galloway McCall SeipBenninghoff Geist McGeehan ShapiroBennington George McI. Smith ShimkusBiancucci Gerber Melio SiptrothBishop Gibbons Mensch Smith, K.Blackwell Godshall Metcalfe Smith, S.Boback Goodman Micozzie SolobayBrennan Grucela Milne SonneyBrooks Haluska Moyer StabackBuxton Hanna Mundy StevensonCaltagirone Harhai Mustio SturlaCappelli Harhart O'Brien, M. SurraCarroll Harkins Oliver SwangerCasorio Hess Pallone TangrettiCauser Hickernell Parker Taylor, J.Civera Hornaman Pashinski Taylor, R.Cohen James Payne ThomasConklin Josephs Payton TrueCosta Keller, W. Peifer TurzaiCox Kenney Perzel VerebCruz Kessler Petrarca VulakovichCurry King Petrone WagnerCutler Kirkland Phillips WalkoDaley Kortz Preston WansaczDeLuca Kotik Pyle WatersDePasquale Kula Quigley WheatleyDermody Leach Ramaley WhiteDeWeese Lentz Readshaw WilliamsDiGirolamo Levdansky Reed WojnaroskiEachus Longietti Reichley YewcicEllis Mahoney Roebuck YudichakEvans, J. Major SabatinaEverett Manderino Sainato O'Brien, D.,Fabrizio Mann Santoni SpeakerFrankel Markosek


NOT VOTING–1 O'Neill


Less than a majority of the members required by the ruleshaving voted in the affirmative, the question was determined inthe negative and the motion was not agreed to.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the bill on third consideration?

The SPEAKER. Are there any further amendments? TheChair sees none.

On the question recurring,Will the House agree to the bill on third consideration?Bill was agreed to.



The Chair recognizes the gentleman, Representative Eachus,on final passage.

Mr. EACHUS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I rise to support HB 112. This advances the bar for

consumers in Pennsylvania. As we know, the contracts aresigned to craft a deal between Highmark in the west, the largestBlue Cross in western Pennsylvania, and Independence BlueCross in the east. Those two companies predominate a largeshare of the insurance business in health care for healthinsurance for Pennsylvanians. This bill is a clear example ofwhy we need additional oversight and responsibility by theInsurance Commissioner, and it gives all Pennsylvanians theability to have a Commissioner that can look at all assets withinthe array of things that are owned and operated by the Bluecompanies in this transaction and any Blue Cross company inthe future.

Much of these businesses are held in holding companies,for-profit entities that do not allow, under current law, theInsurance Commissioner to review those aspects of thesemerger deals which will create a much larger monster BlueCross company. My concern has always been consumers shouldhave the ability for their Insurance Commissioner and thisInsurance Department under this executive branch to take aclose look at whether this transaction and any transaction goingforward is in the best interests of ratepayers who hold healthinsurance policies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thisbill, HB 112, advances the bar for consumers in Pennsylvaniaand is the product of good work in a bipartisan fashion here inthe House, and I ask my colleagues here in the House ofRepresentatives to support HB 112.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the minority leader,

Representative Smith.

Mr. S. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I just want to concur with the previous speaker's comments

and emphasize the fact that while the office of the InsuranceCommissioner certainly has a huge responsibility in overseeingthat industry in general in Pennsylvania, I think the content ofHB 112, some might, you know, suggest it goes a little bitfurther than the norm, and I would argue that that is necessaryin the case that we are looking at now, because this proposedmerger is of such a large magnitude, it is not the normal merger,it is not the normal order of business to which the InsuranceCommissioner's office would be having normal oversight over.

So I just want to concur with those comments. I think thisdoes go a long way in giving the legislature and theadministration the proper oversight and review relative to thisissue and how it affects the ratepayers and the taxpayers, themedical providers, all of those people that are directly affectedby a health insurance company in Pennsylvania, and I think it isan important step that we take to help preserve those interestsand those rights.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. Representative Walko. The gentleman

waives off.

POINT OF ORDER

The SPEAKER. Representative Maher.Mr. MAHER. Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order.The SPEAKER. The gentleman will state his point of order.Mr. MAHER. If I understood earlier, the Speaker rescinded

his prior announcement of a vote on second consideration sothat the gentleman, Mr. Schroder, could seek suspension of therules.

