Prime Sponsor Bills

Bills sponsored by Senator Jake Corman during the current legislative session. 

Senate Bill 50

Amends the state constitution to allow for caps on non-economic damages in all civil litigation in Pennsylvania.

Senate Bill 383 

Prohibits Pennsylvania from passing unfunded mandates onto school districts.

Senate Bill 384 

This legislation requires individuals who have been stopped by law enforcement authorities based upon reasonable suspicion and in connection with an on going criminal investigation to provide their identification upon request.

The United States Supreme Court ruled in Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada, that states can require that an individual provide their identification to law enforcement and provide for a criminal penalty without violating an individual's constitutional rights.

This legislation is being introduced on behalf of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.  When conducting an investigation and urgency is of the utmost importance, law enforcement authorities need the ability to elicit an individual's name to determine who the person is and whether or not the individual is the alleged suspect.

Senate Bill 385

This legislation will require voice over the internet (VoIP) telephone service providers to collect a $1 fee for each customer service line.  This fee will be distributed to counties to assist with implementing their 911 plans.

The Federal Communications Commission, on May 19, 2005, adopted rules requiring "interconnected VoIP providers" - those that move calls on and off the Public Switched Telephone Network - to deliver all 911 calls to a customer's local emergency operator, give emergency operators the call back number and location information of their customers where the emergency operator is capable of receiving it, and inform customers of their E911 capabilities and limitations of their service.

Currently, many VoIP providers charge fees for 911 services but in turn do not remit the funds to the states.  Pennsylvania is an example of one of many states that does not require that the fees that VoIP companies currently collect be turned over to the Commonwealth or counties.

Senate Bill 385 would require that the fee be collected and turned over to PEMA, who will in turn send the fees collected back to the counties where the customers are located.

Senate Bill 386

Amends the Sunshine Act to require agencies, including the General Assembly, State agencies, school districts and local governments, to post meeting notices and minutes on their websites.

With the advances of technology, many agencies now maintain their own websites. These websites are used as an information source for general public and other interested parties.

Senate Bill 387

Amends the Vital Statistics Law to allow a parent to request a "Certificate of Stillbirth" from the Department of Health.  This certificate would be in addition to current law which provides for a certificate of fetal death.  This legislation would not change any reporting or recording requirements of the Department of Health under the Vital Statistics Law.

I met with a mother who had a child that was stillborn.  In speaking with her I came to the conclusion that this legislation would allow a parent an additional opportunity to bring closure to their grief of losing their child and a meaningful way of remembering their loss.  The parent could, but would not be required to, provide the department the name of the child, the names of the parents, the date, and county, all of which would be included on the "Certificate of Stillbirth.".

Senate Bill 388 

The Workplace Electronic Message Monitoring Act.  This bill would require employers to provide employees with a clear notice if workplace e-mail messages are monitored.

Contrary to the fact that the routine monitoring of e-mail by employers has become more prevalent with the widespread use of e-mail at the workplace, a common expectation of privacy to those messages exists. Unfortunately, such reasonable expectations of privacy are not currently recognized in Pennsylvania. This legislation would clearly provide that employees would have a reasonable expectation to the privacy of their e-mail messages unless their employers provide notice that the content of their email message may be subject to monitoring. It is important that Pennsylvania law provide an equitable balance between the legitimate interest of business to prevent the misuse or abuse of their e-mail systems, and the privacy expectations of their employees.

This bill is part of the Corman Privacy Package.

Senate Bill 389

Creates criminal penalties for those who would steal personal or confidential information.

This bill is part of the Corman Privacy Package. 

Senate Bill 390

This bill creates the crime of "Phishing" which is the deceptive use of email or a website of a legitimate business to solicit personal information from a person.  An example would be the sending out of an email claiming to be from the person's bank and requesting the person to either email personal information back or directing the person to a website that mirrors a legitimate business's website where the person will input their information.

Senate Bill 417

Phases out Pennsylvania's Inheritance Tax.

Senate Bill 418

Under section 303 (a) of the Tax Reform Code of 1971, the Personal Income Tax is levied against eight classes of income. A loss in one class of income may not be offset against income in another class and gains or losses may not be carried forward or backward from year to year. This is more restrictive that federal tax calculations allow.

This situation was brought to my attention by one of my constituents. This individual found that losses from business partnerships cannot be offset against investment income such as interest or dividends. If money is lent to a legitimate business partner, the interest income on the loan is reported on an individual tax return. However, if the partner loses money, this loss cannot be offset.

Senate Bill 419

This legislation would increase the net operating loss (NOL) deductions for start-up companies subject to the corporate net income tax (CNI). This will be especially helpful for new technology and biotechnology companies.

