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Many proposed, few passed by legislators this term

Times Observer file photo Kathy Rapp speaks during a hearing in Harrisburg. She is the sole county representative in the General Assembly to have a piece of legislation as prime sponsor approved and signed into law during the current session.

The vast majority of bills in the General Assembly never leave committees in the House and Senate.

Even fewer, less than 10 percent, actually become law.

Halfway through the current session, Warren County’s legislators — Republican Representative Kathy Rapp and Republican Senators Scott Hutchinson and Michele Brooks — have proposed in excess of 450 bills and resolutions.

Just one bill — HB 649 — has made it across the finish line out of that total.

That measure, sponsored by State Representative Kathy Rapp, allowed an essential caregiver to be designated for residents in long-term care facilities.

“It has been more than ten months since many of our long-term care facilities have closed to visits from friends and family of the residents,” Rapp wrote in a legislative memo. “Many of these residents are scared and confused at the changes in their daily life and missing those loved ones who contributed to their routines. This prolonged separation has negatively impacted the overall health and well-being of these vulnerable residents.”

The bill provided a path for those caregivers to have access to the facilities.

As of Monday, Rapp had sponsored 65 bills and was prime sponsor on three. The other two have been referred to committees.

She is also the prime sponsor on two simple resolutions, one which would commission a study for the availability of dental services and another honoring the life of Congressman Clinger. Both were approved without opposition.

Hutchinson has sponsored a total of 188 pieces of legislation;128 of those are bills and he is prime sponsor on a total of 17. All but two have been referred to committees. The remaining two have been removed from the table in the Senate including SB 479, a bill establishing responsibilities for staff directed to assist financially distressed municipalities in complying with ethics statutes and SB 137, a bill focused on drug recognition officer training.

He is also the prime sponsor on two resolutions. Senate Resolution 38 recognizes Pennsylvania’s maple producers while Senate Resolution 58 was for apraxia awareness. Both are at the committee level.

Brooks, who represents the county’s four westernmost municipalities — Columbus, Spring Creek, Eldred, Southwest, has sponsored the most legislation of the three, a total of 201 pieces of legislation.

One hundred thirty-nine of that total are bills and she’s the prime sponsor of over 50, none of which have yet become law.

A total of four are out of committee and up for consideration including legislation to create a motorcycle lemon law, changes to the Right to Know Law among others.

The rest remain at committee, including legislation to create a Pennsylvania Lost and Found Dog Registry as well as a bill that would require the inclusion of sales tax in advertised prices.

She also is the prime sponsor on a total of nine resolutions, all of which remain at committee.

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