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Legislative Update Volume 165, March 2011 Pennsylvania Volume 57, September 2006 Legisla tive Upd ate From the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney State Government Relations Group Inside This Issue Governor Tom Corbett is scheduled to deliver his first Budget Address to the General Assembly on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 Powelson Named 1 PUC Commissioner Powelson Named PUC Commissioner Introducing… 1 Governor Tom Corbett by the Senate on June 30, 2008. He Legislative Leaders Certified 3 appointed Robert F. was renominated for a five-year term as Members of the 2011 Powelson of Chester on February 12, 2009, and was again Legislative Reapportionment County to serve as unanimously confirmed on April 22, 2009. Commission chairman of the His term expires on April 1, 2014. Pennsylvania Public Insurance Issues may 4 Utility Commission Powelson was recently appointed as co-vice chair of the National Association be First Focus of New (PUC). Powelson of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Department of Drug has served as a PUC Robert F. Powelson (NARUC) Committee on Water. In addition, and Alcohol Programs commissioner since June 2008. he has been appointed to represent that committee on NARUC’s Task Force on Democrats Present 4 Powelson’s appointment to chairman Climate Policy. He is also a member of adultBasic Fix does not require confirmation by the the NARUC Committee on Critical Senate. He was first nominated by former Infrastructure and a member of the Liquor Store Privatization 5 Governor Rendell to a one-year term on NARUC Subcommittee on Nuclear Revenue Potential Debated the PUC and was unanimously confirmed Issues-Waste Disposal. IRRC Sets Next Meeting 5 Legislative Actions 6 Introducing… The Pennsylvania General Assembly a series of articles designed to introduce Committee Actions 6 convened for its 2011-2012 session Buchanan’s clients and friends to the on January 4, 2011, welcoming one Legislature’s newest members in both Executive Nominations 7 of the largest freshmen classes in recent the House of Representatives and the and Appointments history. The following is the second in Senate. Political Grapevine 8 Rosemary M. Brown (R) 189th House District (Monroe) Rosemary Brown earned a degree in communications defeated incumbent from the University of Scranton. John Siptroth (D). After college she completed the Brown is the first executive management training program female state with Macy's. Brown had a career in retail representative from before moving on to the pharmaceutical Monroe County. industry where she was an executive She is a graduate manager and sales representative. of East Stroudsburg Rosemary Brown High School and Introducing , continued on page 2 Page 2 Introducing continued Rosemary and her husband Joe, her high school sweetheart, have three children Kennedy, Carter and Reagan. Committee Assignments: Children and Youth; Commerce; Human Services; Tourism and Recreational Development (Subcommittee on Arts and Entertainment – chair ) Joe Hackett (R) 161st House District (Delaware) Joe Hackett, 50, Hackett is a graduate of Cardinal O'Hara replaces Representative High School and the Delaware County Brian Lentz (D) who Community College Municipal Police retired to run for Academy. He co-founded and served as Congress. Hackett president of the Delaware County Law is a 26-year veteran Enforcement Memorial Foundation and of law enforcement, co-founded the Reunion Cup, an annual having worked as golf outing that has raised more than a police officer and $100,000 for local charities. Hackett is Joe Hackett detective with the also active in local youth sports. Ridley Township Police Department for more than 20 He and his wife Maureen have two sons, years. Most recently he served as a Joseph and Shawn. detective in Delaware County's Criminal Committee Assignments: Aging and Investigations Division. He was named Older Adult Services; Gaming Oversight; the Delaware County Police Emerald Urban Affairs ( Subcommittee on Cities, Society's Man of the Year and the Counties - First Class – chair ); and Delaware County Law Enforcement Veterans Affairs and Emergency Man of the Year. Preparedness Brandon Neuman (D) 48th House District (Washington) Brandon Neuman, a master's degree from University of 29, replaces Pittsburgh School of Law. He received Representative his bachelor’s degree from University Tim Solobay (D) of Richmond, where he played football. who was elected to the State Senate. Two days prior to being sworn in, Neuman served as Neuman proposed to girlfriend an intern for Solobay. Carrie Sechler, 24. He is an attorney Committee Assignments: Aging and Brandon Neuman at Robert Pierce & Older Adult Services; Agriculture and Associates. Neuman Rural Affairs ( Democratic secretary ); received his J.D. from Duquesne and Consumer