Last session Act 116 of 2006 increased NOL deductions to $3 million or 12.5% of taxable income, whichever is greater.  My legislation would allow that deduction limit to be increased by the amount of "start-up period losses."  That term is defined as losses incurred during the corporation's first ten years of existence.  Many companies incur losses during their early years of existence.  My proposal would allow those companies to utilize those losses without being subject to the annual cap. This will not only be beneficial for new start-up companies in the technology and biotechnology areas, but will also encourage and attract new business to Pennsylvania.

Senate Bill 420

This legislation addresses the court decision in Graham Packaging Company, L.P v. Commonwealth.

The court ruled that all prewritten computer software transmitted electronically is subject to the sales and use tax.  This court decision will cost Pennsylvanians and Pennsylvania's businesses millions of dollars.

I believe we need to act to restore this exemption from the sales and use tax and prevent the expansion of the sales and use tax onto other digital products that are electronically transmitted.

Senate Bill 420 excludes computer software and digital products that are delivered electronically and the renewal of licenses to use computer software.

Senate Bill 421

Reacting to recent fatal accidents involving young drivers and young passengers, this legislation restricts the number of minor, unrelated passengers allowed in a vehicle being driven by someone under the age of 18 to one.  This prohibition would apply whether or not the driver has a junior or regular driver's license.

It has been over 8 years since I co-authored the Teen Driver Bill when we looked at issues surrounding teen drivers and I believe it is the appropriate time for the legislature to look at this specific issue and consider any other proposals that could curb the numbers of fatalities on our highways involving young and inexperienced drivers.

Senate Bill 422

Mandates that the Legislative Data Processing Committee place statutes and laws online for public viewing.

Senate Bill 435

This legislation reinstates the reform of the doctrine of joint and several liability.  When passed in 2002, the reform was avidly supported by the PA Chamber of Business & Industry, the Hospital Association, NFIB, PMA and the Pennsylvania Business Roundtable, among other organizations.

In June 2002, the Senate voted 40-9 in favor of SB1089 and the General Assembly passed a reform of the joint and several liability doctrine that Governor Schweiker signed into law as Act 57 of 2002.

Under the reform, a defendant found less than 60% liable would only be responsible for paying a percentage of damages equal to the percentage of his, her, or its causal liability.  (A defendant found causally liable for 10% of a $1,000,000 award would be responsible for paying only $100,000.  Under the original doctrine of joint liability, a plaintiff could collect the entire $1,000,000 from that 10% liable defendant.)

The process by which the reform was enacted, not the substance of the reform, was subsequently challenged in the DeWeese v. Weaver case in front of the Commonwealth Court.  The Court issued a ruling questioning the procedural enactment of the 2002 reform leading at least one lower court to invalidate the applicability of the 2002 reform.

Last session this legislation was passed by the General Assembly and vetoed by Governor Rendell, breaking his campaign promise to sign it into law if he were Governor.

Senate Bill 548

This legislation will require the Department of Public Welfare to implement a Long Term Care (LTC) Partnership Program in accordance with federal requirements by June 30, 2007.  Partnership programs provide incentives for individuals to purchase long term care insurance, thereby delaying or eliminating the need for Medicaid funded LTC services.

Medicaid is now the primary payer of long-term care (LTC) services in the Commonwealth, with an anticipated budget for this year of $4 Billion, and future growth bound to be exacerbated by aging baby boomers.   Approximately two-thirds of nursing home residents have their nursing home care costs paid, in part, by Medicaid.

With the enactment of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act, states can now offer individuals the option of a LTC partnership where they can protect their assets when they purchase long-term care insurance.  Partnerships create an alternative to "spending down" assets to become eligible for Medicaid.  With a partnership program, an individual is permitted to retain assets equal to the amount of benefits purchased under an approved LTC insurance policy, and Medicaid becomes the payer only after the long-term care insurance benefits are exhausted.  This is an approach that encourages individuals to take personal responsibility for their future LTC needs, while also preserving funds for their families.

Senate Bill 549 

This Religious Child-Care Facilities Act allows religious day care facilities to operate outside of some of the most onerous state provisions.

Senate Bill 740

An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Centre County, certain lands situate in Benner Township, Centre County; and authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey, at a price determined through competitive bidding, certain lands situate in Benner Township, Centre County.

Senate Bill 741

Recently I met with representatives from the Pennsylvania Forestry Association regarding the use of wood as part of Pennsylvania’s energy strategy.  Wood is a renewable energy resource with very little negative environmental impact.  Wood smoke has very little sulfur and only has 1/3 the carbon equivalent of the greenhouse gases that fuel oil and coal emissions produce.  Additionally, the cost of using wood as a heating source is lower than fuel oil.  Lastly wood is carbon neutral – when you burn a 20 year old tree and plant a new tree the carbon is recaptured in 20 years.  At the current time, this proposed exemption would only apply to wood burning stoves that are limited to using wood as a fuel source.  This legislation is supported by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association.