Mike's Memo

Bill Addressing Child Custody Proceedings During Military Deployment Passes Senate

I am pleased that my Senate Bill 1107 unanimously passed the Senate.  Senate Bill 1107 protects the child custody rights of deployed military personnel by freezing custody arrangements while military personnel are deployed.  Once soldiers return home, any disputes between parents may continue as before deployment.  While there are other issues of child custody that need to be addressed, passage of Senate Bill1107 is an important step - fighting for your country should not result in losing custody of your children. 

Changes to Earned Income Tax Collection

The Senate also passed Senate Bill 1063, legislation that would change how the Earned Income Tax (EIT) is collected. The bill passed by a vote of 41 – 8. While I support the concept of streamlined tax collection because I believe that it will save tax dollars, I was also concerned that centralized collection at the county level would not fit into existing efficiencies within the 48^th Senatorial District.  For this reason, I supported an amendment offered by Senator Regola, which would have given municipalities the option of centralized collection at either the county or the school district level.  However, that amendment failed by a vote of 8 – 41.  Click here to see how members of the Senate voted on this amendment and click here to see how Senators voted on final passage of Senate Bill 1063.

This bill will be among a number of issues that I will be discussing at my first Local Government Roundtable, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, at HACC’s Lebanon Campus, 735 Cumberland Street. Contact Beth Williams in my office to register.  

Policy Committee Hearing on Affordability of Health Care

This week I had the opportunity to be the lead witness at the Senate Republican Policy Committee’s hearing on the affordability of health care.  Click here for a copy of my testimony, as well as the testimony of other witnesses who appeared before the Committee. The witnesses include Rick Dreyfuss, The Commonwealth Foundation; Gary Swan, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau; Gene Barr, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry; Kevin Shivers, National Federation of Independent Business; Vince Phillips, PA Assoc. of Health Underwriters; Julie Martin, Teaman-Martin Associates; Raymond Doreian, The TriniCore Company; Sam Marshall, Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania; Roger Mecum, Pennsylvania Medical Society; Carolyn Scanlan, Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania; and Mike Murray, Capital Blue Cross. 

Important Committee Meetings Cancelled

To my disappointment, the Conference Committee meeting on Senate Bill 246 (smoking ban bill) and the State Government Committee meeting to discuss Senate Bill 137 (proposed amendment to state Constitution authorizing the use of initiative and referendum as powers to the people), were not held this week.  I am hopeful that they will be rescheduled soon.  

Berks-Area Town Hall Meetings Scheduled

Attention residents of West Lawn and surrounding areas... please plan to join me and State Representative Jim Cox for a joint town hall meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, at the Spring Township Fire Company, 2301 Monroe Ave, in West Lawn. Rep. Cox and I will give an update on important legislative issues in Harrisburg, including the state budget, and property taxes, as well as field your specific questions and concerns. If you are unable to make the meeting on the 20^th, I’ll be hosting another town hall meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at the West Lawn Community Center.