The SPEAKER. The Chair rescinded its announcement thatthe bill was agreed to on third consideration.

Mr. MAHER. Mr. Speaker, I think you actually, maybe youdid not mean to, but I think you actually said secondconsideration.

The SPEAKER. No, I said third. We can check the record ifthe gentleman so desires.

Mr. MAHER. I stand corrected, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.The SPEAKER. Does anyone else seek recognition?

On the question recurring,Shall the bill pass finally?The SPEAKER. Agreeable to the provisions of the

Constitution, the yeas and nays will now be taken.


YEAS–189

Adolph George Marshall RossArgall Gerber Marsico RubleyBaker Gibbons McCall SabatinaBarrar Gillespie McGeehan SainatoBastian Gingrich McI. Smith SamuelsonBennington Godshall McIlhattan SantoniBiancucci Goodman Melio SaylorBishop Grell Mensch ScavelloBlackwell Grucela Metcalfe SeipBoback Haluska Micozzie ShapiroBoyd Hanna Millard ShimkusBrennan Harhai Miller SiptrothBrooks Harhart Milne Smith, K.


Buxton Harkins Moul Smith, S.Caltagirone Harper Moyer SolobayCappelli Harris Mundy SonneyCarroll Helm Murt StabackCasorio Hennessey Mustio StairsCauser Hershey Nailor SteilCivera Hess Nickol SternClymer Hickernell O'Brien, M. StevensonCohen Hornaman O'Neill SturlaConklin Hutchinson Oliver SurraCosta James Pallone SwangerCox Josephs Parker TangrettiCruz Kauffman Pashinski Taylor, J.Curry Keller, M. Payne Taylor, R.Cutler Keller, W. Payton ThomasDaley Kenney Peifer TrueDally Kessler Perzel TurzaiDeLuca Killion Petrarca VerebDenlinger King Petri VitaliDePasquale Kirkland Petrone VulakovichDermody Kortz Phillips WagnerDeWeese Kotik Pickett WalkoDiGirolamo Kula Preston WansaczEachus Leach Pyle WatersEllis Lentz Quigley WatsonEvans, J. Levdansky Quinn WheatleyEverett Longietti Ramaley WhiteFabrizio Mackereth Rapp WilliamsFairchild Maher Raymond WojnaroskiFleck Mahoney Readshaw YewcicFrankel Major Reed YudichakFreeman Manderino ReichleyGabig Mann Roae O'Brien, D.,Galloway Mantz Rock SpeakerGeist Markosek Roebuck

NAYS–6 Bear Creighton Rohrer SchroderBenninghoff Perry

NOT VOTING–0


The majority required by the Constitution having voted inthe affirmative, the question was determined in the affirmativeand the bill passed finally.

Ordered, That the clerk present the same to the Senate forconcurrence.

BILL REREPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

HB 642, PN 1353 By Rep. D. EVANS

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of thePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the offenseof neglect of care-dependent person; and providing for the offense ofharassment or stalking of care-dependent person.

APPROPRIATIONS.

BILL REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

HB 894, PN 1047 By Rep. JOSEPHS

An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing forreferendum or public hearing required prior to construction or lease.

STATE GOVERNMENT.

BILL REREFERRED

The SPEAKER. The Chair moves, at the request of themajority leader, that HB 894 be rereferred to the Committee onEducation.


BILLS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE,CONSIDERED FIRST TIME, AND TABLED

HB 33, PN 1418 (Amended) By Rep. JOSEPHS

An Act authorizing and directing the Department of GeneralServices, with the approval of the Department of Conservation andNatural Resources and the Governor, to lease to Pine Township,Clearfield County, a certain tract of land situate in Pine Township,Clearfield County, for a consideration of $1.

STATE GOVERNMENT.

SB 21, PN 29 By Rep. JOSEPHS

An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with theapproval of the Governor, to enter into an agreement or other legalinstrument with Chester County to alter use restrictions andreversionary covenants on real estate conveyed to Chester County,situate in Newlin and West Bradford Townships; and makinginconsistent repeals.

STATE GOVERNMENT.

SUPPLEMENTAL CALENDAR B


The House proceeded to third consideration of HB 642,PN 1353, entitled:

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of thePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the offenseof neglect of care-dependent person; and providing for the offense ofharassment or stalking of care-dependent person.

