COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL TUESDA yr APRIL 9 r 1991 SESSION OF 1991 175TH OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY No. 20 SENATE April 9, 1991 TUESDAY, April 9, 1991. HB 10- Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. The Senate met at 11:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Saving HB 77 - Committee on Judiciary. Time. HB 89 and 93 - Committee on Game and Fisheries. The PRESIDENT (Lieutenant Governor Mark S. Singel) HB 101- Committee on Transportation. in the Chair. RESOLUTION INTRODUCED AND REFERRED PRAYER The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the following The Chaplain, Reverend ROBERT FRANCO, Pastor of Senate Resolution numbered, entitled and referred as follows, which the Church of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Pittsburgh, offered was read by the Clerk: the following prayer: April 9, 1991 Almighty God, we remember the families of Senator Heinz DIRECTING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT and Senator Tower as they mourn the tragic deaths of their COMMISSION TO UNDERTAKE A CODIDCATION loved ones. You know who we are. You care little for our OF THE STATUTES RELATING TO earthly show, our feeble ardors. What pleases You is how well REAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS we serve. Give us of Your strength to bear the burdens. Give Senators JUBELIRER, HOPPER, SHUMAKER, us of Your wisdom to solve the problems. Give us of Your MADIGAN, CORMAN, AFFLERBACH, REIBMAN, courage to forge new tasks. Give us curiosity to try new paths. SHAFFER, BRIGHTBILL, HART, PUNT and RHOADES Let us guide this Commonwealth along paths pleasing to You offered the following resolution (Senate Resolution No. 44), and beneficial to Your people. Bless us now and evermore. which was read and referred to the Committee on Finance: Amen. In the Senate, April 9, 1991. JOURNAL APPROVED A RESOLUTION Directing the Local Government Commission to undertake a cod­ The PRESIDENT. A quorum of the Senate being present, ification of the statutes relating to real property assessments. the Clerk will read the Journal of the preceding Session of WHEREAS, The real property assessment laws are currently April 8, 1991. scattered throughout numerous laws that create a patchwork of The Clerk proceeded to read the Journal of the preceding assessment requirements and guidelines; and Session, when, on motion of Senator LOEPER, further WHEREAS, Many provisions of the act of May 22, 1933 reading was dispensed with, and the Journal was approved. (P.L.853, No.155), known as The General County Assessment Law, have become obsolete because the separate laws applicable to different classes of counties and third class cities take prece­ HOUSE MESSAGES dence; and WHEREAS, Real property taxes are based upon real property HOUSE CONCURS IN SENATE assessments; and CONCURRENT RESOLUTION WHEREAS, It is important that real property assessments be as accurate and uniform as possible to ensure that real property The Clerk of the House of Representatives informed the taxes are fairly applied; and Senate that the House has concurred in resolution from the WHEREAS, The present real property assessment laws create Senate, entitled: confusion and contradictions in an area that is already compli­ cated; and Weekly Adjournment. WHEREAS, The consolidation of Pennsylvania's statutory law begun in 1970 would be furthered by HOUSE BILLS FOR CONCURRENCE the inclusion of a codifi­ cation of the real property assessment laws; therefore be it The Clerk of the House of Representatives presented to the RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Local Government Senate the following bills for concurrence, which were Commission to organize a task force to codify the laws relating to real property assessments and modernize referred to the committees their format as a part of indicated: the consolidated statutes; and be it further 324 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL-SENATE APRIL 9, RESOLVED, That the Local Government Commission report On the question, its findings and recommendations, along with appropriate legisla­ Shall the bill pass finally? tion, to the Senate as soon as possible. The yeas and nays were taken agreeably to the provisions BILLS IN PLACE of the Constitution and were as follows, viz: YEAS-47 Senator La VALLE presented to the Chair several bills. Aftlerbach Fumo Lincoln Robbins Andrezeski Greenleaf Loeper Salvatore LEGISLATIVE LEAVES Armstrong Greenwood Madigan Scanlon Baker Hart Mellow Schwartz Senator FISHER. Mr. President, I would request a legisla­ Bell Helfrick Musto Shaffer Bodack Holl O'Pake Shumaker tive leave for the day for Senator Greenwood. Bortner Hopper Pecora Stapleton Senator MELLOW. Mr. President, I request a legislative Brightbill Jones Peterson Stewart leave for Senator Andrezeski. Corman Jubelirer Porterfield Stout Dawida LaValle Punt Tilghman The PRESIDENT. Senator Fisher asks legislative leave for Fattah Lemmond Reibman Wenger Senator Greenwood. Senator Mellow requests a legislative Fisher Lewis Rhoades leave for Senator Andrezeski. The Chair hears no objection. NAYS-0 Those leaves will be granted. A constitutional majority of all the Senators having voted LEAVES OF ABSENCE "aye," the question was determined in the affirmative. Ordered, That the Secretary of the Senate present said bill Senator MELLOW asked and obtained leaves of absence to the House of Representatives for concurrence. for Senator BELAN and Senator LYNCH, for today's Session, for personal reasons. