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April 2010 Dear Friend, I am pleased to unveil my newly-revised electronic newsletter. I plan to send these updates out on a regular basis as a way to keep you informed about issues, events and activities in Harrisburg and around the 50th Senatorial District. These e-newsletters will enable me to provide information to you in a timely manner while saving postage costs. If you find this e-newsletter useful, I'd invite you to visit my website www.senatorrobbins.com for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the page. Sincerely, Bob Robbins Senate Approves Education Compact for Military Families
The average student of a military family faces transition challenges more than twice during high school and most military children will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten through graduation. The Compact provides a comprehensive approach to address the major areas of education that are affected such as the transferring of education records, course sequencing and graduation requirements. The Compact was developed and drafted by the Council of State Governments with the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Personnel and Readiness. Currently, 28 states have already passed similar legislation. New Law Combats Methamphetamine Labs The Governor recently signed into law legislation toughening the penalties for anyone possessing ingredients to manufacture methamphetamine and operating a methamphetamine laboratory. Act 8 of 2010, which I co-sponsored, also provides that those convicted of operating meth labs are also responsible for environmental clean-up costs associated with the labs. Act 8 amends the Controlled Substances Act to provide for the specific offenses of possessing ingredients to manufacture methamphetamine and operating a methamphetamine laboratory. It also increases penalties if the lab is operated near a school, day care center or playground.
National Guard Day at the Capitol
PA Moves to Online Vanity Plate Check If you are considering joining the more than 276,000 Pennsylvanians with personalized vanity plates on their vehicle, you will no longer have to wait to see if your idea already appears on another vehicle, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Check the availability of a personalized plate before submitting an application and possibly receiving a notice of duplication. Go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and select the Online Driver and Vehicle Services link. Choose Personalized Vanity Plate Availability from the list of available online Vehicle Registration Services. Complete Form MV-904, Application for Special Registration Plate and submit it to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Special Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68293, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8293 along with a $20 check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Or you can submit your application to any of my offices listed in the right hand column of this e-newsletter. Senate Approves Science in Motion Bill The Senate recently unanimously approved Senate Bill 766, legislation I introduced that would formally enact into law the Science Technology Partnership Program, better known as "Science in Motion." Governor Rendell has repeatedly eliminated funding for the program in his budget proposals and left it to the Senate to restore the money. We provided $1.9 million for the program in the current budget, only to see the Governor eliminate the funding as part of his budget freezes earlier this year. Fortunately, $1.71 million or about 90 percent of the funding was restored in February. Funding is again eliminated in the Governor's proposed 2010-11 budget and this line item will again be considered by the Legislature during our budget deliberations. The program makes state funding available to higher education institutions to purchase high-tech science equipment. This equipment is then transported to and shared with surrounding schools. More than 300 public, private, and parochial schools were served throughout the state by 12 higher education institutions: Cedar Crest College, Clarion University, Drexel University, Elizabethtown College, Gannon University, Gettysburg College, Juniata College, Susquehanna University, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Ursinus College, Westminster College, and Wilkes University. Appropriations Committee Wraps Up Budget Hearings The Senate Appropriations Committee recently wrapped up its three weeks of public hearings on the Governor's proposed state budget for the 2010-11 Fiscal Year. The Appropriations Committee heard detailed reports from several cabinet secretaries and other officials during the period from February 16 through March 3. Written summaries, audio and video from the individual budget hearings are
available at
www.pasenategop.com. |
Main Capitol Email: brobbins@pasen.gov
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On
March 15, the Senate approved my legislation to assist students of military
families who are coping with the frequent and stressful relocations from state
to state associated with active duty service. Senate Bill 213, the Interstate
Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children legislation, authorizes
Pennsylvania to enter into the Interstate Compact as a way to make education
more accessible to children of military families and make school transfers and
transitions more uniform and less stressful.