On the question,Will the House agree to the bill on third consideration?Bill was agreed to.




Representative Walko.Mr. WALKO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I rise to urge support for HB 642. This bill would address a

hole in our Commonwealth's Crimes Code that came to light tome a few years ago because of the plight of a resident of apersonal care home in the North Side of Pittsburgh. Her namewas Goldie Scherlacher. She was 86 years old, suffered fromdementia. She could not speak; she needed help with eating; sheneeded help taking her medicines; she needed help with herlaundry. She needed care, she was a care-dependent person, butshe did not get the help she needed. In fact, Goldie Scherlacherdied after she lost 36 pounds in 1 month. She weighed only76 pounds when they found her at the home.

The owner of the personal care home could not beprosecuted even after an inquest, even after the D.A. met atlength with parties of concern, including myself, because of thehole in the law whereby personal care homes, even though theyreceive compensation, even though they care for care-dependentpersons who are often frail and most in need, they are notcovered by the crime of neglect of care-dependent persons. Thislegislation would include all personal care homes, whether theyare three, whether they are two, whether they are one personunder the act. If this becomes law, small personal care homeswho abuse, who neglect their patients, will be held accountableand the sad case of Goldie Scherlacher would have or would inthe future see justice.

I would appreciate a positive vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. Representative Gingrich.Mrs. GINGRICH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I rise in support of HB 642. It has been my pleasure to work

closely with my colleague from Allegheny County. Sadly,I have had situations that closely mirror the example that heshared with you, as I am sure many of us have across theCommonwealth.

This bill is timely and this bill is necessary to deal with theaging demographic that we proudly try to serve here inPennsylvania, and also with the expansion of creativeopportunities and lifestyles for our elderly Pennsylvanians, oneof which we have identified carefully in this bill. The billliterally mirrors a bill that we worked together on last year andpassed overwhelmingly in the House. We have created anopportunity through some joint Federal funding to have awaiver program that allows people to live in private residenceswith three or less people. As was pointed out by my colleague,they have fallen through the cracks when it comes to oversightand supervision. This bill will hopefully correct much of that.

In addition to that, we have amended it to include a sectionon harassment and intimidation, very, very disconcerting andupsetting to think we have to do that, but in classic examplesthat we have seen identified in the Commonwealth and acrossthe country as well, people have been harassed and intimidated.They have been threatened in some of these facilities that wouldthreaten them and the opportunity to lose where they live andhave nowhere else to go.

We have an obligation to protect and secure the quality oflifestyles for our Pennsylvania seniors. So I would rise and askmy colleagues on both sides of the aisle to once againunanimously support this bill.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleaguefrom Allegheny County.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE CANCELED

The SPEAKER. The Chair notes the presence ofRepresentative Gergely. His name will be added to themaster roll.

CONSIDERATION OF HB 642 CONTINUED

On the question recurring,Shall the bill pass finally?The SPEAKER. Agreeable to the provisions of the

Constitution, the yeas and nays will now be taken.


YEAS–196

Adolph Geist Marshall RohrerArgall George Marsico RossBaker Gerber McCall RubleyBarrar Gergely McGeehan SabatinaBastian Gibbons McI. Smith SainatoBear Gillespie McIlhattan SamuelsonBenninghoff Gingrich Melio SantoniBennington Godshall Mensch SaylorBiancucci Goodman Metcalfe ScavelloBishop Grell Micozzie SchroderBlackwell Grucela Millard SeipBoback Haluska Miller ShapiroBoyd Hanna Milne ShimkusBrennan Harhai Moul SiptrothBrooks Harhart Moyer Smith, K.Buxton Harkins Mundy Smith, S.Caltagirone Harper Murt SolobayCappelli Harris Mustio SonneyCarroll Helm Nailor StabackCasorio Hennessey Nickol StairsCauser Hershey O'Brien, M. SteilCivera Hess O'Neill SternClymer Hickernell Oliver StevensonCohen Hornaman Pallone SturlaConklin Hutchinson Parker SurraCosta James Pashinski SwangerCox Josephs Payne TangrettiCreighton Kauffman Payton Taylor, J.Cruz Keller, M. Peifer Taylor, R.Curry Keller, W. Perry ThomasCutler Kenney Perzel TrueDaley Kessler Petrarca TurzaiDally Killion Petri VerebDeLuca King Petrone VitaliDenlinger Kirkland Phillips VulakovichDePasquale Kortz Pickett WagnerDermody Kotik Preston WalkoDeWeese Kula Pyle WansaczDiGirolamo Leach Quigley WatersEachus Lentz Quinn WatsonEllis Levdansky Ramaley WheatleyEvans, J. Longietti Rapp WhiteEverett Mackereth Raymond WilliamsFabrizio Maher Readshaw WojnaroskiFairchild Mahoney Reed YewcicFleck Major Reichley YudichakFrankel Manderino RoaeFreeman Mann Rock O'Brien, D.,Gabig Mantz Roebuck SpeakerGalloway Markosek

