Gov. Wolf Signs 15 Bills Into Law

Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed 15 bills into law, including laws that allow drivers to proceed through malfunctioning red lights; apply stricter ethics laws to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority's executive director; and allow for registered individuals to grow, cultivate and/or market industrial hemp.

Here is a list of the bills signed and a brief description:

SB 1221 (Act 99): Applies stricter ethics laws to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority's executive director and requires greater transparency from the agency. The bill requires the ICA to maintain a website (and post various documents on the site) and to adopt a records-retention policy consistent with that of the Pennsylvania Office of Administration. In addition, the ICA must now include in its annual reports a detailed accounting of gaming revenues allocated to ICA by the Department of Revenue, gaming revenues distributed to the city by ICA, and the status of gaming revenues withheld from the city by ICA.

HB 967 (Act 92): Allows for properly registered individuals to grow, cultivate and/or market industrial hemp within the confines of the Agricultural Act of 2014. Agencies, colleges and universities are now able to grow industrial hemp for research purposes. The bill creates the Hemp Research Board, now responsible for developing regulations, applications for registration, inspections, a database of registered persons, registration fees, guidelines for labeling and testing.

HB 59 (Act 87): Provides for hepatitis C testing and treatment and for duties of the Department of Health.

HB 871 (Act 91): Amends Title 75 (Vehicles), in certificate of title and security interests, and further provides for transfer to scrap metal processor.

HB 1167 (Act 93): Amends the Crime Victims Act, in enforcement, to provide for state income tax intercept.

HB 1856 (Act 94): Designates a bridge on the portion of U.S. Route 62 over the Allegheny River in Oil City, Venango County, as the Specialist Jonathan R. Kephart Memorial Bridge.

SB 514 (Act 95): Amends the Generic Equivalent Drug Law to further provide for definitions, for substitutions, for posting requirements, for powers and duties of Department of Health and for immunity of pharmacists under certain circumstances.

SB 533 (Act 96): Amends Title 42 (Judiciary), in other criminal provisions, to further provide for supervisory relationship to offenders.

SB 956 (Act 98): Designates a bridge on State Route 1017 in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County, as Lt. Eric Eslary Memorial Bridge; and portion of State Route 981 in Mt. Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, as James Paul Takitch Highway.

SB 1227 (Act 100): Amends the Administrative Code, in organization of independent administrative boards and commissions, and transfers powers and duties relating to public pension system analysis and legislation; IFO; municipal pension reporting and analysis.

SB 1267 (Act 101): Amends law to permit drivers to proceed through intersections with malfunctioning red lights.

HB 325 (Act 88): Amends the Auctioneer Licensing and Trading Assistant Registration Act providing for licenses; sales exempt; licensees and applications; registration of assistants and assistant companies; records of sales; penalties.

HB 806 (Act 89): Amends the PA Farmland & Forest Land Assessment Act to further provide for land devoted to agricultural use, agricultural reserve and/or forest reserve, for responsibilities of department and county assessor in establishing use values.

HB 835 (Act 90): Designates a portion of State Route 74 in Cumberland County as the Marine Lance Corporal Gary Lee Ream Memorial Highway; and designates other various bridges and highways.

SB 648 (Act 97): Amends Title 75 (Vehicles), in snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles to further provide for restricted account and for Snowmobile and ATV Advisory Committee; and makes an editorial change.