Bill Information Regular Session 2007-2008 Senate Bill 1
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The Pennsylvania General Assembly Find Legislation By Find Members By Zip Code: (Help) Bill # Keyword - County: (Map) - Select County - General Assembly Senate House Session Info March 25, 25, 2010 2010 Bill Information Regular Session 2007-2008 Senate Bill 1 [Text] History [Votes] Sponsors: PILEGGI, SCARNATI, MELLOW, ORIE, KASUNIC, MUSTO, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, TOMLINSON, M. WHITE, ERICKSON, WAUGH, FOLMER, COSTA, EARLL, VANCE, BOSCOLA, CORMAN, WONDERLING, GORDNER, RHOADES, D. WHITE, PIPPY, MADIGAN, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, C. WILLIAMS, BRUBAKER, BROWNE, REGOLA, DINNIMAN and EICHELBERGER Printer's No.: 1763*, 1726, 1721, 1704, 1646, 1583, 1562, 1553, 1509, 772 Short Title: An Act providing for access to public information, for a designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency, local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial review and for the Office of Open Records; imposing penalties; providing for reporting by State-related institutions; requiring the posting of certain State contract information on the Internet; and making related repeals. Actions: Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT, March 29, 2007 (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 548), May 21, 2007 Reported as amended, Oct. 29, 2007 First consideration, Oct. 29, 2007 Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Oct. 30, 2007 Re-reported as amended, Nov. 14, 2007 Second consideration, with amendments, Nov. 19, 2007 Amended on third consideration, Nov. 27, 2007 (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 1375), Nov. 27, 2007 Third consideration and final passage, Nov. 28, 2007 (48-1) (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 1405), Nov. 28, 2007 In the House Referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Dec. 3, 2007 Reported as committed, Dec. 3, 2007 First consideration, Dec. 3, 2007 Laid on the table, Dec. 3, 2007 Removed from table, Dec. 3, 2007 (Remarks see House Journal Page 2790), Dec. 5, 2007 Second consideration, with amendments, Dec. 10, 2007 http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2007&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1[3/25/2010 3:14:37 PM] The Pennsylvania General Assembly (Remarks see House Journal Page 2813), Dec. 10, 2007 Third consideration and final passage, Dec. 12, 2007 (191-0) In the Senate Referred to RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, Dec. 12, 2007 Re-reported on concurrence, as amended, Jan. 28, 2008 Re-committed to RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, Jan. 29, 2008 Re-reported on concurrence, as amended, Jan. 29, 2008 Senate concurred in House amendments, as amended by the Senate, Jan. 30, 2008 (50-0) (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 1557), Jan. 30, 2008 Corrective Reprint, Printer's No. 1726, Feb. 1, 2008 In the House Referred to RULES, Feb. 4, 2008 Re-reported on concurrence, as committed, Feb. 6, 2008 (Remarks see House Journal Page 351), Feb. 6, 2008 Amended, Feb. 11, 2008 House concurred in Senate amendments to House amendments, as amended by the House, Feb. 11, 2008 (199-0) (Remarks see House Journal Page 413), Feb. 11, 2008 In the Senate Referred to RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, Feb. 12, 2008 Re-reported on concurrence, as committed, Feb. 12, 2008 Senate concurred in House amendments to Senate amendments, Feb. 12, 2008 (50-0) (Remarks see Senate Journal Page 1650), Feb. 12, 2008 Signed in Senate, Feb. 12, 2008 Signed in House, Feb. 12, 2008 Presented to the Governor, Feb. 12, 2008 Approved by the Governor, Feb. 14, 2008 Act No. 3 * denotes Current Printer's Number How to Read a Bill About PDF Documents Site Map | Contact | Legal Notices http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2007&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1[3/25/2010 3:14:37 PM] 548 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL — SENATE MAY 21, FONTANA AMENDMENT A0754 be a change in the existing law that allows the public to know what their taxpayer-funded employees are making as employees Senator FONTANA offered the following amendment No. of government agencies, and a step backwards in our desire to A0754: bring more openness to government processes. The second part, I was not clear on the comments, but if I Amend Title, page 1, line 1, by striking out "State" and inserting: understand it correctly, it would include State-related institutions public employee under the provisions of this bill. My thoughts are not on that Amend Sec. 1, page 1, line 6, by striking out "State" and inserting: Public Employee point but are that that issue is a substantive issue that is currently Amend Sec. 2, page 1, lines 12 through 17; page 2, lines 1 through before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 5, by striking out all of said lines on said pages and inserting: Although I support the extension of the Open Records Act to "Governmental body." Any department, authority, commission, State-related institutions, I believe that debate should be held in committee, council, board, bureau, division, service, office, officer, administration, legislative body or other establishment