Legislation Introduced 2017-2018

Legislation Introduced by Senator Fontana | 2017-2018 Legislative Session

Strengthening Collective Bargaining (with all Democrat Senators)

SB 13 – Streamlines the election process to form a union by allowing a simple card check where expressing majority support as well as requires access for new employees to certified unions in order for them to explain the benefits of union membership.

Referred to Labor and Industry on October 4, 2018

Co sponsors:  Scavello

Pennsylvania’s Responsibilities for Fighting Climate Change (with Costa and Williams)

SB 15 – Would ensure that Pennsylvania continues to fulfill its responsibility in fighting global climate change by meeting its commitments under the Paris climate accord and attain the goals set forth in the Clean Power Plan.

Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy on January 26, 2018

Co sponsors:  Street, Hughes, Tartaglione, Leach, Haywood, Dinniman, McIlhinney, Farnese, Blake, Rafferty

Assault Weapons Ban

SB 17 – Bans assault weapons as well as the sale of gun magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. 

Referred to Judiciary on March 22, 2018

Co sponsors:  Farnese, Killion, Costa, Leach, Blake, Street, Hughes, Dinniman, Haywood

Extreme Risk Protection Order

SB 18 – Grants family members and law enforcement the ability to petition a court to temporarily suspend an individual’s access to firearms if there is documented evidence that an individual is a threatening harm to themselves or others. 

Referred to Judiciary on March 22, 2018

Co sponsors:  Street, Leach, Costa, Blake, Rafferty, Hughes, Dinniman, Schwank

Prison Closure

SB 220 – Would prohibit the Department of Corrections from closing a state correctional institution without conducting a public hearing.

Referred to Judiciary on January 26, 2017

Co sponsors:  Blake, Baker, Langerholc, Yudichak, Gordner, Brooks, Costa, Argall, Schwank, Rafferty, Boscola, Browne, Stefano

Pittsburgh Parking Authority (with Vulakovich and Costa)

SB 252 – Enables the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to engage in transactions that are for the benefit of private developers, in certain circumstances. 

Referred to Local Government on January 27, 2017
Reported as Committed on June 13, 2017 (12–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on September 18, 2017 (23–0)
Final Passage in the Senate on September 19, 2017 (50–0)
Referred to House Local Government on September 21, 2017
Reported as Committed on December 6, 2017 (25–0)
Reported as Committed in House Appropriations (35–0)
Final Passage in the House on December 13, 2017 (188–0)
Approved by the Governor on December 22, 2017 (Act 76)

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Bartolotta, Reschenthaler, Vogel, Stephano, Ward

Kindergarten Requirement

SB 295 – Amends the Public School Code to require all school districts in the Commonwealth to provide full day kindergarten.

Referred to Education on February 6, 2017

Co sponsors:  Leach, Brewster, Costa, Farnese, Schwank, Rafferty, Hughes

Disclosing Lead

SB 296 – Requires that property disclosure statements discloses whether lead contamination has been found in the drinking water of a home and/or a house built before 1978 contains lead paint. 

Referred to Urban Affairs and Housing on February 6, 2017

Co Sponsors:  Brewster, Tartaglione, Haywood, Schwank, Costa, Hughes, Farnese, Browne, Leach, McIlhinney, Yudichak 

Private Lateral Sewage Line Improvement/Repair

SB 334 – Would allow municipalities to use public funds for the improvement, extension, repair or rehabilitation of private lateral sewage lines connected to public sewer systems where the municipality or municipal authority determines that such activities will benefit the public sewer system.

Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy on February 15, 2017
Reported as Committed on June 19, 2017 (12–0)
Re–referred to Appropriations on June 20, 2017

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Tartaglione, Yudichak, Haywood, Hughes, Boscola, Williams, Leach, McIlhinney

Water Testing Results by DEP

SB 335 – Requiring that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provide the water test results to homeowners for all parameters that they have accurately measured using their normal procedures. DEP would also be required to post the water test results online, categorized by municipality, so that the confidentiality of homeowners’ water supply will not be compromised.

Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy on February 15, 2017

Co sponsors:  Blake, Brewster, Sabatina, Costa, Farnese, Yudichak, Schwank, Rafferty, Haywood, Hughes, Boscola, Williams

Reporting of Nursing Ratios

SB 336 –  Staffing levels for RNs, LPNs, CANs would be posted in patient care areas as well as the Dept. of Health would compile and publish quarterly reports of this information for each Pennsylvania hospital. 

