Legislative Update

March 2008

State bills found in the Electronic Bill Room

SR. 247
By Senators ERICKSON, PUNT, FONTANA, PILEGGI, STOUT, FERLO, WAUGH, KASUNIC, RAFFERTY, MADIGAN, BRUBAKER, HUGHES, C. WILLIAMS, MELLOW, ORIE, TARTAGLIONE, WASHINGTON, MUSTO, BAKER, FOLMER, PIPPY, SCARNATI, WOZNIAK, TOMLINSON, O'PAKE, LOGAN, COSTA, McILHINNEY, GORDNER, ROBBINS, BROWNE, WONDERLING, DINNIMAN, BOSCOLA, ARMSTRONG, D. WHITE, LAVALLE, STACK, EARLL and A. WILLIAMS.
Printer's No. 1809.
A Resolution recognizing the month of March 2008 as "National Developmental Disability
Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
Introduced and adopted, March 10, 2008
(Remarks see Senate Journal Page ....), March 10, 2008

HR. 534
By Representatives CONKLIN, MELIO, JAMES, BRENNAN, KORTZ, McGEEHAN, SAINATO, GIBBONS, SIPTROTH, GEORGE, GOODMAN, PALLONE, MANN, BELFANTI, MAJOR, SHIMKUS, PARKER, PETRONE, MANTZ, HARHAI, CRUZ, KULA, WOJNAROSKI and SEIP.
Printer's No. 2986.
A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to fund the creation and maintenance of a database of the mental health needs of college and university students.
Referred to INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, Dec. 11, 2007

SB 998 update
By Senators McILHINNEY, O'PAKE, WASHINGTON, RAFFERTY and RHOADES.
Prior Printer's No. 1215.
Printer's No. 1840.
An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for clinical social work services.
Referred to BANKING AND INSURANCE, June 25, 2007
Reported as amended, March 18, 2008
First consideration, March 18, 2008

HB 1596
By Representatives EACHUS, BRENNAN, MENSCH, YOUNGBLOOD, FLECK, JAMES, CALTAGIRONE,
HERSHEY, GEORGE, HARHAI, CAPPELLI, GOODMAN, CLYMER, BEAR, WOJNAROSKI, HENNESSEY,
SHIMKUS, PALLONE, STABACK, VULAKOVICH, KOTIK, FRANKEL, SANTONI, LONGIETTI, FABRIZIO,
THOMAS, BISHOP, JOSEPHS, MURT, MYERS, K. SMITH, KULA, SIPTROTH and PASHINSKI.
Printer's No. 2037.
An Act amending the act of July 2, 2004 (P.L.492, No.57), known as the Sign Language Interpreter and Transliterator State Registration Act, further providing for responsibilities of Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and for State registration required; providing for provisional registration; and further providing for registration and violations and for suspension, denial, nonrenewal or revocation of registration.
Referred to PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, June 21, 2007

HB 1730
By Representatives BLACKWELL, PARKER, SHIMKUS, BRENNAN, KIRKLAND, JAMES, DePASQUALE, YOUNGBLOOD, MURT, SIPTROTH, HENNESSEY, CURRY, JOSEPHS, BOYD, MUNDY, PALLONE and SWANGER.
Printer's No. 2308.
An Act prohibiting use of coercion and undue influence to gain participation of special needs persons in certain research; and imposing a penalty.
Referred to HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, July 13, 2007

HB 2036 update
By Representatives WANSACZ, MUNDY, STABACK, K. SMITH, SHIMKUS, BELFANTI, BIANCUCCI, BLACKWELL, BOBACK, CURRY, FABRIZIO, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HORNAMAN, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KOTIK, KULA, LEACH, McGEEHAN, McILVAINE SMITH, MOUL, MOYER, M. O'BRIEN, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PRESTON, WALKO, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD and YUDICHAK.
Prior Printer's No. 2855.
Printer's No. 3321.
An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, further providing for the offense of neglect of care-dependent person.
Referred to AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, Nov. 15, 2007
Reported as amended, March 10, 2008
First consideration, March 10, 2008
Laid on the table, March 10, 2008
Removed from table, March 11, 2008
Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, March 11, 2008

Federal Bills

H.R.1198 update
Title: To amend the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss.
Sponsor: Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] (introduced 2/27/2007) Cosponsors (62)
Related Bills: S.1069
Latest Major Action: 3/13/2008 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.1418 update
Title: To provide for the expansion and improvement of traumatic brain injury programs.
Sponsor: Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8] (introduced 3/8/2007) Cosponsors (46)
Related Bills: S.793
Latest Major Action: 3/13/2008 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.1424 update
Title: To amend section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, section 2705 of the Public Health Service Act, section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of genetic information with respect to health insurance and employment, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] (introduced 3/9/2007) Cosponsors (274)
Related Bills: H.RES.1014, H.R.493, H.R.1367, S.358
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2008 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 610.
House Reports: 110-374 Part 1, 110-374 Part 2, 110-374 Part 3

S.2304 update
Title: A bill to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide grants for the improved mental health treatment and services provided to offenders with mental illnesses, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Domenici, Pete V. [NM] (introduced 11/5/2007) Cosponsors (5)
Related Bills: H.R.3992
Latest Major Action: 3/6/2008 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

S.2690
Title: A bill to authorize the placement in Arlington National Cemetery of an American Braille tactile flag in Arlington National Cemetery honoring blind members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and other Americans.
Sponsor: Sen Brownback, Sam [KS] (introduced 3/4/2008) Cosponsors (2)
Related Bills: H.R.4169
Latest Major Action: 3/4/2008 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

S.2743
Title: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the establishment of financial security accounts for the care of family members with disabilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] (introduced 3/11/2008) Cosponsors (1)
Related Bills: H.R.2370, S.2741
Latest Major Action: 3/11/2008 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

H.R.5510
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the five-month waiting period in the disability insurance program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6] (introduced 2/28/2008) Cosponsors (3)
Related Bills: S.2050
Latest Major Action: 2/28/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.