Top Priority Legislation Introduced by Senator Browne, 2011-2012 Session
Updated November 1, 2011

Senate
 Bill

Description of Bill

Current Location

The Taxpayer Transparency Act - This legislation would expand the public’s access to state spending records by directing the Department of the Treasury to create and maintain a searchable budget database-driven website that the public can access, for free, to obtain:

• Information on grants and contracts provided by government agencies.  All transactions above $25,000 would be accessible to the public;
• Agency performance indicators and quarterly performance results compared to these indicators;
• Agency line-by-line appropriation analysis including user-friendly detailed monetary breakouts and detailed narrative descriptions.

A companion bill – HB 15 – to Senator Browne's SB 105 was signed into law by Governor Corbett as Act 18 of 2011 on June 28, 2011

The Youth Sports Concussion Act - This legislation would require an athlete who is suspected of suffering a concussion or other
head injury, during practice or a game, be removed from play and kept from returning until the athlete has written approval from an appropriate medical professional trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. This legislation creates a "team approach" in the removal of play for students with brain injuries. Coaches, officials, athletic trainers, physicians and physical therapists, as well as other medical professionals trained in the management and evaluation of concussions, will work together to ensure the athlete is safe before returning to play.

Also, each parent would be required to sign an information sheet prior to their child playing a sport that states they are aware of the concerns and rules regarding concussions and head injuries. The Department of Health and Department of Education are required through this legislation to work to educate coaches, athletes and parents or guardians of the risks of concussions. In this legislation, there are penalties for coaches who do not adhere to the removal from play and return to play process.
 

The Indoor Tanning Regulations Act - This legislation would provide for the regulation of indoor tanning facilities in the Commonwealth.  It would require a $300 licensing fee per salon, up to 10 devices and $20.00 per additional bed.  The Department of Health would conduct an initial inspection after the applicant has applied to the Department and it would allow for yearly inspections. Warning signs are required to be posted as well as a written statement signed by the client before the initial exposure.

In the Senate

Third consideration and final passage, Oct. 31, 2011

In the House of Representatives

Laid on table, Jan. 25, 2012

Business Privilege Tax Legislation - This legislation amends the Local Tax Enabling Act to provide that a business privilege tax may be imposed only if the "privilege" of doing business is exercised through a "base of operations" in the local taxing jurisdiction. This bill will clear up confusion stemming from a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision* when the court reversed its previous position and now would allow a municipality to tax an entity that lacks a permanent base of operations within its borders. Previously, the court had made a distinction between a business "privilege" tax and a business "transaction" tax. This legislation would clarify this ambiguity.

* (V.L. Rendina, Inc. v Harrisburg and the Harrisburg School District – Pa.Dec.27, 2007)
 

The Sales Tax Remittance Legislation - This legislation repeals the monthly sales tax remittance requirement that was contained in Act 46 of 2009. Pursuant to Act 48 of 2009, after May 21, 2011, sales tax returns must be filed semi-monthly with respect to taxpayers whose total tax reported for the third quarter of the preceding year equals or exceeds $25,000.

The legislation would replace the semi-monthly sales tax return requirement with a single monthly return to include both an estimated tax for the current month and a true-up payment for the prior month. By allowing taxpayers to use the prior-year’s sales tax figures for the current month’s estimated tax, they would be able to avoid creating the expensive semi-monthly data retrieval and reporting systems that will otherwise be required in order to comply with Act 48 of 2009.

Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Feb. 16, 2011