Vetoes During 2009- 2010 Session 

VETO NO.

DATE

BILL

SUBJECT

DISPOSITION AND LINKS

1 of 2010

May 14

SB 81

Amends the Liquor Code further defining "eligible entity" to include a nonprofit organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which is located in counties of the second class A and of the third class and whose purpose is the education and promotion of American history or a brewery which has been issued a license to manufacture malt or brewed beverages and has been in existence for at least 100 years; and adding a definition for "satellite wine store"; adding that the board has the power and duty to establish and implement a customer relations marketing program for the purpose of offering incentives, such as coupons or discounts, to customers; further providing for wine marketing and for Sunday retail sales by Pennsylvania Liquor Stores; prohibiting any store not so already located from having an interior connection with another business, unless the other business has a policy that prohibits the consumption of alcohol on the premises or portions of the premises that are not licensed by the board. And, in licenses and regulations relating to liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, further providing for interlocking businesses prohibited, for number and kinds of licenses allowed same licensee, and unlawful acts relative to liquor, malt and brewed beverages relating to interest of a member of the governing board of a public authority created under the County Code in a distributor or importing distributor license; and providing for the transfer of licenses issued and for the authority of limited wineries to store products at offsite facilities.

Governor’s Veto Message 

 

2 of 2010

Oct. 22

HB 101

Amends the Public School Code, in school districts, further providing for reports to Department of Education and providing for value-added assessment system and for drop-out data collection; in intermediate units, further providing for financial reports; providing for payment of fees associated with certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; in certification of teachers, further providing for disqualifications relating to teacher's certificate; in pupils and attendance, further providing for residence and right to free school privileges and providing for emergency permits at approved private schools and chartered schools for the deaf and blind; in provisions relating to safe schools, further providing for definitions and for the Office for Safe Schools; providing for regulations; and further providing for reporting by school entities; in school health services, further providing for possession and use of asthma inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors, for medical examinations of teachers and other persons and for duties of Department of Education; in terms and courses of study, providing for economic education and personal financial literacy programs, for state standards for business, computer and information technology courses and for dating violence education; establishing the Science Technology Partnership Program; in high schools, further providing for academic degrees; in charter schools, further providing for facilities; providing for the Older Pennsylvanian Higher Education Program, for course materials at institutions of higher education and for sexual violence education at institutions of higher education; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for effect of failure to file reports; and making editorial changes and related repeals.

Governor’s Veto Message

 

Veto overridden by House (11/15/10) and Senate (11/17/10) and became Act # 104 of 2010 on November 22, 2010.

3 of 2010

Oct. 22

SB 1280

Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act to make permanent the basic insurance coverage amounts determined in 2005 and repealing sections dealing with unavailable capacity for basic insurance coverage. The liability limit is made permanent at $500,000 for each incident and $1.5 million per annual aggregate. The provision dealing with actuarial data is also repealed along with a section dealing with discounts on surcharges and assessments. The fund must undergo an annual assessment.

Governor’s Veto Message

4 of 2010

Nov. 27

HB 1231

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act further defining "occupational disease" to include cancer suffered by a firefighter which is caused by exposure to a known carcinogen which is recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Compensation pursuant to cancer suffered by a firefighter shall only be to those firefighters who have served four or more years in continuous firefighting, who can establish direct exposure to a carcinogen relating to cancer by a firefighter and have successfully passed a physical examination prior to asserting a claim or prior to engaging in firefighting duties and the examination failed to reveal any evidence of the condition of cancer. Further provides the presumption may be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence that shows the firefighter engaged in conduct or activities outside of firefighting duties that posed a substantial risk of causing the cancer, including the continuous use of tobacco products for two or more years for cancers primarily caused by smoking or a tobacco product. Also provides a claim made by a member of a volunteer fire company shall be based on the evidence of direct exposure to a known carcinogen which is recognized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as documented by reports filed pursuant to the Pennsylvania Fire Information Reporting System.

Governor’s Veto Message

5 of 2010

Nov. 27

HB 1926

Amends Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) further providing for registration of offenders and sexually violent predators who are homeless. These offenders shall be required to register with the PA State Police at an approved registration site within the jurisdiction of the area where the person may be found. The offender is required to register his "habitual locale" every 30 days. Failure to register is penalized. Also provides for sentence for failure to comply with registration of sexual offenders. Stipulates, in general principles of justification, certain circumstances and situations in which protective and/or deadly force is justified. The bill provides for presumptions of intent, for reasonable belief, for exceptions, for definitions and inconsistencies, and for public officers outlines justifications for the use of force in the performance of duty. Increased penalties for non-compliance with sex-offender registration provisions are provided.

