The following bills saw action in the Senate and House this week--

Senate

Detergent Ban: Senate Bill 1017 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) removing the exemption for dishwasher detergent in the Phosphate Detergent Act was passed by the Senate and sent to the House for action. The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to consider the bill October 30.

Landfill Penalties: Senate Bill 305 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) amending the Solid Waste Management Act relating to repeat violations was referred to Senate Appropriations Committee.

Climate Change: Senate Bill 266 (Erickson-R-Delaware) requiring DEP to inventory greenhouse gases and create a climate change action plan was amended and reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action..

Hazardous Sites Funding: Senate Bill 1100 (Pileggi-R-Delaware) that would provide a dedicated source of funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program was reported from the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee then referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HSCA Penalties: Senate Bill 1068 (M.White-R-Venango) requiring fines and penalties to be deposited in the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Keystone Fund: Senate Bill 1069 (M.White-R-Venango) requiring an annual report on the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Historic Preservation: House Bill 221 (Tangretti-D-Westmoreland) establishing a Historic Preservation Incentive Grant Program was reported from the Senate Communications and Technology Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action.

House

Energy Efficient Lights: Special Session House Bill 8 (Leach-D-Montgomery) providing an exclusions from Sales Tax for fluorescent light bulbs was passed by the House and sent to the Senate for action.

Energy Efficient Appliances: Special Session House Bill 11 (Parker-D-Philadelphia) providing an exclusion from Sales Tax for EnergyStar appliances was passed by the House and sent to the Senate for action.

Emergency Workers: House Bill 763 (Goodman-D-Schuylkill) amending the Workers’ Compensation Act to add employees from the Department of Environmental Protection and other workers exposed to disease to the definition of “occupational disease” was passed by the House and sent to the Senate for action.

Plug-In Hybrids: House Bill 690 (Cohen-D-Philadelphia) establishing a Plug-In Hybrid Task Force was passed by the House.

Miner’s Day: House Resolution 410 (DeWeese-D-Greene) that designates December 19 as “Coal Miner’s Day” in Pennsylvania was adopted by the House.

Waste Management Fee: House Bill 934 (Scavello-R-Monroe) authorizing a county solid waste management fee was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.

Green Building Credit: Special Session House Bill 5 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) creating a tax credit for high performance green buildings was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Climate Change: House Bill 110 (Vitali-D-Delaware) requiring DEP to inventory greenhouse gases and create a climate change action plan was amended and reported out of the House Appropriations Committee.

Emergency Workers: House Bill 1025 (Casorio-D-Westmoreland) amending the Workers’ Compensation Act to add employees from the Fish and Boat Commission exposed to disease to the definition of “occupational disease” were reported from the House Appropriations Committee.

Bills Introduced

Flood Maps: House Bill 1949 (Hanna-D-Centre) providing for review and update of flood maps and House Resolution 465 (Hanna) urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to review and update floodplain maps every ten years.

ATVs on State Lands: House Bill 1950 (Hanna-D-Centre) authorizing individuals commissioned by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to arrest or cite for summary offenses for violations of ATV rules.

Farmland Assessment Payments: House Bill 1960 (Hershey-R-Chester) providing payments to local taxing authorities if they lose 10 percent or more of their assessed value due to lands covered by the PA Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act.

Senior Environment Corps: House Bill 1967 (George-D-Clearfield) making an appropriation to maintain the services of the Senior Environment Corps.

Water Facilities Plan: House Bill 1969 (George-D-Clearfield) amending the PA Infrastructure Investment Authority providing financial assistance and for comprehensive water facilities plans.

Lateral Lines: House Bill 1969 (George-D-Clearfield) providing funding for private lateral lines.

GIS Day: House Resolution 467 (Thomas-D-Philadelphia) designating November 11-17 as “National Geography Awareness Week and November 15 as “Pennsylvania GIS Day.”

Energy Conservation by Utilities: Special Session House Bill 31 (Ross-R-Chester) encouraging energy efficiency and demand-side resources by electric distribution companies.

Energy Efficiency/Awards Program: Special Session House Bill 34 ( Hershey-R-Chester) establishing an energy efficiency and pollution reduction program within the Department of Environmental Protection and creating the Keystone Energy and Environmental Excellence Award.

Energy Education Program: Special Session House Bill 36 (Swanger-R-Lebanon) establishing a consumer energy education program at the Public Utility Commission.

State Energy Office: Special Session House Bill 36 (George-D-Clearfield) establishing a State Energy Office and an advisory committee.

Hazardous Sites Funding: Senate Bill 1059 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks) providing for a transfer of a portion of the budget surplus to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund.

Hazardous Sites Funding: Senate Bill 1100 (Pileggi-R-Delaware) that would direct $17 million to the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund out of legislative accounts for the current fiscal year, and earmark $40 million in existing capital stock and franchise tax revenue until this tax is phased out in 2011.

Electronic Waste: Senate Bill 1115 (C.Williams-D-Montgomery) establishing the Computer and Electronic Equipment Disposal and Recycling Act banning e-waste in landfill and imposing a fee on electronics purchases.

Biodiesel Incentives: Special Session Senate Bill 10 (Gordner-R-Columbia) providing a $1 per gallon incentive payment for biodiesel producers.

State Vehicles: Special Session Senate Bill 26 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) requiring state owned or leased vehicles to use a 20 percent biodiesel blend starting in January 2010.

10/26/2007