NAYS–0

NOT VOTING–0


EXCUSED–7 Belfanti Donatucci Myers YoungbloodBeyer Evans, D. Smith, M.

The majority required by the Constitution having voted inthe affirmative, the question was determined in the affirmativeand the bill passed finally.

Ordered, That the clerk present the same to the Senate forconcurrence.

The SPEAKER. For the information of the members, therewill be no more roll-call votes for today.

GUESTS INTRODUCED

The SPEAKER. The Chair would like to make anannouncement. In the gallery we have homeschoolers fromTioga and Potter Counties with their parents. Will they pleasestand. They are the guests of Representatives Matt Baker andMartin Causer.

GAME AND FISHERIESCOMMITTEE MEETING

The SPEAKER. Are there any announcements?Representative Staback.Mr. STABACK. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, there will be an immediate meeting of

the Game and Fisheries Committee in room 205 of theRyan Building; immediate meeting of the Game and FisheriesCommittee, room 205 in the Ryan Building. Thank you.

The SPEAKER. The Game and Fisheries Committee willmeet in room 205 of the Ryan Office Building immediately.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRSCOMMITTEE MEETING

The SPEAKER. Representative Thomas.Mr. THOMAS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee's

public hearing will begin immediately, and I ask all members tocome to G-50 in the Irvis Office Building. The hearing will startright away.

The SPEAKER. The Intergovernmental Affairs Committeewill meet immediately in the Irvis Office Building inroom G-50.

STATEMENT BY MR. WILLIAMS

The SPEAKER. Representative Jewell Williams.Mr. WILLIAMS. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Personal privilege or unanimous consent. I just want to

speak. Mr. Speaker?The SPEAKER. The gentleman is recognized on unanimous

consent.Mr. WILLIAMS. Thank you.Mr. Speaker, if we can just get the attention for just

one second.

Mr. Speaker, today in this great hall, surrounded by manydistinguished people, today I saw a very disturbing, a verydisturbing sign, and it was to a colleague of ours whointroduced some legislation, and this sign said, RepresentativeCruz should be hung by a tree. And I have got a fundamentalproblem with those kinds of signs hanging around thisinstitution and knowing that many people here supportorganizations that have signs, that there is just signage all overthis building, and I am very upset, Mr. Speaker. And I knowpeople have a right to make or express their opinions, but myancestors and my grandparents were victims of signage, postageon barns and farmhouses stating, hang the next Negro that yousee. So I am offended, and I just wanted this House to hear whatI had to say, and I just want that point to get out. And I hopethat no other colleagues try to come and make a remark afterI speak, because this is personal. This is very personal that wehave these things happening in our State Capitol, sending a badmessage all across Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak.The SPEAKER. The Chair thanks the gentleman.

STATEMENT BY MR. SURRA

The SPEAKER. Representative Surra.Mr. SURRA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.And I rise to support the gentleman's comments.

I vehemently disagree with Representative Cruz's legislation,but I will tell you, I wholeheartedly support his right to debateand bring up issues in this House. That is what we are about.I will do everything in my power to defeat HB 760, but he hasthe right, in fact it is his duty to bring forward legislation thathis constituents like, whether we agree with it or not, and I thinkthat type of activity is over the top, Mr. Speaker, and I think thisHouse should reject it outright.

STATEMENT BY MR. METCALFE

The SPEAKER. Representative Metcalfe.Mr. METCALFE. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, it was an act that was committed by a couple of

individuals here today that infiltrated into the midst of a rallythat we were having. In support of the Second Amendmenttoday, a couple of individuals infiltrated, raised up a banner thathad a very awful message on it, as the previous speakers hadreferred to. It was a message that I am sure that every memberof this General Assembly would condemn in the strongestterms, and I just wanted to let the previous speakers know thatI join with them in condemning that message.

