| Sign up | Log in | Forgot Password |
Stealth Legislation
By Ed Goppelt
Sunday, 01/30/05
(1107134770635)
It seems like in Pennsylvania, the more important or controversial the issue, the less time state representatives have to consider the legislation.
The way it works is this: at the end of session or before important holidays the Senate introduces significant legislation by adding amendments to an unrelated bill. Technically, this is forbidden by the state constitution, but the Courts have been reluctant to call the Legislature on its bad behavior.
| Bill number | Original Subject | Last Minute Amendment | Amended by Senate | Passed by House |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 1954 News Story |
Authorize the City of Philadelphia to increase its fines. | Take away the right of any taxpayer to appeal zoning and other development decisions. | 2004/11/19 | 2004/11/20 |
| HB 2330 News Story |
finger printing for employees involved in horse racing. | Legalize slot machines for entire state. | 2004/07/01 | 2004/07/03 |
| HB 1222 News Story |
change sentencing laws for sexually violent offenders and drunk drivers. | Prohibit local communities from outlawing factory farms. | 2003/12/17 | 2003/12/18 |
| SB 1100 News Story |
Gifts given to municipalities | Place control of Parking Authority and PA Convention Center under Republican leadership. | 2002/11/26 | 2002/11/27 |
| HB 115 News Story |
Police training. | Take away domestic partner benefits and other gay rights of employees at state universities. | 1999/11/16 | 1999/11/16 |
| HB 907 News Story |
An act repealing acts relating to counties. | Authorized Governor to pay 1/3 cost of new stadiums for Pittsburgh. | 1998/11/23 | 1998/11/24 |
For example Senator Vincent J. Fumo authorized statewide gambling by amending a bill having to do with fingerprinting of racetrack employees. The original HB 2330 was just 2 pages long. After being amended the Bill ballooned to a 146 page blueprint for the creation of a new industry whose fees would fund property tax relief.
Sometimes the stealth legislation is discovered. For example, State Rep. Melissa Murphy had her name removed as prime sponsor from HB 1222 after she discovered it had been amended to prohibit municipalities from banning factory farms. The Bill passed the next day.
Sometimes the true nature of the amended bill is not discovered until afterwards, as with House Bill 1954 which took away the right of any Philadelphia taxpayer to appeal zoning decisions. But the bottom line is that state representatives rarely have more than a day or two to consider the implications of complicated and important legislation.
State Representative Greg Vitali has for years been suggesting modest changes to the rules all with the aim of making sure that legislators know what it is they are voting on. For example Vitali suggests requiring that legislators be given 24 hours instead of a single hour to study amended bills returned by the Senate for House approval.
To date Vitali's common-sense reforms have been frustrated by a House leadership that appears not just indifferent, but actively hostile to the idea that the Rules could benefit from a tune up. Philadelphia area legislators have had little to say publicly about the problem of stealth legislation and the rules which permit and foster it. Since 1999, the only State Representatives from Philadelphia to speak out on the House Floor in favor of updating the rules have been Kathy Manderino and Mark Cohen.
The House is expected to adopt new rules this Monday, January 31, 2005 sometime after 3 pm.
Urge your state legislator to support common-sense rules reform.