The House Urban Affairs Committee today conducted an informational hearing reform measures involving the Philadelphia Housing Authority PHA. Michael Kelly, Executive Director and HUD-appointed Administrative Receiver for PHA, told the committee members, “Since I arrived in December 2010, we have worked very hard to carry out a Recovery Plan to undo mistakes of the past and build a structure of strong, ethical and respectful business practices.” He outlined some of the specific changes that have been made in reforming PHA. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story.
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Posted by Jeff | Tags: Philadelphia Housing Authority | Category: House Urban Affairs, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee chaired by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne) conducted a lengthy public hearing on the issue of preventing and eradicating homelessness among the veteran population. Lawmakers received testimony and recommendations from several veterans’ organizations, community organizations specializing in veterans outreach programs and homeless veterans. A majority testified to the need for funding but also stressed the importance of assisting veterans transitioning from active duty back into civilian life. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: homelessness, veterans programs | Category: Public/Informational Committee Hearing, Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness | Comments are closed | Share:
The House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee conducted an informational hearing on the role of government in addressing elder abuse and the Older Adults Protective Services Act. Legislators heard from a panel of experts including Secretary of Aging Brian Duke. The panel discussed current efforts to protect the elderly and suggested changes in the Act. All agreed that they have seen a large increase in cases involving financial exploitation. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: elder abuse, Older Adults Protective Services Act | Category: House Aging, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The House Democratic Policy Committee this morning held a hearing to ascertain why power outages following the tropical and snow storms of September and October 2011 were so lengthy. Members heard from the five commissioners of the PUC, who explained a review to identify the reasons for the outages is underway; consumers affected by lengthy outages; PPL and Met Ed, who addressed the lessons learned from the outages, particularly the need for better, more accurate communication with customers; and the consumer advocate, who praised the response of the PUC and offered recommendations for consumers to be better prepared for future outages. Look for the complete story in the Capitol Toolbox later today. Posted by Kim | Tags: electricity, storm response | Category: House Consumer Affairs, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee held a public hearing to discuss the public safety issues involved with the scheduled closure of the Sunoco and ConocoPhillips facilities in southeastern Pennsylvania. Chairman Stephen Barrar (R-Delaware) indicated the committee felt it necessary to examine the issue from a public safety standpoint and the main concerns are the hazardous materials currently on the site, the hazardous materials that will remain on the site, the response plan for these facilities, and the effect the closures will have on local and county emergency response organizations. Ed Truitt, Delaware County Director of Emergency Services, stated it is not their desire to precipitate any action which would have an adverse affect on a potential sale but response plans need to be addressed. Look for the full story in the Capitol Toolbox later this afternoon. Posted by intern | Tags: oil, refineries | Category: House Veterans Affairs, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The long awaited congressional reapportionment map was unveiled this afternoon at a joint informational meeting of the Senate and House State Government Committees. Based on the 2010 census Pennsylvania loses one congressional seat so the proposed map places Congressmen Jason Altmire (D-Allegheny) and Mark Critz (D-Cambria) into the same congressional district. However, at the hearing the proposed 7th congressional district was the most controversial. The current district consists of parts of Delaware, Chester and Montgomery Counties but under the new proposal it is expanded into parts of Lancaster and Berks Counties as well. The proposed plan is scheduled to be considered by the Senate State Government Committee tomorrow morning and by the full Senate by the end of the day. The House State Government Committee has scheduled a voting meeting on the proposal for Thursday morning. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: congressional reapportionment | Category: House State Government, Public/Informational Committee Hearing, Senate State Government | Comments are closed | Share:
The House State Government Committee conducted a public hearing on House Bill 1200. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester), amends the Public Official and Employee Ethics Act to replace the current State Ethics Commission with a Public Integrity Commission which would “uncover and investigate public corruption within the Commonwealth.” Rep. Schroder along with several other testifiers spoke in support of the legislation. The State Ethics Commission provided the committee with suggested amendments to the statute to strengthen and improve the current statute. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: public corruption, Public Integrity Commission, State Ethics Commission | Category: House State Government, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
With an end of the year deadline looming for a pilot program in Philadelphia, the House Transportation Committee today conducted a public hearing on automated red light enforcement. The lawmakers heard testimony from a wide range of presenters including PennDOT, the State Transportation Advisory Committee, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the AAA, the National Coalition for Safe Roads, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the State Association of Township Supervisors and the National Motorists Association. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: Automated Red Light Enforcement Program, Department of Transportation, Philadelphia Parking Authority, traffic | Category: House Transportation, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The House Consumer Affairs Committee held an informational hearing this morning on Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code which is also Act 201 of 2004, the “Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act.” The provisions of Chapter 14 expire at the end of 2014 if it is not reauthorized by the General Assembly. Representatives from the utilities testified to the positive impact of the Act while consumer representatives called for significant changes in the Act if it is reauthorized. The PUC offered recommendations on changes in the Act. Check the Capitol Toolbox later today for the full story. Posted by Jeff | Tags: customer assistance programs, public utilities, PUC, ratepayers, utility terminations | Category: House Consumer Affairs, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
The House Local Government Committee this morning discussed nearly two dozen amendments to HB 1702, which extensively revises the Borough Code. The amendments under discussion were largely the result of past hearings and meetings on the bill and garnered little debate. The bill and amendments are expected to be voted form committee in two weeks. Look for the full details in the Capitol Toolbox later today. Posted by Kim | Tags: boroughs, civil service, newspapers, police, public meetings | Category: House Consumer Affairs, Public/Informational Committee Hearing | Comments are closed | Share:
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