It was not a message that was supported by the members ofthe General Assembly who were there previous to that bannerbeing raised. It was not a message that was supported bythe groups who were joining together with members of thisGeneral Assembly. Both Democrat and Republican stood instrong force this morning together for the Second Amendment,and I am sure we stand just as strong against the hateful speechthat was displayed on that banner, and we condemn it in thestrongest terms.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. The Chair would like to thank the members

of the General Assembly for the spirit of harmony and


camaraderie that has been exhibited and the respect and supportthat you show for each other.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MAJORITY LEADER

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the majority leader,Representative DeWeese.

Mr. DeWEESE. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My remarks willbe very brief.

I will ask for a leave of absence tomorrow. I will have theprivilege of testifying before the United States Congress EnergyCommittee concerning a power line project that cuts a wideswath through western Pennsylvania. Mr. Solobay and a varietyof other members from the western counties are at least affecteddirectly or indirectly. I wanted to announce the fact that I willnot be on the floor, will ask for a leave of absence tomorrow,and if any other members from the southwestern counties wherethis power line will be affecting our constituents have anysuggestions, I will still be putting together my testimony latethis afternoon and into the evening and wanted to invite anyadditional comments from any other members of thePennsylvania House of Representatives.

Thank you very much.The SPEAKER. The Chair thanks the gentleman.

INTERROGATION

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the minority leader,Representative Smith.

Mr. S. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, I presume then we Well, I do not mean to

make light of the business that you are taking hand in tomorrow.It is certainly one of those important things that we all get calledto duty relative to, you know, our work here. I take it then wewill not be seeing an appropriations bill introduced tomorrow,or are we any closer to getting a bill before this legislature? AndI ask that, Mr. Speaker, partly to prod you, I will be blunt aboutit, but in reality, in all seriousness, Mr. Speaker, even our schooldistricts publish a budget 30 days prior to enactment, and whilewe may not always have our budgets passed and on theGovernor's desk in a final form by June 30, although mostly wehave, I think it is important that we have an appropriations billthat is at least out in the open so that people can start respondingand reacting to that starting point of a budget, and I am justcurious, Mr. Speaker, if we are any closer to having anappropriations bill introduced.

Mr. DeWEESE. Very respectfully, to my good friend fromJefferson County, the last time we had this colloquy, I indicatedthat on the anniversary of Hitler's suicide, April the 30th, wewould have better numbers. We would look retrospectively atthe revenue yields that the Pennsylvania Treasury could beexpecting, and with our help from the Department of Revenue,in the early weeks of May we will be forthcoming withadditional data and with a stronger proposal, we hope.

Now, the honorable gentleman did say 30 days. From May 1to June 30 allows 60 days. I am confident that sometime inMay we can give the gentleman a more precise answer. ButI would like to adumbrate one more time the fact that we havewhat I view is the most strenuous budget cycle since 1991 andpossibly the most strenuous budget cycle since 1977. In the32 summers I have been privileged to serve in this building, this

is a paramount challenge. This is going to be an excruciatinglydifficult process, and rather than to rush into the breachprematurely, I think it will be helpful if we get April's revenuenumbers. We all know that the income tax money that thePennsylvania income tax yields will be a big factor in ourdeliberations in May and June. So with all due respect, I hopethat we can be more forthcoming, more exact in our responsessometime in early May.

Thank you very much.The SPEAKER. Representative Smith.Mr. S. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Well, at least we were consistent from last week to this

week, Mr. Speaker. I think your points are well taken andprobably make my point that while this is a difficult budget yearcoming before us, I think it is all the more important that weactually get an appropriations bill out there. Yes, will thosenumbers, you know, the current year's tax receipts, collections,what will they actually be? What will the revenue estimates befor the coming year? Those are things that always change. Theyalways change from the day the Governor announces his budgetin early February right up to the day the budget is signed intolaw, and so we are used to those changes.