Affairs. University School of Law and received Introducing , continued on page 3 Page 3 Introducing continued Justin Simmons (R) 131st House District (Lehigh) Justin Simmons, 24, Senator Rob Wonderling. He was an defeated incumbent intern for then-U.S. Representative Rep. Karen Beyer (R) Pat Toomey. in the primary before going on to win Simmons is a graduate of Southern the general election. Lehigh High School and received his Simmons was the bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph's district director for University. Senator Bob Mensch Committee Assignments: Education; Justin Simmons and worked for Human Services; Insurance; Urban Affairs ( secretary ) Dan Truitt (R) 156th House District (Chester) Dan Truitt, 41, Truitt attends St. Peter and Paul Church defeated incumbent in East Goshen Township and was an Barbara McIlvaine Eagle Scout. Smith (D). Truitt is the owner of Truitt Truitt and his wife Michele, a radiology Engineering. He technician at Paoli Hospital, have two graduated cum laude sons, Daniel and Mark. with a bachelor of Committee Assignments: Commerce; science in electrical Education; Local Government ( secretary ); Dan Truitt engineering from and Urban Affairs Villanova University and a master of science in computer science from West Chester University. Legislative Leaders Certified as Members of the 2011 Legislative Reapportionment Commission Senate President Pro Tempore Joe state House districts. Article II, Section 17, Scarnati (R-Jefferson) and Speaker of the state constitution names the four of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) caucus floor leaders as members of the announced that they have officially Commission. They are to choose a fifth certified the four caucus floor leaders member, who serves as chair of the LRC. to serve on the 2011 Legislative The deadline for that selection is 45 days Reapportionment Commission (LRC). from certification, or April 4. Those leaders are: Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware), In January, the four caucus leaders House Majority Leader Mike Turzai announced that they are seeking (R-Allegheny), Senate Democratic applications from individuals interested Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and in serving as chair of the LRC. The House Democratic Leader Frank leaders indicated that at least one Dermody (D-Allegheny). public hearing will be held in March to interview applicants. The LRC is a five-member panel responsible for redrawing the boundaries for state Senate and Page 4 Insurance Issues May Be First Focus of New Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Insurance issues related to drug and and enforcement of Act 152 of alcohol addiction and treatment became 1988, requiring Medicaid to provide one focus at a recent House Human treatment for addiction in licensed Services Committee hearing on Act 50 residential treatment programs. of 2010. • Coordinate the interplay and Act 50 of 2010 creates the Department intersection between various state of Drug and Alcohol Programs. This and federal laws and regulation. new executive branch department will be chaired by a cabinet secretary and • Coordinate and organize statewide have its own budget, staff and offices. expansion of criminal justice treatment The new agency’s initial focus will be programs. to consolidate various state agencies, Beck also testified that within a year and committees, bureaus and programs a half of the establishment of the new dealing with drug and alcohol abuse department she would like to see the and addiction under the umbrella of agency address several insurance issues, one state agency. provide additional guidance to insurance Deb Beck, president of the Drug subscribers and implement prescription and Alcohol Service Providers drug monitoring. Organization of Pennsylvania, testified According to Beck, the current Bureau that implementation will include of Drug and Alcohol Programs pulling drug and alcohol prevention administers between $100 and $120 and treatment programs and functions million in federal and state moneys. out of the Department of Welfare. That bureau and the licensing bureau Additionally, Beck testified that her are expected to be transferred into the organization would like to: new department and an additional ten • See the new department work toward new staff are expected to be hired. The a comprehensive and organized effort fiscal note on the legislation passed last to enforce Act 106 of 1989 requiring year was $1.4 million. that insurers provide for the treatment Testimony from the Pennsylvania of addiction. Association of County Drug and Alcohol • Pull the Bureau of Managed Care in Administrators and the Pennsylvania the Department of Health into the Recovery Organizations Alliance called enforcement effort and ensure that the new department a reason to hope sample benefit booklets
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