PRINTER'S NO. 2986
No. 374 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY PERZEL, DeWEESE, S. H. SMITH, VEON, RYAN, ADOLPH, ALLEN, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, J. BAKER, M. BAKER, BARD, BARLEY, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BIRMELIN, BISHOP, BLAUM, BOYES, BROWNE, BUNT, BUTKOVITZ, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CASORIO, CAWLEY, CIVERA, CLARK, CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, COLAFELLA, COLEMAN, CORNELL, CORRIGAN, COSTA, COY, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY, DAILEY, DALEY, DALLY, DeLUCA, DERMODY, DiGIROLAMO, DIVEN, DONATUCCI, EACHUS, EGOLF, D. EVANS, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FLICK, FORCIER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GABIG, GANNON, GEIST, GEORGE, GODSHALL, GORDNER, GRUCELA, GRUITZA, HABAY, HALUSKA, HANNA, HARHAI, HARHART, HARPER, HASAY, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JADLOWIEC, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KAISER, KELLER, KENNEY, KIRKLAND, KREBS, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN, LAWLESS, LEDERER, LEH, LESCOVITZ, LEVDANSKY, LEWIS, LUCYK, LYNCH, MACKERETH, MAHER, MAITLAND, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MAYERNIK, McCALL, McGEEHAN, McGILL, McILHATTAN, McILHINNEY, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, METCALFE, MICHLOVIC, MICOZZIE, R. MILLER, S. MILLER, MUNDY, MYERS, NAILOR, NICKOL, O'BRIEN, OLIVER, PALLONE, PETRARCA, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PIPPY, PISTELLA, PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW, REINARD, RIEGER, ROBERTS, ROBINSON, ROEBUCK, ROHRER, ROONEY, ROSS, RUBLEY, RUFFING, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, SEMMEL, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STAIRS, STEELMAN, STEIL, STERN, STETLER, R. STEVENSON, T. STEVENSON, STRITTMATTER, STURLA, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, TRELLO, TRICH, TULLI, TURZAI, VANCE, VITALI, WALKO, WANSACZ, WASHINGTON, WATERS, WATSON, J. WILLIAMS, WILT, WOGAN, WOJNAROSKI, G. WRIGHT, M. WRIGHT, YEWCIC, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, ZIMMERMAN AND ZUG, DECEMBER 4, 2001
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, DECEMBER 4, 2001
A RESOLUTION 1 Requiring review of legislation and legislative recommendations 2 on terrorism. 3 WHEREAS, The events of September 11, 2001, demonstrated the
1 ability of desperate individuals to use any means to commit acts 2 of terror on American soil; and 3 WHEREAS, The events of the last two months indicate that the 4 terror attacks can take many forms; and 5 WHEREAS, The General Assembly has made great strides in the 6 last seven years in developing legislation which combats 7 terrorism; and 8 WHEREAS, The Governor established the Governor's Task Force 9 on Security to assess this Commonwealth's current state of 10 emergency preparedness in the event of an act of terrorism; and 11 WHEREAS, The Governor's Task Force on Security has proposed 12 and the Governor is reviewing a comprehensive strategy to 13 prevent and protect against attacks in this Commonwealth and to 14 respond to such attacks in the event that prevention and 15 protection should fail and action is needed; and 16 WHEREAS, The Governor directed and agencies have taken 17 immediate steps to address a host of issues relating to public 18 safety and communication, including: 19 (1) a comprehensive Pennsylvania State Police survey of 20 each of the five nuclear power plants in this Commonwealth 21 which resulted in the deployment of National Guard troops and 22 additional Pennsylvania State Police troopers at this 23 Commonwealth's nuclear power plants; 24 (2) the placement of National Guard troops and 25 Pennsylvania State Police troopers at Pennsylvania airports; 26 (3) the establishment of a homeland security World Wide 27 Web site for Pennsylvania's citizens, 28 www.homelandsecurity.state.pa.us, as well as a special World 29 Wide Web site for Commonwealth employees addressing security, 30 mail handling and other matters affecting the needs of State 20010H0374R2986 - 2 -
1 employees; 2 (4) the preparation of a comprehensive catalog itemizing 3 available terrorism readiness and response courses for 4 Pennsylvania first responders; and 5 (5) expanded hours for the Department of Health's 6 southeastern Pennsylvania laboratory to accommodate 7 increasing Federal and State requests for assistance in 8 investigating anthrax threats; 9 and 10 WHEREAS, The House of Representatives wishes to embark on a 11 bipartisan review and reform of the Commonwealth's laws in order 12 to define and combat terrorist groups and their techniques; 13 therefore be it 14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the 15 standing committees to undertake comprehensive reviews of the 16 legislative recommendations made by the Governor and the 17 Governor's Task Force on Security and other appropriate laws 18 within their jurisdiction in order to develop new and enhanced 19 laws to ensure that Pennsylvania is well prepared to detect, 20 thwart and punish terrorists operating in this Commonwealth; and 21 be it further 22 RESOLVED, That the Commerce and Economic Development 23 Committee provide specific recommendations or legislation on 24 ways to ensure that Commonwealth agencies and State-regulated 25 institutions do not knowingly or unknowingly provide investments 26 in terrorism and to develop ways in which current investment 27 programs can be used to fight terrorism; and be it further 28 RESOLVED, That the Consumer Affairs Committee develop 29 recommendations or legislation on the protection of public 30 utility infrastructure, water supplies and transportation; and 20010H0374R2986 - 3 -
1 be it further 2 RESOLVED, That the Finance Committee develop recommendations 3 or legislation for tax changes which contribute toward the 4 fighting of terrorism through armed forces or emergency response 5 services or through the development of drugs used to combat 6 biological attack; and be it further 7 RESOLVED, That the Judiciary Committee develop 8 recommendations or legislation to ensure that the Commonwealth's 9 criminal statutes and judicial procedures are able to respond 10 and provide appropriate deterrence and penalties for terrorist 11 acts; and be it further 12 RESOLVED, That the Local Government Committee provide 13 recommendations or legislation for local government officials' 14 response to emergency situations; and be it further 15 RESOLVED, That the Transportation Committee investigate and 16 provide recommendations or legislation on changes to the laws 17 enforced by the Department of Transportation to enhance 18 transportation security; and be it further 19 RESOLVED, That the Veterans Affairs and Emergency 20 Preparedness Committee develop recommendations to enhance 21 security through enhanced training and the provision of 22 additional equipment for emergency responders; and be it further 23 RESOLVED, That all committees make reports to the Speaker of 24 the House of Representatives by January 1, 2002. L3L80BIL/20010H0374R2986 - 4 -