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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 10, 2013 12:39 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator David G. Argall |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Philadelphia Taxicab and Limousine Regulation |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to correct a situation that will jeopardize the safety and welfare of anyone who uses or drives a taxicab in the City of Philadelphia. The Commonwealth Court recently ruled that the statute which provides the manner in which the taxicab and limousine regulatory budget is reviewed and approved each year by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees is unconstitutional. Funding for this budget is derived through fees and assessments paid by the regulated parties after the General Assembly has approved it. Without a mechanism in place for the General Assembly to approve the budget, there is no enforcement of the collection of assessments and fees. This lack of enforcement means that vehicle inspections, registrations, driver training, background checks and citizen complaint investigations will no longer take place. It is vital that we act promptly to enact a new procedure that will conform to the Commonwealth Court ruling. My proposed legislation is modeled after the system that the Public Utility Commission uses to set its budget and fees for taxicabs in the rest of the Commonwealth. This legislation does not increase any assessments or fees and does not use any tax dollars. It simply provides the necessary budgetary procedures so that enforcement may continue uninterrupted. Please contact Jon Hopcraft of my office at 787-2637 or at jhopcraft@pasen.gov with any questions. |
Introduced as SB1014