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June 24, 2011

Senator John Pippy E-News

Senate News In Review

The Senate approved a final version of legislation Friday sponsored by Senate Labor and Industry Committee Chairman John Gordner (Columbia) that will continue federal unemployment compensation benefits through the end of the year and reform the Pennsylvania unemployment compensation system to save nearly $120 million annually.

Senate Bill 1030, signed into law by Gov. Corbett, contained several provisions by Senator Gordner to institute reforms in the Unemployment Compensation Law, as well as update obsolete provisions in the law.

These reforms included:
• A new requirement for unemployment compensation recipients to search for work, replacing an obsolete and unenforceable provision in current law.
• A partial offset for those who receive severance payments in addition to unemployment compensation.
• A change in the way the maximum weekly benefit is calculated to slow benefit growth.
• Automatic relief from compensation charges for employers when it is later determined a former employee does not qualify for benefits.

The legislation also contains provisions introduced by Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks) to institute a voluntary work share agreement in workplaces to avoid mass layoffs. Under work share, employees and the employer may agree to reduce hours for workers instead of reducing the workforce, allowing employees to qualify for partial benefits.

For more on the measure, please see In the Spotlight, below.

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel (Beaver) that would ban synthetically produced drugs designed to mimic the effects of other drugs was sent to the governor for enactment. 

Senate Bill 1006 gained final approval last week in the Senate and House of Representatives.

This legislation would add Salvia Divinorum, Salvinorin A, Divinorin A, synthetic marijuana, a hallucinogenic compound called 2C, and synthetic amphetamine/heroin, more commonly referred to as concentrated bath salts, to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. The bill would also outlaw chemical compounds that are analogous to the listed substances so that the ingredients or manufacturing process cannot be altered slightly in an effort to bypass the law.

Bath salts and synthetic marijuana mimic the effects of powerful drugs and many of these drugs are available over the internet or from local shops. The legislation would treat these substances the same as other Schedule I Controlled Substances and would carry the same penalties as other non-narcotic Schedule I offenses.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by Sen. Mary Jo White (Venango), approved amended legislation Tuesday that would impose an impact fee on natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania.
 
As amended by the committee, Senate Bill 1100 would set the fee at a flat $40,000 in the first year of production, followed by $30,000 in year two and $20,000 in year three. A fee of $10,000 would be assessed from years four through 10. The schedule reflects the decrease in community impacts as the well production decreases. The bill is sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (Jefferson).

Of the revenue collected under the amended Senate Bill 1100, 60 percent would go to local and county governments with drilling activity, and 40 percent would go for environmental and safety initiatives.

For details, please see Fast Facts, below.

COMMITTEE APPROVES MORE EFFECTIVE
EVALUATION SYSTEM FOR EDUCATORS

The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (Dauphin), approved legislation Tuesday that would utilize student performance as a key indicator in evaluating and determining the effectiveness of teacher performance.

Senate Bill 1087, sponsored by Senator Piccola, would require the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to revise professional employee rating cards to incorporate student performance, a factor not currently included in the evaluation system. In revising the employee rating cards, PDE would be required to consult with teachers, school administrators, parents, school board members, and higher education representatives.

PDE would also need to provide periodic reports to the chairs of the Education Committees in the Legislature describing the status of the revision of the rating cards. In its final report, PDE would be required to include a proposal for a comprehensive revision of the professional employee rating system.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The federal extended benefit program will expire at the end of 2011 because Pennsylvania's unemployment rate has dropped below 8 percent, which is considered a High Unemployment Period by the federal government.
 
The Senate approved several additional reforms added to Senate Bill 1030 by the House of Representatives, including:

• An increase in the amount of wages needed to earn a credit week for benefits, last adjusted in 1980.

• Adjustment of the minimum weekly benefit rate to reflect the cost of inflation since this provision was last adjusted in 1980.

• Institution of a variable claim duration so that claimants cannot qualify for more weeks of benefits than weeks worked.

Senator Gordner noted: "None of these changes reduce current benefits, but will save the state nearly $120 million annually by slowing the rate of benefit growth. This is an important first step in addressing our unemployment compensation debt."

• Reconstruction, maintenance and repair of municipal roadways and bridges.

• Preservation and improvement of municipal water supplies.
• Maintenance and capital improvements to municipal waste and sewage systems.
• Preservation and reclamation of the surface waters of the municipality.
• Other lawful purposes reasonably related to the health, welfare and safety consequences of severing natural gas in the municipality.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is reminding motorists several highway and bridge improvements will be occurring in Allegheny County this weekend, June 24-27.