I think what the people of Pennsylvania and I think what theRepublicans in the House want to see is, what is our startingpoint for a budget negotiation, for a discussion on where ourpriorities should be. The bottom-line question, which is going tomake this budget either tough in one way or tough in anotherway, is, are we going to consider the tax increases that areembodied in the Governor's proposal? I would say that there isno support for those tax increases in this legislature. There maybe a few small pockets here and there, but I do not think thereis any majority support in the House or the Senate for thosetax increases.

If we accept that, Mr. Speaker, then we are back to lookingat the money that we currently have, given that they areestimates and they float a little bit with time. We have a certainamount of money to spend and that we have to make our budgetpriorities based on that. That is how I see it shaping up,Mr. Speaker, and I just think the sooner we define thatbeginning point by the introduction of an appropriations bill, thequicker we can actually come to a resolution on how the budgetpriorities will be enacted into law.

The SPEAKER. Representative DeWeese.Mr. DeWEESE. The perdurably happy and ever-cogent

predecessor at the Republican podium, the HonorableMatthew J. Ryan, used to challenge us when we were in theminority and we would have a series of questions or, worse yet,lamentations. He would say, well, come up with your ownbudget; come up with your own budget. I do not want to makelight. This is not meant in jocularity, but if the Republicans arenot willing to raise any additional revenues, and Mr. Smith'sconjecture about the mood of the House may, indeed, be on thebull's-eye, but if they are not willing to consider any additionalrevenues, I would suggest that it would be very helpful if withinthe next week or two prior to all of the revenue yields beingforthcoming, that Mr. Smith and his talented lieutenant,Mr. Civera, come up with hundreds and hundreds and hundredsand hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds ofmillions of dollars of cuts.

Now, if we are going to cut libraries or cancer researchcenters or home health care, I do not know what we are going tocut. That is going to be a part of the deliberations, but I really


believe that we will have a sense of exactitude and precisionand professionalism once we wait until the revenue yields inApril are forthcoming. It does not take a lot of intellectualprocess to know that April is the month when our income taxesare due. By the end of the month, we will have a better yield,we will have a better knowledge, and early in May I hope tohave a better answer for my very good friend, Mr. Smith, fromJefferson County.

The SPEAKER. Representative Smith.Mr. S. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.I appreciate the comments, and I would only point back to

last year, we introduced a budget that started where this year'sbudget ended, and I still feel, Mr. Speaker, that that was themost logical approach to budgeting. It gave everyone a squarelook at where we currently are. If something needs increased,if something needs decreased, it opens up that debate. I thinkwhat we did was appropriate, and if at some point the majorityparty is not going to proceed with introducing a budget, I guess,you know, we would be forced to do so. I think it is theirresponsibility, under normal circumstances. Perhaps theextraordinary circumstances here will mean that you are notwilling to enter into that chasm. If that is the case, we will.

The SPEAKER. Representative DeWeese.Mr. DeWEESE. We are Democrats. We are optimists. We

are positivists, if there is such a word. I think there is, butno matter what, I am going to take that literary license. We havean extraordinary differential between this year and last year.We cannot forget that 700 billion – I said this last week –700 billion fewer dollars are cascading into the Treasuries inColumbus, Ohio; Sacramento, California; Tallahassee, Florida;Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Charleston, West Virginia;Baton Rouge, Louisiana, all of the State Capitols of America;$700 billion fewer are coming to the State Capitols.

Now, we are not going to get into a debate on what is goingon in the rest of the world, but the Federal government underthis administration has been quite stingy, to be polite. We willget more acerbic, if not vituperative, later on in the budgetdebate, but for right now we have got big problems, and wehave big problems, Honorable Mr. Smith, compared to last year.So the proverbial idea of apples and oranges comes to mind. Butsometime in May when revenues are more clear and we knowexactly where my Republican friends want to cut hundreds andhundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds andhundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars, then we will getdown to it, and somehow, someway we will try to proceed for abudget finalization by 11 p.m. on the 30th day of June.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes Representative

Civera.Mr. CIVERA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.Mr. Speaker, the majority leader, I am sure, looks at the

same numbers that we look at on this side of the aisle, andI want you to stand before me and tell me that right now we arenot over estimate on our revenues from this time last year?

