Posted by Mark Koenig on Thursday, September 30, 2010
Carl Hessler of The Mercury writes:
A Montgomery County legislator believes strengthening a proposed law for pawnbrokers will assist law enforcement officials in recovering stolen items.
State Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-153rd Dist., has secured the House Judiciary Committee’s unanimous approval for his amendment to proposed House Bill 2517 that would require pawnbrokers, in cases of either loan or outright sale, to collect and copy valid photo identification and to make a complete description of the property being sold by someone.
“Strengthening the law that regulates pawnbrokers will ensure that law enforcement have all the necessary tools to identify and recover stolen property,” Shapiro said. “Since 2006, the price of gold has more than doubled and jewelry has become a prime target of burglars. By making it more difficult for criminals to convert the stolen items to cash, we can prevent burglaries from happening in the first place.”
Shapiro worked with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Abington Police, the state police and the House Judiciary Committee to draft the amendment to the original House proposal which strengthens the state’s Pawnbrokers License Act.
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Posted by Mark Koenig on Friday, September 24, 2010
Christine Flowers writes in The Philadelphia Daily News:
…to those who have lost loved ones to the idiocy of texting drivers, laughter is replaced by tears. And the fact that I have to say “idiocy” instead of “criminality” is even more frustrating, because anyone who decides that their inane little message is more important than the safety of other drivers is a criminal, and should be treated as such in Pennsylvania.
Amazingly enough, the commonwealth has yet to pass a law making it a crime to text while driving. Unlike 30 other states and the District of Columbia, which prohibit drivers from texting behind the wheel, Pennsylvania has completely dropped the ball on this one, despite valiant efforts by Rep. Josh Shapiro (D- Montgomery) to push through legislation that would make it a primary offense to have your thumbs on the keypad when they should be on the wheel.
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As Shapiro noted in the Inquirer earlier this week, it’s difficult to understand how a law that has the support of 90 percent of the public has languished in the Statehouse for nearly six years.
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Posted by Mark Koenig on Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Opinion from The Mercury:
The window is closing in Harrisburg on an initiative that many local people have fought for, cried over, agonized about and advocated since the start of the legislative session last winter.
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These three weeks are probably the last chance this year that the Legislature can act on teen driving reform. Supporters of House Bill 67 are making a last-ditch effort to pass the proposal that would make it illegal for teens to carry more than one non-family teen passenger and talk or text on a cell phone while driving.
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“I think every day that goes by is another day that we allow the dangerous practice to continue on Pennsylvania’s roads where there’s potential for accidents, injuries and death,” said state Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-153rd Dist.
Shapiro was among those at a Capitol press conference Monday urging a House-Senate compromise to enact House Bill 67.
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Posted by Mark Koenig on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Amy Worden of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes:
With three weeks left in the 2009-10 legislative session, House Democrats are making a last-ditch effort to move Pennsylvania into the ranks of states that ban texting while driving.”The potential is clearly there, the opportunity is clearly there, to get this legislation done that is of paramount safety importance,” Rep. Josh Shapiro (D., Montgomery), the House bill’s lead sponsor, said at a news conference Monday.
Although differences remain in the House and Senate versions, Senate Republican leaders say the final product could be one of the few major pieces of legislation to reach the governor’s desk before November, when the General Assembly essentially completes its work schedule.
Shapiro said that with some surveys showing 90 percent public support, he did not understand why – after six years of debate – the legislature had failed to get a bill passed and Pennsylvania was among a minority of states without a law clamping down on distracted driving.
“I don’t know who we’re fighting out there,” Shapiro said.
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Posted by Mark Koenig on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Carl Hessler of The Delaware County Daily Times writes:
Legislation that would impose stricter rules for teen drivers took center stage at a news conference Monday as lawmakers pushed for passage of a distracted driving bill.
“Stories continue to show up in the newspaper and in our respective offices about families who have lived through tragedy caused by distracted driving, and they are asking us to act and act now,” state Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-153rd Dist., said during the news conference held at the state Capitol.
As the state House and Senate reconvene this week, proponents of House Bill 67, which limits the number of passengers for teen drivers and bans cell phone usage by teen drivers, are urging legislators to adopt a distracted driving law as soon as possible.
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Shapiro, who represents Montgomery County, said the distracted driving issue is of “paramount public safety and importance.”
“We need a comprehensive solution to deal with this epidemic,” Shapiro said.
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