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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2009

Senate Weekly Session Wrap

Important Harrisburg Happenings:

Remaining State Workers Should Soon be Paid

The Senate approved a package of bills, during the session week of August 10, authorizing funding for eight independent state agencies and commissions so their employees and vendors can be paid, according to Senator Pat Browne (R-16).

The bills are now headed to the Governor for his signature and enactment into law.

Legislative passage of House Bills 1419 through 1425 and House Bill 1663 provides authorization of payments for almost all state employees for the 2009-10 Fiscal Year, except the Legislature and its staff. Governor Rendell vetoed funding for the Legislature's expenses for FY 2009-10 when he signed Senate Bill 850 last week, which provided for paychecks for most state employees – including the Governor and his staff.

House Bills 1419 through 1425 are now headed to the Governor for his signature and enactment into law. House Bill 1663 returns to the House for concurrence on Senate amendments.

The bills approved by the Senate provided the following appropriations:

• House Bill 1419 -- $43,227,000 for the Public School Employees' Retirement (PSERS) Board.
• House Bill 1420 -- $27,733,000 for the State Employees' Retirement (SERS) Board.
• House Bill 1421 -- $45,755,000 for the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.
• House Bill 1422 -- $72,408,000 for the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund.
• House Bill 1423 -- $55,970,000 for the Public Utility Commission
• House Bill 1424 -- $5,124,000 for the Office of the Consumer Advocate.
• House Bill 1425 -- $1,040,000 for the Office of the Small Business Advocate.
• House Bill 1663 -- $58,948,500 for the State Gaming Fund.

In other legislative actions, the Senate concurred on House amendments on three bills and sent them on to the Governor for enactment.

Senate Bill 240, co-sponsored by Senator Browne, will modernize, standardize and improve Pennsylvania's Emergency Medical Services Law to ensure high levels of patient care and greater public safety.  The measure replaces the existing Emergency Medical Services Law with one that is more coordinated and responsive to the current EMS needs of the state.  In the 1980s, most EMS organizations were adjuncts of local fire companies.  But today, only about a third are volunteer.  Changes in workforce, technology and service configurations have all made it necessary to revamp the existing law to reflect current practices and protocols. Currently, the system is made up of 53,000 EMS providers operating 1,014 ambulance services.  Those providers responded to more than 1.8 million calls in 2008 – or a dispatch every 18 seconds.

Senate Bill 563, introduced by Senator Browne, amends the Mechanics' Lien Law to clarify the residential exclusion adopted in 2006. Governor Rendell signed the bill into law on August 11 as Act 34 of 2009.

Senate Bill 862 transfers a portion of state-owned land off of Interstate 99 in Benner Township from the Department of General Services to the Centre County Industrial Development Corp. The transfer would allow for an access road for an industrial park.

The Senate also approved Senate Bill 168, co-sponsored by Senator Browne. This legislation would allow municipal governments to enter into power supply and electric generation projects. SB 168 goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Contact:

Matt Moyer
(610) 366-2327