Referred to Health and Human Services on February 15, 2017

Co sponsors:  Leach, Sabatina, Costa, Blake, Langerholc, Haywood, Brewster, Hughes, Browne, Mensch, Scavello, Dinniman, McIlhinney, Tartaglione, Vogel, McGarrigle, Williams  

Autonomous Vehicles (with Vulakovich, Costa, Rafferty, Sabatina)

SB 427 – Allows for the testing of autonomous vehicles on Pennsylvania’s transportation system. 

Referred to Transportation on February 24, 2017

Co Sponsors:  Leach, Brewster, Tartaglione, Browne, Blake

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

SB 436 – Would require carbon monoxide detectors in dorms of institutions of higher education including universities within the State System of Higher Education, community colleges, State–related institutions, and any college or university which is operated not for profit.

Referred to Education on February 27, 2017

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Tartaglione, Haywood, Hughes, Browne

SB 437 – Would require carbon monoxide detectors in lodging establishment including a hotel, motel, inn, guest house, hostelry or other structure that provides temporary accommodations.

Referred to Community, Economic and Recreational Development on February 27, 2017

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Haywood, Hughes, Browne, Tartaglione

SB 438 – Would require carbon monoxide detectors in schools which include a public school, nonpublic school, charter school, regional charter school, cyber charter school.

Referred to Education on February 27, 2017

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Haywood, Hughes, Browne, Tartaglione

SB 439 – Would require carbon monoxide detectors in child care facilities including a boarding home for children, child care center and a nursery school that is licensed and regulated by the Commonwealth.

Referred to Health and Human Services on February 27, 2017
Reported as Amended on October 17, 2017 (12–0)
Reported as Amended in Appropriations on March 26, 2018 (25–0)
Final Passage in the Senate on May 23, 2018 (49–0)
Referred to House Health on May 24, 2018

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Haywood, Hughes, Browne, Tartaglione

Early Voting

SB 440 – Amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to provide for early voting in primaries and elections.

Referred to State Government on February 27, 2017

Co sponsors:  Leach, Blake, Brewster, Costa, Farnese, Yudichak, Schwank, Haywood, Hughes, Boscola, Browne, Williams

Increase for Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program (with Reschenthaler)

SB 512 – Would increase the allocation for the Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit Program (NAP) from the current $18 million to $36 million. 

Referred to Finance on March 10, 2017

Co sponsors:  Brewster, Costa, Yudichak, Killion, Schwank, Stefano, Hughes, Bartolotta, Baker, Vogel, Leach, Blake, Argall, Scavello

*This language was placed into HB 645 and signed into law as Act 100 of 2018

Special Occasion Permit

SB 570 – Amends the Liquor Code to provide for a special occasion permit for the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership

Referred to Law and Justice on April 5, 2017

Co sponsors:

Private Lateral Sewage Line Maintenance

SB 639 – Amends the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority Act to allow municipalities to include private lateral rehabilitation or replacement in PennVEST funding applications when determined by the municipality that it is the most cost effective approach to reduce wet weather sewer overflows.

Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy on April 20, 2017
Reported as Committed on June 19, 2017 (12–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on June 20, 2017 (26–0)
Final Passage in the Senate on June 21, 2017 (50–0)
Referred to House Environmental Resources and Energy on June 27, 2017

Co sponsors:  Costa, Rafferty, Tartaglione, Brewster, Hughes, Vulakovich, Reschenthaler, Schwank, Yudichak

Private Water Lines

SB 656 – Would allow municipalities and municipal authorities to make public funds available to repair or replace contaminated private water lines when they pose a threat to the public health or safety. 

Referred to Local Government on May 15, 2017
Reported as Amended on June 19, 2017 (11–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on June 20, 2017 (26–0)
Final Passage in the Senate on June 21, 2017 (50–0)
Referred to House Local Government on June 22, 2017
Reported as Committed on June 28, 2017 (27–0)
Re–referred to Consumer Affairs on December 12, 2017

Co sponsors:  McIlhinney, Reschenthaler, Yudichak, Costa, Hughes, Ward, Vulakovich, Browne, Brewster, Tartaglione

*Signed into law under the 2017–18 Fiscal Code, HB 674 (Act 44 of 2017)

Property Rebate for Baby Boomers

Implements a property tax rebate for the baby boomer generation.  To qualify for a rebate, an individual must be a Pennsylvania residents who is 66 years and older, whose income is $50,000 and under, and who has lived in their home for 10 years or more.

