Pennsylvania State Issues 2003-2004

Passed both houses and signed into law

• Broadband (HB30) signed into law on November 30, 2004
• Child Internet Protection (HB2262) signed into law November 30, 2004
• Community and Economic Development Dept. (SB10) signed into law on April 1, 2004
• Emergency 911 Service (SB432) signed into law November 29, 2004
• Fraudulent Business Practices (SB705) signed into law November 30, 2004
• Health Care Cost Containment (SB387) signed into law on June 17, 2003
• Keystone Innovative Zones (SB778) signed into law on February 12, 2004
• Keystone Opportunity Zones (HB521) signed into law December 23, 2003
• Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act (HB1018) signed into law December 30, 2003
• Technology Work Experience Internship Program (HB538) signed into law November 6, 2003
• Telemarketer Registration Act (HB276) signed into law September 12, 2003
• Trade Secrets (SB152) signed into law February 19, 2004
• Urban Redevelopment (HB1426) signed into law January 12, 2004

Passed one house only

• Clean Rooms added to Definition of Manufacturing (HB2166)
• Computer Crimes Definition (HB1065)
• Financial Privacy Protection (HB885)
• Homeland Security Office (HB1017)
• Protective Orders (HB2224)
• R & D Tax Credit (HB146)(HB1041)

Resolution Adopted

• Advisory Council for Technology (HR18) passed June 26, 2003
• Technology Week, June 2-6, 2003 (HR300) passed June 3, 2003

Proposed Legislation and Resolutions

• Children's' Internet Access Restrictions (HB10)(SB34)
• Computer Lemon Law (HB2284)
• Consumer Credit Protections (HB58)
• Criminal History Information (HB1703)
• Government Access to E-mails (HB587)
• Information Highway Development Board (HB1669)
• Joint Commission Science and Technology (HB2206)
• Municipal Waste Planning (HB1539)
• Offshore Outsourcing (SR210)(SR211)(HB2661)(HB2639)(HB2659)(HR760)
• Privacy Protection (SB704)(SB893)
• Protection of Database (SB890)
• R & D Tax Credit (SB550)(HB1306)(HB1029)(HB1202)(SB435)(SB670)(SB784)
• Redevelopment (HB1464)
• SPAM (SB885)
• Spyware (HB2788)
• Unfair Trade Practices (HB742)
• Venture Capital Loans (HB1359)
• Vocational and Technical Education Marketing Strategy (HB294)

House Bill 30 "An Act further providing for residential telephone service rates based on duration or distance of call and for local exchange service increases and limitations."
Status: Signed in the House and in the Senate, November 19, 2004. Approved by the Governor, November 30, 2004.

House Bill 146 "An act known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing for the sale or transfer of unused research and development tax credits."
Status: Passed in the House, October 7, 2003. In the Senate referred to Finance, October 8, 2003.

House Bill 276 "An act known as the Telemarketer Registration Act, further providing for definitions and for unwanted telephone solicitation calls."
Status: Passed in the Senate, September 10, 2003 and in the House, September 9, 2003. Approved by the Governor, September 12, 2003.
                              
House Bill 294 "An act providing for the establishment and implementation of a Vocational and Technical Education Marketing Strategy and an advisory committee and its powers and duties."
Status: Referred to Appropriations, June 2, 2003.

House Bill 521 "An act known as the Keystone Opportunity Zone and Keystone Opportunity Expansion Zone Act, further providing for keystone opportunity improvement zones and for expiration of act."
Status: Passed in the House and in the Senate, December 16, 2003. Approved by the Governor, December 23, 2003.

House Bill 538 "An act known as the Job Enhancement Act, establishing the Technology Work Experience Internship Program."
Status: Passed in the House and in the Senate, October 27, 2003. Approved by the Governor, November 6, 2003.

House Bill 586 "An Act providing for consumer credit protections and for remedies for
violations."
Status: Referred to Judiciary, March 3, 2003.

House Bill 587 "An act providing for identity theft and for requirements for governmental access to certain electronic communications."
Status: Referred to Judiciary, March 3, 2003.

House Bill 742 "An act known as the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, further providing for unfair and deceptive acts or practices by Internet access providers."
Status: Referred to Consumer Affairs, March 6, 2003.