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS GUESTS OF SENATOR F. JOSEPH LOEPER SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS PRESENTED TO SENATE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SECRETARY Senator LOEPER. Mr. President, I would like to introduce The SECRETARY. Approval by the floor leaders will be to the Members of the Senate today some visiting guests who given for the Committee on Judiciary to meet during today's are from Nigeria. They are visiting our Capitol and they are Session in the Rules room to consider House Bill No. 25, legislative clerks in Nigeria. They are here to obtain informa­ Senate Bills No. 112, 306 and 431. tion on the administrative, financial and legislative proce­ dures and activities of the Senate and the workings of our CALENDAR institutional offices. They have been with our Chief Oerk, Gary Crowell. The government of Nigeria is in the process of FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR establishing both a national as well as state assemblies in its BILL OVER IN ORDER effort to formalize the creation of a federal system of govern­ ment that is modeled after the system that we have here in the SB 444 - Without objection, the bill was passed over in its United States. We hope their experiences here will certainly order at the request of Senator LOEPER. prove beneficial to that endeavor. I would ask the Senate if it THIRD CONSIDERATION CALENDAR would extend a very warm welcome to Chief Clerk Crowell's guests. BILLS OVER IN ORDER The PRESIDENT. Would our distinguished visitors please SB 28, 113, 390, 432 and 433 - Without objection, the rise so that we could welcome you to the Senate of Pennsyl­ bills were passed over in their order at the request of Senator vania. LOEPER. (Applause.) BILL ON THIRD CONSIDERATION AND FINAL PASSAGE GUEST OF SENATOR ;ROBERT J. MELLOW PRESENTED TO SENATE SB 434 (Pr. No. 720) The Senate proceeded to consider- ation of the bill, entitled: Senator MELLOW. Mr. President, we also today have a An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsyl­ young man who is with us as a guest page. He is a young vania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the Pennsylvania fellow who is 12 years old and is in the sixth grade at Cum­ Freedom Defense Campaign Medal and Ribbon. berland Valley Middle School. His name is John Martz. John Considered the third time and agreed to, Malady, who is Neil Malady's brother from our staff, serves And the amendments made thereto having been printed as as his big brother, and I would just ask if the Senate today required by the Constitution, would extend its cordial welcome to John Martz who is serving today as a guest page. John, would you stand. 1991 LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL-SENATE 325 The PRESIDENT. John, please stand so we could say hello (Applause.) to you and thank you for your help. Senator STOUT. Mr. President, early this morning Jonella (Applause.) had an opportunity to meet with Governor Casey and discuss the importance of the coal industry in Pennsylvania and had a GUESTS OF SENATOR ALLYSON Y. photo opportunity with the Governor. Later this morning she SCHWARTZ PRESENTED TO SENATE will be introduced in the House of Representatives by Repre­ sentative DeWeese. At 12:30 p.m. today she will be honored Senator SCHWARTZ. Mr. President, I would also like to at a luncheon in the House of Representatives Majority ask my colleagues in the Senate to welcome two representa­ Caucus room, and this evening she will be the guest of honor tives from a hospital in the Fourth Senatorial District. They at a dinner at Casa Rillo, hosted by the Pennsylvania King are from Roxborough Memorial Hospital. We have Christine Coal Association. Miss Wozny is an outstanding senior at Jackman, who is the Director of Public Relations, and Grace Carmichaels Area High School. She is a member of the Heywood, Director of Volunteers, and they brought many of National Honor Society, student council, Spanish club, senior their colleagues from the hospitals across the state, I believe, committee, drama committee, campus life and chorus. In who are visiting with us today, and I believe they are in the addition to her many school activities, she is also very active gallery. I ask you to offer them a warm welcome as well. as a counselor in the CYF youth organization. The PRESIDENT. Would the guests of Senator Schwartz Mr. President, at this time I would ask that the Senate and, indeed, all of the representatives from the Hospital Asso­ extend its usual warm welcome to Miss Jonella Wozny, 1990 ciation please rise so that we can welcome you to the Senate of Pennsylvania Coal Queen, and afford her an opportunity to Pennsylvania.