Governor’s Veto Message

6 of 2010

Nov. 27

HB 2477

Amends the County Code further providing for the governing board of the convention center authority by stating that the board shall be composed of eleven members (increased from nine). The bill provides for how these members shall be appointed and increases the number of members it takes for a quorum to six. Bill also eliminates the position of jury commissioner in all counties, with the exception of Philadelphia and provides for the financial security of certain county officers and employees through bonding requirements.

Governor’s Veto Message

 

VETO NO.

DATE

BILL

SUBJECT

DISPOSITION AND LINKS

1A of 2009

Aug. 5

SB 850

The General Appropriations Act of 2009 provides from the General Fund for the expenses of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial Departments of the Commonwealth, the public debt and the public schools for the fiscal year July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, for certain institutions and organizations, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009; to provide appropriations from the State Lottery Fund, the Energy Conservation and Assistance Fund, the Hazardous Material Response Fund, The State Stores Fund, the Milk Marketing Fund, the Home Investment Trust Fund, the Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund, the Tuition Payment Fund, the Banking Department Fund, the Firearm Records Check Fund, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Fund and the Tobacco Settlement Fund to the Executive Department; to provide appropriations from the Judicial Computer System Augmentation Account to the Judicial Department for the fiscal year July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010; to provide appropriations from the Motor License Fund for the fiscal year July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010, for the proper operation of the several departments of the Commonwealth and the Pennsylvania State Police authorized to spend Motor License Fund moneys; to provide for the appropriation of Federal funds to the Executive Department of the Commonwealth and for the payment of bills remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009; to provide for the additional appropriation of Federal and State funds from the General Fund, from the State Lottery Fund and from the Tobacco Settlement Fund for the Executive Department of the Commonwealth for the fiscal year July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008; and making interfund transfers for the fiscal year July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2009.

Governor’s Veto Message 

 

14A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1039

Act appropriating $34,419,000 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and $113,000 for the maintenance of and purchases for the museum. Payments shall be made to the board on a quarterly basis.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

16A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1093

Act appropriating $1,563,000 to the Trustees of Drexel University, Philadelphia.

 Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

17A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1094

Act appropriating $1,467,000 to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

18A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1095

Act appropriating $415,000 to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

19A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1096

Act appropriating $378,000 to Salus University, Philadelphia.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

20A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1097

Act appropriating $271,000 to the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, for instruction and student aid.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

21A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1098

Act appropriating $43,000 to the Johnson Technical Institute of Scranton for operation and maintenance expenses.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

22A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1099

Act appropriating $16,000 to the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Delaware County for operation and maintenance expenses.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

23A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1100

Act appropriating $345,000 to the Fox Chase Institute for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, for the operation and maintenance of the cancer research program.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

24A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1101

Act appropriating $95,000 to the Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, for operation and maintenance expenses and for AIDS research.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

25A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1102

Act appropriating $58,000 to the Central Penn Oncology Group.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

26A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1103

Act appropriating $26,000 to Lancaster Cleft Palate for outpatient-inpatient treatment.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

27A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1104

Act appropriating $186,000 to the Burn Foundation, Philadelphia, for outpatient and inpatient treatment.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

28A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1105

Act appropriating $431,000 to The Children's Institute, Pittsburgh, for treatment and rehabilitation of certain persons with disabling diseases.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

29A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1106

Act appropriating $200,000 to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for comprehensive patient care and general maintenance and operation of the hospital.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

30A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1107

Act appropriating $317,000 to the Philadelphia Health and Education Corporation for the Colleges of Medicine, Public Health, Nursing and Health Professions for continuation of pediatric services.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

31A of 2009

Dec. 17

SB 1108

Act appropriating $49,000 to the Beacon Lodge Camp.

Governor’s Line Item Veto Message

***When the Governor exercises the item veto power, he returns to the Chamber which originated the bill a letter which identifies which item or items he is not approving. This letter contains the same language as the actual item veto signed by the Governor and attached to the bill before filing it with the Department of State, as required by the Pennsylvania Constitution.

 ***A letter provides the Governor’s explanation of why he vetoed certain items. It accompanies the item veto letter to the General Assembly and provides a more detailed discussion of his reasons behind the item veto.