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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	March 15, 2013 01:40 PM
From:	Senator Michael J. Stack and Sen. John H. Eichelberger, Jr.
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Bill Package on Government Reforms

Senator John Eichelberger and I have serious concerns regarding the lack of transparency, accountability and change in the way our state government conducts its business. In the near future, we will be introducing package of nine (9) bills that will look to reform state government. We are looking to make a bi-partisan effort to improve transparency and accountability. Our list of bills includes:

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Document #1

Description:	1. Remove the threshold of reporting gifts in amounts of $250 or $650 (depending on the particular gift – either travel or personal).  Instead, our legislation will require reporting of ALL gifts, meals, travel, and entertainment made to state legislators and members of the Executive Office.

Document #2

Description:	2. Prohibit Lobbyists from owning a portion of a gaming license.   This is a re-introduction of SB 763 of 2011.  This bill would amend Title 4 (Amusements) defining the term "lobbyist" and including lobbyists and licensed entity representatives in subsections relating to prohibition against financial and employment interests and requirements for divestiture.

Document #3

Description:

3. Prohibit lobbyists from running campaigns. Restrict a lobbyist from participating in campaigns of persons whom they lobby, in order to avoid undue influence when the same individual who works to get a candidate elected also lobbies that candidate upon election or re-election.  Specifically, the bill would amend Section 13A07 of Title 65 to prohibit a registered lobbyist, or a business with whom the lobbyist is affiliated, from acting also as a campaign manager or political consultant for an individual seeking state office.

Document #4

Description:	4. Mandate Automatic Public Disclosure of Vendor Scores when a contract is awarded. Most often, these scores are kept secretive even after an award has been made. My legislation would provide the Department of General Services (DGS) to post the final scoring of all qualified vendors who submitted a bid – to the appropriate agency website.

Document #5

Description:

5. Mandate full disclosure of any political contributions made by vendors and contractors. As has been reported by the Auditor General, during the last two administrations, donors have been awarded state-wide contracts suspiciously after making generous donations to the candidate running for Governor. This bill would disclose that any payments made to vendor by a registered political action committee or candidate's registered committee must be posted on DGS’ Procurement website.

Document #6

Description:	6. Legislation that would require each contractor to disclose to DGS or another state agency a list of subcontractors.

Document #7

Description:	7. Require members of Governor's Advisory Commissions and Task Forces to disclose campaign contributions made to the Governor.  This information would be made available on applicable websites. The information provide would include their employer name, address, and job title.

Document #8

Description:	8. Reintroduce SB 757 of 2011.  This bill would forfeit the salaries for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, cabinet members, and members of the General Assembly for failure to pass a timely budget.  The bill will provide full pay (and back-pay) to legislators once a budget it passed.

Document #9

Description:	9. Finally, legislation to place the Governor's Code of Conduct into a statute. This will prohibit the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Executive Agency workers from accepting gifts and favors from companies that conduct business with the Commonwealth, are regulated by the Commonwealth, or have an issue pending before an executive agency.