Leading the Way with State Senate Democratic Leader Robert J. Mellow Throughout my three decades in the state Senate, I have always advocated making government as open and accessible to citizens as possible. On January 2, the first day of the new 2007-08 legislative session, I am pleased to report that the Senate unanimously agreed to new institutional rules that are the first step toward making the state Senate more transparent, one that will be open, accountable, and most importantly, responsive to the public. Under these new Senate rules: · Session times will be limited to between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. · Amendments will be posted to the Internet before being offered on the Senate floor. · The Senate will wait at least six hours before voting on an amended bill or a conference committee report. · All roll call votes will be posted on the Internet as soon as possible after a vote, but always within 24 hours of a vote. · Committee votes on bills will be posted on the Internet within 48 hours of the vote. · The Senate’s Legislative Journal – which includes the full text of all floor debates – will be posted on the Internet upon Senate approval of the Journal or within 45 days, whichever is earlier. · An updated fiscal note will be prepared if a bill is amended after consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee, if the amendment has a fiscal impact. My goal has always been to open up the door of the Senate chamber so that Pennsylvanians can see what we are doing. During my two-term tenure as President Pro Tempore in the 1990’s, I convinced my Republican colleagues to first allow the Pennsylvania Cable Network, or PCN, to broadcast Senate floor activity. Now, as Democratic leader, I have worked extensively with fellow Senators on both sides of the aisle to come up with these reforms. I am particularly encouraged by the way the new Republican leadership team welcomed Democratic input and agreed to implement many of our reform proposals. This will hopefully stand as the first bold step in a new era of state government where lawmakers operate openly and show a commitment to working together for the good of all Pennsylvania citizens. I am elated by this new spirit of bipartisan cooperation and believe that these reforms will benefit all Pennsylvania citizens. But reform shouldn’t stop here. This is just the first step toward opening up the legislative process and reinvigorating public interest, trust and confidence in state government. I believe we need to go further and enact additional reforms that carry the force of law and apply to the entire General Assembly. We must ban late night sessions, stealth legislation and the old “gut and amend” practice of passing laws. We must allow ample time for legislators to review bills, gather constituent input, and debate before being called on to make a vote. I also believe that legislative information that is readily available to lawmakers should also be easily accessible for the public to foster greater citizen participation in the legislative process. As I have throughout my career, I will continue to push for reforms that improve the state legislature’s inclusiveness, responsiveness and accountability. On another topic I will be writing about in the future, December 20 was the day the state gaming board awarded Northeastern Pennsylvania businessman Louis DeNaples one of just five licenses to operate a stand-alone casino in Pennsylvania. That action paves the way for the anticipated reopening of the former Mount Airy Lodge this fall. The facility will have nearly 200 hotel rooms and 2,500 slot machines. This should help bolster the tourism industry in the Pocono Mountains. Many of us remember when the Poconos were one of the top vacation spots in the world, drawing millions of people and generating millions of dollars in the local economy each year. With 16 million people in the New York City area -- a one-hour drive from the Pocono Mountains -- the economic impact of visitors from that area alone will be staggering. Outside of the boundaries of Mount Airy Lodge, restaurants, service stations, retail shops, hotels and attractions will reap the benefits of casino gaming in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Jobs will be created, new opportunities for area residents will be abundant. The golden age is just around the corner, and everyone will benefit. # # #