House Bill 885 "An act adding provisions relating to privacy protection for customer information of financial transactions; and imposing penalties."
Status: Passed in the House, June 17, 2003. In the Senate referred to Banking and Insurance, June 25, 2003.

House Bill 1017 "An act providing for the Office of Homeland Security, for powers and duties, for the Director of Homeland Security, for staffing and for reporting requirements; and making an appropriation."
Status: Passed in the House, May 7, 2003. In the Senate referred to Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, May 16, 2003.

House Bill 1018 "An act known as the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act, further providing for definitions, for local government immunity and for powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency."
Status: Passed in the Senate, December 23, 2003 and in the House, December 22, 2003. Approved by the Governor, December 30, 2003.

House Bill 1041 "An act providing a tax credit for attendance at a firearm training course; and further providing for time limitations for the research and development tax credit and for termination of approval of the tax credit."
Status: Passed in the House, September 30, 2003. In the Senate referred to Finance, October 8, 2003.

House Bill 1065 "An act providing for the definitions of "electronic communication system," "suspected criminal activity," "trap and trace device" and "wire communication," for possession, sale, distribution, manufacture or advertisement of electronic, mechanical or other devices."
Status: Passed in the House, May 6, 2003. In the Senate referred to Judiciary, May 16, 2003.

House Bill 1029 "An Act known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing for the time period of and limitation on technology tax credits."
Status: Referred to Finance, April 2, 2003.

House Bill 1202 "An Act known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, repealing provisions relating to limitation and termination of the research and development tax credit.
Status: Referred to Finance, April 21, 2003.

House Bill 1306 "An act known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing, in research and development tax credits, for carrying and assigning credits and for limitation on credits."
Status: Referred to Rules, June 25, 2003. 

House Bill 1359 "An act creating the Pennsylvania State Investment Authority; providing for loans to venture capital companies, for certified capital companies and for working capital loan guarantees; and making an appropriation."
Status: Referred to Appropriations, June 24, 2003.

House Bill 1426 "An act known as the Urban Redevelopment Law, further providing for provisions of the redevelopment contract; and making repeals."
Status: Passed in the House and in the Senate, January 6, 2004. Approved by the Governor, January 12, 2004.

House Bill 1464 "The Tax Increment Financing Act, further providing for redevelopment area and for reporting requirements."
Status: Referred to Rules, March 31, 2004.
                    
House Bill 1539 "An act known as the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, providing for recycling of cathode ray tubes; and making editorial changes."
Status: Referred to Environmental Resources and Energy, June 5, 2003.

House Bill 1669 "An act providing for telecommunications competition and universal broadband deployment; further providing for definitions; creating the Information Highway Development Board."
Status: Referred to Consumer Affairs, June 23, 2003.

House Bill 1703 "An act adding definitions relating to dissemination of criminal history record 
information; and providing for free Internet access for public service entities and for Internet 
access for qualified entities to that information."
Status: Referred to Judiciary, June 25, 2003.

House Bill 2166 "An act known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing for the definition of
"manufacture."
Status: Passed in the House, March 17, 2004. In the Senate referred to Finance, March 22, 2004. 

House Bill 2206 "An act establishing the joint commission on Science and Technology and
providing for its powers and duties; and providing for the operation of the Central Management and 
Information Center.
Status: Referred to Commerce, November 24, 2003.

House Bill 2224 "An Act providing for a Statewide registry of protective orders."
Status: Passed in the House, June 7, 2004. In the Senate referred to Appropriations, June 30, 2004.

House Bill 2262 "An Act providing for protection of children from obscene material, child pornography
and other material that is harmful to minors on the Internet in public schools and public libraries."
Status: Passed in the House, November 19, 2004 and in the Senate, November 20, 2004.
Approved by the Governor, Nov. 30, 2004.

House Bill 2284 "An Act relating to protecting the purchasers of defective computer
equipment." 
Status: Referred to Consumer Affairs, December 23, 2003. 
AeA's Testimony on Pennsylvania's Proposed Computer Lemon Law on May 21, 2004  

House Bill 2639 "An act requiring Commonwealth agencies to use as a criterion for selection for 
certain contracts whether all the contract work will be performed exclusively within the geographical
boundaries of the United States."
Status: Referred to Commerce, May 25, 2004.

