Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Photo: Shutterstock

Following is a listing of executive and legislative action from the week of July 22, Both houses of the General Assembly were in summer recess, with the state House of Representative scheduled to return to session Sept. 17 and the Pennsylvania Senate expected to be back to work Sept. 23.

Criminal Records

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on July 25 called for records to be expunged in nearly 900 cases where people were wrongly charged with a crime in Erie County.

“This miscarriage of justice must be quickly corrected and I will work with the appropriate authorities to get it resolved,” DePasquale said.

DePasquale's audit of the Erie County District Court 06-2-04 found 880 cases from 2014 to 2017 where a former magisterial district judge improperly filed criminal charges for theft of services that should have been classified as civil complaints. As a result, these individuals may unknowingly have a criminal record that could show up in background checks for employment and volunteer service.

“Someone who owed $7 on a school lunch account now has a criminal record. Other cases involved overdue library books, fees to the YMCA, loans from credit unions and payments for services, like plumbing and repairs,” DePasquale said. “While it is indeed important for people to pay what they owe, judges have a fundamental responsibility to handle civil cases as the law requires.”

The problem was revealed last fall when a person complained that a potential employer found a criminal record during a background check. When the individual protested, they learned that the former district judge improperly handled transformed a civil complaint into a criminal case.

DePasquale said he has referred the audit to the Erie County District Attorney's Office to investigate. The audit will also be provided to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts as well as local court officials.

Data and Service

Gov. Tom Wolf issued an amended executive order July 23 that protects the privacy and personal information of Pennsylvanians when they interact with state government.

At the same time, Wolf issued a new executive order aimed at making it easier for residents to connect with state agencies and government services.

Amended Executive Order 2016-07 commissioned an advisory group of information technology professionals to develop plans for data governance that include privacy protections for persons logging in to state systems.

The new matter allows Pennsylvanians to access a growing number of online services using a single, secure account known as Keystone Login.

Those logins would be similar to an online profile that is already offered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, Department of General Services, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Office of Administration.

According to a Wolf administration, the Keystone Login will be added to more online services in the future as they undergo planned upgrades and modernization.

Executive Order 2019-04 commits the government to a “citizen-first” approach and establishes a “customer service transformation.”

Among the improvements anticipated will be establishing of a single number that will afford access to all state government services.

“I learned in the private sector the most important part of business is trust and excellent customer service,” said Wolf, who was a businessman before his election as governor.

“Pennsylvanians deserve the same from their state government. I am launching this groundbreaking new initiative that will transform how the state provides services to make it as easy and convenient for people as possible, whether it is online, on the phone or in-person.”

Opioid Addiction

A new measure aimed at stemming the tide of opioid addiction would require prescribers to enter into treatment agreements with new patients who need an opioid regime.

Treatment agreements envisioned by House Bill 1740, which is sponsored by state Rep. John Hershey, R-Juniata, would ensure new patients understand the risks of addiction and dangers of overdose associated with opioid medications.

The prescriber would be required to conduct baseline drug testing for the patient to flag undisclosed drug use and noncompliance with treatment, unless there is a compelling reason not to do so.

“Because of the opioid crisis and addictive nature of opioids, we need to create public policies like this to protect the health and safety of Pennsylvanians,” Hershey said. “This proposal is just one part of what needs to be a multi-faceted approach to address this devastating crisis.”

Pennsylvania had the third-highest rate of overdose deaths in 2017, according to statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suffering 5,456 in that year. The measure has attracted six Republican and two Democratic co-sponsors.

Infrastructure Improvements

A task force appointed by state Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, the majority leader in the state House of Representatives, has been asked to determine upcoming phases of infrastructure improvements needed to accommodate the demands of expanding industries and a growing economy without putting any additional burdens on taxpayers, the House Republican caucus announced July 23.

The group will be led by state Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia, who was appointed its chairwoman.

“Pennsylvania has a highly skilled workforce and is geographically located within a day's driving distance to a significant portion of the country's population,” White said. “We need to have the infrastructure to maximize our potential and keep pace with an ever-growing, competitive global economy.”

Along with traditional transportation needs, the task force is expected to take a closer look at how state funds can better serve economic growth, security and state police needs. •