The SPEAKER. Representative DeWeese.Mr. DeWEESE. I do not think there is any doubt that we

have had some very salubrious news from our budgeteers.Mr. CIVERA. Mr. Speaker, I have only had this job for like

5 or 6 months, but will the gentleman be more explicit than—The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman repeat that euphemism.Mr. DeWEESE. The honorable gentleman is correct. We do

have a few more dollars than we thought we would have

relative to initial projections, and that is good. That is good foryou, that is good for us, that is good for the State, that isgood for folks who need home health care, that is good for ourcancer research centers, that is good for our libraries, ourvolunteer fire companies, but it is still a long, long, long, longway from solving our budget challenges. But you are correct,sir, we do have a few more dollars than we thought we wouldhave last year at this time, or at least when the budget waspassed last year.

The SPEAKER. Representative Civera.Mr. CIVERA. Mr. Speaker, this is a simple debate, and let us

not make it more, you know, let us not complicate it.What the Governor put before this General Assembly in

February and the additional spending that he had in his budget,if you are thinking – and this is what we need to know; this iswhat we are asking you – if you are thinking about adopting thatbudget, then you have substantial increases in taxes, but whatwe are saying is that we need to do the people's business, weneed to do what we are responsible for, and if the revenuesare over from last year and those revenues do not call for atax increase, then why cannot we get on with the people'sbusiness? It is simple. There is no high math here.

The SPEAKER. Representative DeWeese.Mr. DeWEESE. I would accede not only to the enthusiasms

but to the knowledge of my honorable counterpart. He is anappropriations specialist steeped in the tradition of numberscrunching. I would also say that I am the beneficiary of goodstaff help and advice, and I am confident that regardless of therevenue yields and whether they are stronger than we hadanticipated, there will still be serious budget cutting in theprocess in May and in June. We will probably have toseriously cut programs or embrace part of Governor Rendell'srevenue-increasing measures. I do not think, and I wouldcertainly opine that the gentleman, Mr. Smith, is correct, at leastinferentially, collectively, nebulously, that there are not a lot ofvotes here amongst the 203 for the specific line by line by linebudget that was proffered by His Excellency, but when theGovernor, whether it was Shapp or Thornburgh or Casey orRidge or Schweiker or Rendell, during my experience, gives abudget address, it is an outline. It is almost like a sketch relativeto a portrait, and we are charged with adding definition, we arecharged with burnishing his initial work product, but no matterwhat – and I really do believe as the gentleman has indicated,we do have a few more dollars than we thought we would have– I still think it is going to be a very big challenge, and we willhave to make serious cuts if we do not raise any additionalincreases.

As we all know, in this room the most fundamental andunswerving focus of Sam Rohrer and David Levdansky andmyself and a variety of other people, and again, we do not havethe exact same blueprint, but we want to reduce property taxesand eventually eliminate property taxes as they have done inother States by increasing sales taxes. I am not sure that willgarner enough votes to pass the House. I think it may. I think itwould have a tougher vote in the Senate. But my focus is goingto be unswervingly toward reducing property taxes byincreasing sales tax. It is a shift, I admit, and many of mycolleagues on the Republican side agree with me, and I agreewith them, and in fact, Sam Rohrer and I have never agreedmore on anything than we agree on 60 or 70 percent of thisinitiative relative to property tax reductions and eventuallyproperty tax elimination. If I had my way, I would do what they


did, I believe it was in the State of Tennessee, where they tookthe sales tax to 9 percent and it eliminated all kinds of –everything else. They took sales to 9. No more property taxes;no more nuisance taxes. I am not sure if it was Tennessee.I think it was one of the Southern States that did that, andI think Florida made a similar vote in the State House recently.

So I want to work together. I feel blessed, I think we all do,that we have such good people to work with – amiable, affable,buttressed with solid staff. I can see the minority leader's smile.It is going to be a rough couple of months, but I really do notthink the hard punching will come till sometime in May andJune. I do not think you are going to, notwithstanding theseweekly colloquies, which are appropriate, and I would probablybe doing the same thing if I had your assignment; who knowshow long we have our assignments, but nevertheless, I thinkthat in May and June we are going to try to pass a budget thatwould make the Governor proud and make the Commonwealthof Pennsylvania's citizenry proud. We have had enoughchallenges historically over the past couple of years. We shouldshow a system of solid collaboration. We should reflect apolitical discourse that augurs favorably for a June 30 budgetwith as little pain as possible and yet taking care ofPennsylvania's underprivileged, taking care of people's healthcare in this State, taking care of the educational necessities thatare so apparent in our Commonwealth, but we cannot do itunless we work together.

