Municipal News

June 5, 2009

LOCAL BRIEFS

TUNKHANNOCK – State Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys Lake, released her June veterans’ outreach schedule, aimed at helping local veterans gather information about the programs and benefits available to assist them.

Dan Walsh from the Governor’s Veterans Outreach Assistance Center will be available at Boback’s full-time offices as follows: Sweet Valley, from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 19; Mountain Top, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 19; Tunkhannock, from 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday, June 29.

Boback’s three full-time offices are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The offices are located in Sweet Valley at 5315 Main Road, P.O. Box 333, 477-3752; Mountain Top at 7844 Blue Ridge Trail, 868-7780; and Tunkhannock, 6 Cross Country Complex, 836-4777; or residents can call toll-free at (800) 278-3930.

HARRISBURG – State Rep. Jim Wansacz’s legislation to create specific penalties for the neglect of care-dependent individuals that results in death has passed the House unanimously.

Wansacz, D-Old Forge, said the bill, H.B. 373, would make the neglect of a care-dependent person that results in death a first-degree felony punishable by a prison term of up to 30 years, a fine of $25,000 or both.

Under Pennsylvania law, a caregiver is guilty of neglect of a care-dependent person if he or she intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury or serious bodily injury by failing to provide treatment, care, goods or services necessary to preserve the health, safety or welfare of a care-dependent person for whom he or she is responsible.

Violation of the current act resulting in bodily injury is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term of up to five years. The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

HARRISBURG – Members of the state House Insurance Committee today approved legislation introduced by House Majority Leader Todd A. Eachus, D-Butler Township, that would expand and improve access to affordable, quality health care in Pennsylvania.

The measure, H.B. 1, would expand the state’s adultBasic program to cover more than 130,000 people statewide.

Currently, the state’s adultBasic program provides coverage for 46,000 Pennsylvanians between the ages of 18 and 65. Eachus said his legislation would build upon the existing adultBasic program and provide access to care for an additional 86,000 people in need.

Eachus said the legislation will now go before the state House Rules Committee.

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