House Bill 2659 "An Act providing for requirements for performance of Commonwealth contracts by 
United States labor; and imposing penalties."
Status: Referred to State Government, June 7, 2004.

House Bill 2661 " An Act providing for restrictions on the public benefits received by a company 
that replaces Commonwealth employees with workers located outside the United States; and
imposing penalties."
Status: Referred to Labor Relations, June 7, 2004.

House Bill 2788 "An Act further providing for unlawful transmission of electronic mail; and providing for 
misuse of adware or spyware."
Status: Referred to Consumer Affairs, July 1, 2004.

House Resolution 18 "A Resolution establishing the Statewide Technology and Electronic Commerce Advisory Council and Committee on Information Technology and Electronic Commerce and providing for their powers and duties."
Status: Referred to Rules, January 29, 2003. Reported as amended, June 18, 2003. Adopted, June 26, 2003.

House Resolution 300 "A Resolution designating the week of June 2 through 6, 2003, as "Technology Week" in Pennsylvania."
Status: Introduced as Non-controversial Resolution Under Rule 35, June 3, 2003. Adopted, June 3, 2003.

House Resolution 760 "A Concurrent Resolution establishing a task force to conduct an in-
depth investigation of the outsourcing of jobs from the Commonwealth."
Status: Referred to State Government, July 3, 2004.

Senate Bill 10 "An act providing for an economic enhancement program in the Department of Community and Economic Development; creating tax incentive districts."
Status: Passed in the Senate, March 31, 2004. Passed in the House, April 1, 2004. Approved by the Governor, April 1, 2004.

Senate Bill 34 "An act requiring school districts to establish a program to monitor and control Internet access by students"
Status: Referred to Education, January 23, 2003.

Senate Bill 152 "An act adding provisions relating to trade secrets."
Status: Passed in the Senate, February 10, 2004 and in the House, February 11, 2004. Approved by the Governor, February 19, 2004.
                              
Senate Bill 387 "An act known as the Health Care Cost Containment Act, further providing for the Health Care Cost Containment Council."
Status: Passed in the Senate and in the House, July 17, 2003. Approved by the Governor, July 17, 2003.

Senate Bill 432 "An act known as the Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act, further providing for definitions, for local government immunity and for powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency."
Status: Signed in the Senate, November 19, 2004 & in the House, November 20, 2004. Approved by the Governor, November 29, 2004.

Senate Bill 550 "An act providing for carryover, carryback, refund and assignment of credit and for a limitation on credits."
Status: Referred to Appropriations, June 17, 2003.

Senate Bill 704 "An act requiring Internet service providers to maintain confidentiality of certain information; and imposing a penalty."
Status: Referred to Communications and Technology, March 24, 2004.

Senate Bill 705 "An act providing for deceptive or fraudulent business practices."
Status: Signed in the Senate, November 20, 2004 & in the House, November 20, 2004. Approved by the Governor, November 30, 2004.
                             
Senate Bill 778 "An act known as the Job Enhancement Act, providing for keystone innovation zones."
Status: Passed in the Senate, February 10, 2004 and in the House, February 11, 2004. Approved by the Governor, February 12, 2004.

Senate Bill 885 " An Act known as the Unsolicited Telecommunication Advertisement Act, further providing for definitions, for prohibition of unsolicited or misleading commercial electronic mail messages and faxes, for violations and for remedies available to consumers."
Status: Referred to Appropriations, June 28, 2004.
                         
Senate Bill 890 "An act providing for the protection of databases."
Status: Referred to Communications and Technology, August 7, 2003.

Senate Bill 893 "An act providing for notice to employees of electronic monitoring by employers of network and information technology resources."
Status: Referred to Appropriations, March 17, 2004.

Senate Resolution 210 "A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to ensure that the H-1B and L-1 visa programs are utilized for the purpose for which they were intended and not to displace American workers with lower-cost foreign visa holders and to enact legislation permanently prohibiting the performance of Federal contracts offshore."
Status: Referred to Labor and Industry, March 15, 2004.

Senate Resolution 211 "A resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to study
the economic impact of offshore outsourcing on Pennsylvania's service sector, particularly as it pertains to the area of information technology jobs."
Status: Referred to Labor and Industry, March 15, 2004.

This page was last updated on 02/01/05.  
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