All activities are weather permitting and subject to change. Motorists should plan their travels accordingly by anticipating highway work zones, slowing down, exercising patience and being safe.

PennDOT is also reminding motorists approaching lane restricted highway work zones to use all open lanes to the merge point. Please be courteous to other motorists and allow them to merge. The effectiveness of traffic flow in highway work zones is highly dependent on driver behavior. Using all lanes and allowing a consistent, courteous merge will reduce congestion and delay and help traffic move smoothly and safely through the work zone.

Below is a summary of the major closings and restrictions this weekend:

Route 50

Route 50 (Washington Road/Pike) in the Borough of Bridgeville will be closed for reconstruction between Bower Hill Road and Prestley Road (Route 3031) from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Monday reconstructing Route 50 in the area under the railroad trestle. Signs will be posted to guide motorists around the closure using I-79.

Full release: Route 50 Weekend Closure June 24-27 in Bridgeville
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.36355,-80.109172&spn=0.011347,0.019205&z=16

Smithfield Street Bridge

The inbound (northbound) lanes of the Smithfield Street Bridge (Route 3027) in the City of Pittsburgh will be milled and resurfaced this weekend. Traffic on the bridge will be reduced to single lane in each direction shifted to the outbound (southbound) side of the bridge from 6 p.m. on Friday continuously through 5 a.m. on Monday.

Full release:  Inbound Smithfield Street Bridge Resurfacing this Weekend in Pittsburgh
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.434674,-80.002967&spn=0.005667,0.009602&z=17

Liberty Tunnel\

The Liberty Tunnel (Route 3069) in the City of Pittsburgh will be closed in both directions from 10 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday.

Full release:  Liberty Tunnel Friday Night Closures Begin this week in Pittsburgh
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.424801,-80.002012&spn=0.022673,0.038409&z=15

Parkway West
Concrete Replacement

Long-term single lane traffic in place on the inbound (eastbound) Parkway West (I-376) in Findlay Township will continue through this weekend. PennDOT crews are removing and replacing damaged concrete slabs on the inbound Parkway West between the Flaugherty Run Road (Exit 51) and Clinton (Exit 52) interchanges.

Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.5076,-80.276499&spn=0.04529,0.076818&z=14

I-579 Crosstown Boulevard
Bridge Painting

Westbound Forbes Avenue will be closed this weekend from 8 p.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday in the area of I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard) in the City of Pittsburgh. Eastbound traffic on Forbes Avenue will be reduced to single lane. The westbound closure will occur between Boyd Street and Sixth Avenue; eastbound single lane traffic will occur from Ross Street to Boyd Street. Crews will be painting the I-579 ramps over Forbes Avenue.

Full release:  Westbound Forbes Avenue Closed this Weekend; Eastbound Reduced to Single Lane in Pittsburgh
Google Map of General Area:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=40.438129,-79.994609&spn=0.011334,0.019205&z=16

Information and Resources

For more information, visit the District 11 website, www.dot.state.pa.us , click PennDOT near you, “11” under “roadwork”. PennDOT reminds motorists to call the construction hotline at 412-429-6035 for information and current activities on the Parkway East, Parkway West, Parkway North, I-79 and Route 28. All work is weather permitting.  

Call 1-800 FIX ROAD to report roadway problems and concerns.

Log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. The 511 system also automatically feeds Twitter accounts with information such as incidents, construction notices and weather alerts. The Pittsburgh/Southwestern-region account, www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh, covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Follow PennDOT to receive real-time updates.

District 11 offers specialized information for particular roadways and projects. Potential email subscribers should specify preferences for receiving information for the following categories:

• All roadways and bridges in Allegheny, Beaver or Lawrence counties;
• Weekend work and restrictions in Allegheny County (this will only include restrictions and work activities that occur on weekends);
• Parkway East (I-376);
• Parkway West (I-376) ;
• Parkway North (I-279);
• Interstate 79;
• West Liberty Avenue and Liberty Tunnel Improvements;
• Route 28 (Allegheny Valley Expressway);
• Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard);
• Route 48 Boston Bridge; and
• Route 19 Wexford Flats Project.

Potential subscribers should send their email address and location preferences to Press Officer Jim Struzzi at jstruzzi@state.pa.us or contact the PennDOT District 11 Press Office by phone at 412-429-5010.