February 16, 2009

2009 HOUSE Winter Session Schedule

 January 6, 26, 27, 28 January 6 is Inauguration Day February 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 (Budget Hearings 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26) March (Budget Hearings 2, 3) 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 April 1, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 May 19 is Primary Election Day June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

2009 SENATE Fall Session Schedule

January 6, 20 (non-voting), 21 (non-voting), 26, 27, 28 January 6 is Inauguration Day February 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 (Budget Hearings 23, 24, 25, 26) March (Budget Hearings 2, 3, 4, 5) 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 April 1, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 May 19 is Primary Election Day June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 Primary Election Day – May 19 In states that hold primary elections, voters choose their party’s nominees to run in the general election by casting ballots. Pennsylvania holds closed primary elections, meaning you must be a member of the party to vote for that party’s candidate (for example, you could not vote in the Republican primary unless you are a registered member of the Republican Party). Other states hold open primaries, in which you are allowed to vote for a candidate outside of your own party. Primary elections in Pennsylvania are held on the third Tuesday of May in all years except Presidential years, when it is held on the fourth Tuesday of April.

Local Tax Enabling Act

Amends the Local Tax Enabling Act renaming the "Emergency Municipal Services Tax" (EMST) as the "Local Services Tax" (LST) and removing the provision that prohibits municipalities/school districts from requiring employers to withhold the tax in installments. The bill also generally allows only the municipality/school district in which the employee is primarily employed to levy the LST. The bill outlines the people who each political subdivision levying the local services tax would exempt from the tax. A person whose total earned income and net profits from all sources within the political subdivision is less than $12,000 for the calendar year would be exempt. A person seeking to claim an exemption from the tax may annually file an exemption certificate with the political subdivision levying the tax and with the person's employer affirming that the person reasonably expects to earn less than $12,000. The bill further provides for a low income exemption, an annual rate limitation and restricted use of the revenue from the LST. The bill mandates municipalities to use at least 25% of the revenue derived from the tax for emergency services, which include police, fire and emergency medical services. The bill also would require employers to remit local services tax receipts 30 days following the end of each quarter.

Clean Indoor Air Act

The Clean Indoor Air Act establishes the Smoke Free Pennsylvania Act; prohibits smoking in enclosed and substantially enclosed areas; imposes duties on the Department of Health; imposes penalties; and makes a related repeal. The bill prohibits smoking in a public place, except for: a private residence or vehicle unless used for child or adult care services; designated quarters in a lodging establishment or truck stop; a tobacco shop; a workplace of the manufacturer, importer or wholesaler of tobacco related products; certain residential facilities; a private club except where open to the public or used for a non-club sponsored event; a place where a fundraiser is conducted by a nonprofit and charitable organization one time per year if certain conditions apply; an exhibition hall, conference room, catering hall or similar facility used exclusively for an event to which the public is invited for the primary purpose of promoting or sampling tobacco products, subject to certain conditions; a cigar bar; a drinking establishment; 25% of the gaming floor at a licensed facility; or a designated outdoor smoking area within the confines of a sports or recreational facility, theater or performance establishment. The bill provides for qualification for the exemptions. The Department of Health would annually report to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and House Health and Human Services Committee. The act would supersede any municipal ordinance concerning smoking in a public place, except in a city of the first class (Philadelphia). The city may not change its ordinance to conflict with this law.