SB 715 –  Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act to provide for a supplemental senior property tax rebate. 

Referred to Finance on May 12, 2017

Co sponsors:  Rafferty, Hutchinson, Vogel, Brewster, Costa

SB 716 –  Amends the State Lottery Law to provide for disposition of funds. 

Referred to Finance on May 12, 2017

Co sponsors:  Rafferty, Vogel, Costa

Taxing Non–Profits on Land Value

SB 717 – Amend Title 53 to require non–profits to pay real estate taxes based on the value of their land only, exempting the first $500,000 of total land value.  The exemption would apply to all properties owned by the entity.  Land conservancies would be exempt. 

Referred to Finance on May 12, 2017

Co sponsors: 

SB 718 –  Amends the Institutions of Purely Public Charity Act to require non–profits to pay real estate taxes based on the value of their land only, exempting the first $500,000 of total land value.  The exemption would apply to all properties owned by the entity.  Land conservancies would be exempt. 

Referred to Finance on May 12, 2017

Co sponsors: 

Film Production Tax Credit

SB 719 – Increases the Film Production Tax Credit from the current $60 million to $125 million. 

Referred to Finance on May 12 2017

Co sponsors:  Killion, Yudichak, Reschenthaler, Farnese, Brewster, McIlhinney, Vulakovich, Costa, Bartolotta, Ward, Hughes

Water Tested for Lead for Agreement of Sales of Real Property

SB 727 –  Requires any agreement of sale for real property in this Commonwealth to include an option to have the water tested for lead.

Referred to Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure on May 19, 2017

Co sponsors:  Greenleaf, Reschenthaler, Yudichak, Costa, Hughes, Haywood, Browne, Tartaglione 

Public Safety Facilities Act (with Argall, Baker, Brooks and Yudichak)

SB 748 – Establishes a clear process for consideration of proposed closures of state correctional institutions, as well as other structures that house state law enforcement staff.

Referred to State Government on June 23, 2017
Reported as Committed on January 29, 2018 (11–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on March 19, 2018 (25–0)
Final passage in the Senate on March 27, 2018 (47–1)
Reported as Amended in House State Government on September 25, 2018 (23–0)
Reported as Committed in House Appropriations on October 11, 2018 (33–0)
Final Passage in House on October 11, 2017 (175–0)
Rules and Executive Nominations on October 15, 2018 (18–0)
Senate Concurred in House amendments on October 15, 2018 (49–0)
Approved by the Governor on October 24, 2018 (Act 135)

Co sponsors:  Gordner, Rafferty, Ward, Costa, Blake

21st Century Manufacturing Innovation and Reinvestment Deduction Act (with Mensch, Ward and Dinniman)

SB 794 – Permits manufacturers making capital investments in excess of $100 million to claim a deduction against their taxable income. 

Referred to Finance on June 22, 2017

Co sponsors:  Martin, Yudichak, Leach, Gordner, Reschenthaler, Baker, Hutchinson, Greenleaf, Rafferty, Vulakovich, Brewster, Browne, Alloway, Street

Credit Freeze

SB 944 – Would allow a lifetime freeze on one’s credit and decrease the amount charged to temporarily unfreeze credit to $5 to each reporting agency.

Referred to Banking and Insurance on November 15, 2017

Co sponsors: Costa, Brooks, Wagner, Hughes, Brewster, Rafferty, Browne, Yudichak, Ward, Bartolotta, Vulakovich

Property Tax Elimination (with Ward)

SB 976 – A Constitutional amendment to allow the General Assembly to adopt legislation that would grant any local government in Pennsylvania with local voter approval, the option to eliminate property taxes and choose from alternative taxing options to make up for the loss revenues.  

Referred to Finance on December 4, 2017

Co sponsors:  McGarrigle, Vulakovich, Costa, Brewster

Small Games of Chance

SB 1061 – Would make several changes to the Small Games of Chance Act like additional games, reducing the license renewal fee, change the distribution, and the removal the FBI background investigational.