in the executive, the context of the expansion of the Open Records Act. I, in fact, legislative or judicial branch of a State or a political subdivision thereof have a bill that would do that, Senate Bill No. 1, which is or any agency performing a governmental function. This term shall currently in the Committee on State Government. My include any State-affiliated entity and any State-related institution. understanding is that committee will hold hearings on that bill "Public employee." Any individual employed by any governmental body. where we can fully discuss the pros and cons of extending the "State-affiliated entity." A Commonwealth authority or a Open Records Act to State-related institutions. Therefore, I do Commonwealth entity. The term includes the Pennsylvania Turnpike not believe that it is appropriate to try to include it in this bill at Commission, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the this time. Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, the State Public School Building For those reasons, I recommend a "no" vote on the Authority, the Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority and amendment. the State System of Higher Education. The PRESIDENT. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from "State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State University, the Allegheny, Senator Fontana. University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln University or Temple University. Amend Sec. 4, page 3, line 4, by striking out all of said line and Senator FONTANA. Madam President, just for clarification, inserting: the Commonwealth, whether of the Executive, Legislative or we are not talking about a step backwards. This is obviously Judicial branch of the government. more information than ever before that will be on the Internet. Amend Bill, page 3, by inserting between lines 12 and 13: The only thing we are removing is the name. The title, the job Section 5. Online posting of certain salaries. descriptions, the total amount of money, all that sort of thing All other governmental bodies shall post, on their own official Internet websites or make such information available electronically would still be on there. What we are talking about is just one upon request, and update on a monthly basis, the following concerning aspect of the bill, and that is the removal of the name. This is for officers and employees: the security of the employees the way I see it, especially with as (1) Title. much identity theft that is going on in this world today. (2) Agency, department or other institution. (3) Annual salary rate or other rate of compensation. Thank you. (4) Supplemental payments other than payments for unused vacation or unused sick leave. LEGISLATIVE LEAVE Amend Sec. 5, page 3, line 13, by striking out "5" and inserting: 6 Amend Sec. 6, page 3, line 17, by striking out "6" and inserting: 7 The PRESIDENT. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from On the question. Delaware, Senator Pileggi. Will the Senate agree to the amendment? Senator PILEGGI. Madam President, I request a legislative leave for Senator Baker. The PRESIDENT. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from The PRESIDENT. Senator Pileggi requests a legislative leave Allegheny, Senator Fontana. for Senator Baker. Without objection, the leave will be granted. Senator FONTANA. Madam President, this amendment LEAVE OF ABSENCE removes the language that would require posting of names on the Internet. The reason for that, Madam President, is I believe it is Senator PILEGGI asked and obtained a leave of absence for a matter of privacy and certainly security to protect employees Senator SCARNATI, for today's Session, for personal reasons. against the identity theft that is happening more and more each day through the Internet. And the question recurring, This amendment also expands the requirement of posting Will the Senate agree to the amendment? salaries to all governmental bodies, which is away from just the State employees, but all public employees, and that is in the spirit The PRESIDENT. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from of fairness and openness, if we want to be open, and we should Delaware, Senator Pileggi. be open to all public employees, so I ask for an affirmative vote. Senator PILEGGI. Madam President, if I could follow up on The PRESIDENT. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the last point made, I think most of the Members and members Delaware, Senator Pileggi. of the public are aware of the fact that publicly available news Senator PILEGGI. Madam President, as I understand the services and newspapers maintain their own websites and/or amendment, it would remove the requirement that names be publications of what is now publicly available information of available to the public, names of public employees. That would 2007 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL — SENATE 549 State employee names and public employee names. I think it sick leave. would be, again, a reversal if in our own effort to make public (b) Exception.-If the local agency does not maintain an official Internet website, the information shall be made available electronically information more available we have a more restrictive or in writing upon request within five days.