Proposal Could Help You Avoid Telemarketers

February 22, 2019

Improving the Do-Not-Call List

The state House this week approved legislation aimed at helping Pennsylvanians cut down on the number of telemarketing calls they receive.

The bill would give Pennsylvanians the ability to sign up for the state’s telemarketing "do-not-call" list without requiring them to re-register every five years.

The bill in addition would ban telemarketing calls on legal holidays. It also would ban the use of calls from computerized auto-dialers (robocalls).

House Bill 318 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Show Your Dog Love by Licensing

I love – and therefore license – my two dogs, Tucker (sitting on my lap) and Reilly.

It is “Love Your Dog Month” and one of the best ways to care for your dogs is to
make sure they are licensed. Licensing helps bring lost pets home more quickly, and the proceeds of dog license sales also ensure dogs and the public are kept safe.

Licenses are available through country treasurers’ offices, and many counties offer licenses through sub-agents like veterinarian offices or online. The fee for an annual dog license is $6.50, or $8.50 if the animal is not spayed or neutered. Lifetime licenses are available for dogs that have permanent identification like a microchip or tattoo. Older adults and persons with disabilities may be eligible for discounts.

Pennsylvania law requires a current license for all dogs at least three months old, but according to estimates from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, fewer than half of all dogs in the commonwealth are licensed, although rates vary by county. Owners who fail to license their dogs could face a fine of up to $300 for each unlicensed dog.

Revenue provided by the sale of licenses help the department’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement protect Pennsylvanians and their pets.

In 2018, the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement issued 2,939 summary citations and 119 misdemeanor complaints of Dog Law violations, including failure to license a dog; unlicensed kennels; dangerous dogs; dogs running at large or abandoned; and others.

To find your county treasurer, dog warden, and a database of shelter and kennel inspections, visit licenseyourdog or call the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement at 717-787-3062.

You’re Invited to Our Shredding/Spring Clean Up Day!

Initiative Focuses on Middle-Class Job Creation

Pennsylvania students and workers should be able to gain the skills they need to acquire the good-paying jobs of today and tomorrow. That’s the sentiment behind a new middle-class jobs initiative my colleagues and I are working on in Harrisburg.

We want to make sure Pennsylvanians are able to acquire the skills they need to fill current and future job openings.

There are current worker shortages in specific industries in Pennsylvania. There are not enough trained individuals to fill the jobs currently available in these sectors.

Other workers may be able to earn more money by learning new skills. Our goal is to empower workers to earn more money by learning new and valuable skills.

Specific legislation will aim to address the skills gap and worker shortages faced by industries across the state, as well as enhance educational programs and access to those opportunities for workers of all ages.

The launch coincided with the governor signing an executive order to create the Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center. The center is charged with addressing barriers to employment and enhancing cooperation among education and workforce development entities.

Preparing PA Students for Careers

As a foundational part of the middle-class jobs initiative, the House Education Committee unveiled a package of bills aimed at improving career and technical education (CTE) in Pennsylvania.

The package of bills includes:

House Bill 265, which would expand the online database that allows students and potential students to plan where courses, programs, certificates and diplomas transfer among public schools and institutions of higher education.
House Bill 297, which would direct the State Department of Education to develop materials outlining workforce needs, including training opportunities and future earning potential.
House Bill 334, which would expedite the approval of important educational programs to respond better to industry and workforce demands.
House Bill 393 (to be introduced soon), which would create an online career resource center.
House Bill 394 (to be introduced soon), which would require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to inventory workforce development programs offered at secondary and postsecondary institutions.
House Bill 395 (to be introduced soon), which would require CTE programs to establish occupational advisory committees.
House Bill 396 (to be introduced soon), which would add at least one member from a Career and Technical Center to each Workforce Development Board.
House Bill 522, which would create a CTE investment incentive program, including tax credits for contributions to support CTE programs and enrollment expansion programs.

These bills are designed to increase awareness of job-training opportunities and high-demand careers for students.

In Victory for Patients, Supreme Court Delays Venue Rule Change

Seeking to prevent a health care crisis in Pennsylvania, physicians, administrators, attorneys and industry professionals told members of the House Majority Policy Committee last week that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court should not change a rule dealing with medical malpractice lawsuits. Shortly after the hearing concluded, the Supreme Court decided to postpone its consideration until a study on the impact of the rule change is conducted later this year.

The pending proposal would reverse a rule that requires malpractice cases be brought in the county where the malpractice occurred, thereby prohibiting “shopping” for venues, such as Philadelphia, where jury awards tend to be higher.

Reversing the rule would also reverse progress that has been made to ensure access for all Pennsylvanians, regardless of ZIP code, to quality health care. Prior to the rule’s implementation, skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates were forcing many doctors and specialists to retire early or move their practices out of state. Rural areas were hit especially hard, and a reversal of this rule could again put health care into a crisis situation.

Residents can continue to do their part to ensure their voices are heard by visiting PAGOPPolicy.com and sharing with the court how such a rule change could impact their health care.

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