Referred to Community, Economic and Recreational Development on March 9, 2018

*Language from SB 1061 was placed into HB 864

Reported as Committed in House Gaming Oversite on April 25, 2017 (26–0)
Reported as Committed in House Appropriations on June 13, 2017 (35–0)
Final Passage in the House on June 13, 2017 (136–56)
Reported as Amended in CERD on April 24, 2018 (14–1)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on June 19, 2018 (23–2)
Final Passage in the Senate on June 21, 2018 (26–23)
Motion to Revert to Prior Printer’s Number on June 22, 2018 (23–26)
Third Consideration and Defeated on Final Passage on June 22, 2018 (20–29)
Amended on third consideration on October 17, 2018
Third consideration and Final Passage on October 17, 2018 (42–7)

Co sponsors:  Vulakovich, Stefano, Regan

Green Alert for Veterans

SB 1062 – Would warn the public if an at–risk veteran is missing. 

Referred to Law and Justice on March 2, 2018

Co sponsors:  Sabatina, Eichelberger, Leach, Greenleaf, Costa, Reschenthaler, White, Brewster, Blake, Rafferty, Hughes, Stefano, Ward, Yudichak

First Time Home Buyer’s Savings Account (with Mensch)

SB 1066 – Allows first–time homebuyers to deposit money into a savings account to be used exclusive for the purchase of a first home, and the money can be deducted from one’s state income tax.

Referred to Urban Affairs and Housing on March 16, 2018
Reported as Amended on April 24, 2018 (11–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on September 24, 2018 (26–0)
Final Passage in the Senate on September 26, 2018 (48–0)
Referred to House Urban Affairs Committee on October 1, 2018

Co sponsors:  Schwank, Gordner, Tartaglione, Rafferty, Reschenthaler, Costa, Martin, Argall, Yudichak, Scarnati, Vulakovich, Scavello, Boscola, Blake, Hughes, Stefano, Ward, Brooks, Bartolotta, Brewster, Leach, McGarrigle, Killion, Sabatina  

Voluntary Municipal Dissolution for Allegheny County (with Costa, Brewster, Reschenthaler and Vulakovich)

SB 1069 – Would dissolve municipal corporations of Allegheny County and substitute it with unincorporated districts as a new form of government to be administered by the county.

Referred to Local Government on March 15, 2018
Reported as Committed on September 26, 2018 (12–0)
Reported as Committed in Appropriations on October 15, 2018 (25–1)
Final Passage in the Senate on October 16, 2018 (49–0)
Referred to House Local Government on October 18, 2018

Co sponsors:  Mensch, Tartaglione, Hughes, Ward

Anti–Harassment Training  

SB 1147 – Would require employers covered under the Pa. Human Relations Act to provide interactive, biennial training for all employees with explanations and examples of different acts that would constitute unlawful discriminatory, harassing or retaliatory conduct.  The bill will also mandate that employees be educated on the procedure to file a complaint.

Referred to Labor and Industry on April 24, 2018

Co sponsors:  Farnese, Boscola, Hughes, Costa, Tartaglione, Brewster, Blake, Williams, Browne

Parking Tickets by Mail for Allegheny County (with Vulakovich and Costa)

SB 1223 – Would allow the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to establish a ‘ticket by mail’ program to supplement their enforcement activities, the ability to use unattended license plate reading cameras, and the power to issue tickets for obstructed license plates.

Referred to Transportation on August 13, 2018

Co sponsors:

Allegheny County Civilian Police Review Board

SB 1262 – Creates a Civilian Police Review Board for Allegheny County to allow the people to decide when unjustifiable actions have been made by the police rather than an internal investigation. 

Referred to Local Government on October 4, 2018

Co sponsors:  Costa, Hughes

3–D Printing Firearms (with Hughes)

SB 1266 – Amends Title 18 to ensure a 3D–printed firearm is subject to the Uniform Firearm Act and to prohibit individuals from printing a firearm without a federal firearm manufacturing license.

Referred to Judiciary on September 28, 2018

Co sponsors:  Schwank, Farnese, Costa, Blake

Committee Consideration

SR 19 –  Amends Senate Rule 14 by granting the prime sponsor of a bill/resolution the ability to request a public meeting or hearing within 10 legislative days of the request and would require a vote on the bill/resolution within 10 legislative days after the hearing.  

Referred to Rules and Executive Nominations on February 6, 2017

Co sponsors:  Sabatina, Brewster, Tartaglione, Costa, Blake, Williams

Statewide School Safety Commission (with Brewster, Blake and Leach)

Would create a Statewide School Safety Commission to analyze existing safety procedures, and study new ideas, technology and strategies to develop improved safety policies. 

Referred to

Co sponsors:  Schwank, Costa, Farnese, Reschenthaler