I feel very good about Mr. Civera and Mr. Smith and theirleadership assignments, and certainly I wish them well.

The SPEAKER. Representative Civera.Mr. CIVERA. Mr. Speaker, just a quick response. I am not

going to take you all over the world.We want to work together, and we want to accomplish that,

and that is why we are here today. When you talk about theissue of property taxes, both sides of the aisle want to adopt astrong form of property taxes. However, what is in that budgetthis year, for every dollar that we raise on the sales tax, only30 cents goes to reduce the property tax. Is that really trueproperty tax reform?

What I am saying to you is this, is that we need a documentin front of us. We need to have a starting point of what directionwe are going to go in, and I do not think it is as horrible as youhave said, Mr. Majority Leader. I think we are going to be okay,but let us put the document in front of us. Let us go to work anddo the people's business of Pennsylvania.


STATEMENT BY MR. MAHER

The SPEAKER. For what purpose does the gentleman,Representative Maher, rise?

Mr. MAHER. To answer a question from the majority leaderas to his journey to the Federal Capitol tomorrow. He hadsolicited input, and with unanimous consent, I might

The SPEAKER. The gentleman is recognized for unanimousconsent.

Mr. MAHER. Thank you; thank you.The SPEAKER. Without any objection, the gentleman may

proceed.Mr. MAHER. I am delighted to understand that the

majority leader is going to journey to the Congress and share hispoints of view with the counterparts who are running the

Congress, which I believe is of your party, and I would suggestthat instead of remonstrances in this chamber about Federalfunding, perhaps you should take those messages to theDemocrats who are running the Federal Congress, who aredeciding the appropriations, and if Pennsylvania is beingshortchanged, Mr. Leader, perhaps you can inspire yourcounterparts who are running the Congress to cease and desistand improve the funding of Pennsylvania. But offering thelament in this chamber when none of us get to carry the Federalbudget forward, it seems to me that you are talking to the wrongaudience, but since you will be with the correct audience,I would like your pledge today that you will convey to themajority leader of the House, the majority leader of the Senate,to your Appropriations chairman in our Federal Capitol yourgrand desire for improved funding for Pennsylvania and to askthem to not be, I think your word was, so "stingy."

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.The SPEAKER. Representative DeWeese.Mr. DeWEESE. I will have the opportunity to address the

chairman of a subcommittee tomorrow who will be the nextPresident of the United States, the Honorable Dennis Kucinichof Ohio, and if I get any free time, I will call the majorityleader.

The SPEAKER. Are there any further announcements?

COMMUNICATIONS

The SPEAKER. The Speaker is in receipt of the followingreports, a brief description of which will be read by the clerk.

The following communications were read:

A report and actuarial note submitted by the chairman of thePublic Employees Retirement Commission regarding HB 144, PN 996.

A report and actuarial note submitted by the chairman of thePublic Employee Retirement Commission regarding HB 425, PN 489.



A report from the chairman of the Public Employee RetirementCommission regarding HB 682, PN 1352, indicating that the bill willhave no cost impact upon the State Employees' Retirement System andan actuarial note is not required.

(Copies of communications are on file with the Journalclerk.)

BILL RECOMMITTED

The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the majority leader,who moves that HB 906, PN 1264, be rereferred to theAppropriations Committee.



ANNOUNCEMENT BY SPEAKER

The SPEAKER. The Chair will make the announcement theHouse is expected to come back tomorrow at 11 a.m.

RECESS

The SPEAKER. This House will stand in recess to the call ofthe Chair, for further reports from committees.

AFTER RECESS

The time of recess having expired, the House was called toorder.

THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE(MATTHEW E. BAKER) PRESIDING

ADJOURNMENT

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes thegentleman from Beaver, Mr. Marshall, who moves that thisHouse do now adjourn until 11 a.m., e.d.t., on Wednesday,April 25, 2007, unless sooner recalled by the Speaker.

On the question,Will the House agree to the motion?Motion was agreed to, and at 10:59 a.m., e.d.t., Wednesday,

April 25, 2007, the House adjourned.

Documents

COMMONWE ALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE ...2007/04/24 · Tara to the hall of the House. Members, may we have order in the chamber. Also in the gallery today, as the guest of Representative