2014 RATINGS of PENNSYLVANIA

Transcription

1 2014 RATINGS of PENNSYLVANIA Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 PA Senate Vote Descriptions 5 & F Board Members 3 PA Senate Scores 6 How We Selected the 3 PA House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 PA House Scores 9

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, On behalf of our entire Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union s 2014 Rating of the Pennsylvania State Legislature. Though our State Ratings program is newer than our 44-year old Federal Ratings program, it is quickly evolving into a comprehensive evaluative tool that uses principles of conservatism to rate the voting record of state legislators. Our pledge is to rate every state for each session so that every citizen in the nation knows how his or her state officials vote. Our scoring focuses on the full array of policy issues, including taxes, budgets, religious freedom, 2nd Amendment, government regulation, life, and education. Though Reagan s presidential term ended years ago, his legacy and philosophy live on, continuing to guide modern day conservatives. While we take note how conservatives in State Legislatures cast their votes when choosing legislation to score, we at the are ultimately guided by the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the principles of free markets that articulate the inviolate principles of Life, Liberty, and Property. The goal of our ratings is to educate voters about how the liberal agenda is out of sync with mainstream Americans desire for common sense legislation. It serves also to highlight and educate all Americans about how conservative solutions produce better results. As part of that educational initiative, we are proud to include Pennsylvania in the 2014 ratings. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Thomas Winter First Vice Chairman Carolyn Meadows Second Vice Chairman Jameson Campaigne, Jr. Secretary Van Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Tim Goeglein Secretary Joe Bast Bob Beauprez Morton Blackwell Ambassador John Bolton Al Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman Kellyanne Conway FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS Jose Cardenas Kimberly Bellissimo Amy Frederick Jonathan Garthwaite Tom DeLay Becky Norton Dunlop John Eddy Luis Fortuno Amy Frederick Charlie Gerow Alan Gottlieb Van Hipp, Jr. James Lacy Charlie Gerow Millie Hallow Colin Hanna Willes Lee Michael Long Grover Norquist Anne Northup Ron Robinson Ned Ryun Fred Smith, Jr. Lewis Uhler Carolyn Meadows Matt Schlapp Thomas Winter HOW WE SELECTED THE VOTES As the nation s oldest grassroots conservative organization, the American Conservative Union serves as an umbrella organization for conservatives in America. The tracks a wide range of issues before Congress and State Legislatures to determine which issues and votes serve as a clear litmus test separating those representatives who defend liberty and liberal members who have turned their backs on our founding principles constitutionally limited government, individual liberty, free markets, a strong national defense and traditional values. As a result, the Ratings have included a wide variety of issues covering votes on taxes, wasteful government spending, cultural issues, defense and foreign policy. To contact on a policy issue, please call The votes selected by the are not always considered the most important votes as defined by others, instead the votes selected are chosen to create a clear ideological distinction among those casting them. With our annual ratings, s mission is informing grassroots conservatives and the public in an unbiased, transparent manner on where individual members of Congress fall on the ideological spectrum H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2014 WINNERS & LOSERS % AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE < 10% COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE BAKER BENNINGHOFF HAHN PYLE Farnese Bishop DeLissio Mundy EICHELBERGER BLOOM KAUFFMAN RAPP Hughes Boyle, B. Donatucci O'Brien GORDNER BROOKS KELLER, M. REESE Kitchen Boyle, K. Frankel Parker HUTCHINSON DENLINGER MALONEY REGAN Leach Bradford Freeman Roebuck ROBBINS ELLIS MASSER ROAE Stack Briggs Gainey Sabatina WAGNER EMRICK McGINNIS ROCK Tartaglione Brown, V. Kim Samuelson WARD EVANKOVICH METCALFE TALLMAN Washington Brownlee Kinsey Sims EVERETT METZGAR TOPPER Wiley Clay Kirkland Sturla GABLER MOUL TRUITT Williams Cohen McCarter Waters GILLEN OBERLANDER Daley, M. Miranda Dean Molchany 80-89% AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT SENATE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE BRUBAKER BAKER GODSHALL MARSICO FOLMER CAUSER GREINER MILLER, R. VOGEL CHRISTIANA GRELL MUSTIO CLYMER HARHART PICKETT COX HELM REED CULVER HICKERNELL SACCONE CUTLER JAMES SANKEY DAY KELLER, F. SMITH DUNBAR KNOWLES SONNEY FEE KRIEGER STEVENSON Gibbons LAWRENCE TOBASH GILLESPIE LUCAS GINGRICH MAHER 4

5 PENNSYLVANIA SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. SB 1195 Workers Compensation. This bill reforms the state s worker s compensation law by setting a 120 day limit for filing a claim, proof of wages, and providing for medical treatment through a list designated health providers. supports these reforms and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 11, 2014 by a vote of HB 1513 Double Taxation. This bill clarifies the Local Tax Enabling Act in light of a new court decision so that businesses are not taxed by more than one jurisdiction for the same gross receipts. opposes double taxation and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 28, 2014 by a vote of HB 1259 Tanning Salon Regulation. This bill sets up a new bureaucracy to regulate tanning salons. opposes this expansion of government regulation and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on April 9, 2014 by a vote of SB 1085 Charter School Reform. This bill eases the requirements for charter school expansion. supports the expansion of school choice and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on July 1, 2014 by a vote of HB 1177 Tax Increase. This bill authorizes a cigarette tax increase in Philadelphia to close a school budget shortfall. opposes permanent tax increases to fix a temporary problem and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on September 23, 2014 by a vote of HB 1565 Environmental Regulation. This bill amends the Clean Streams Law to give businesses and landowners choices on how to minimize pollution from erosion and sedimentation. supports these regulatory reforms and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on October 14, 2014 by a vote of HB 1013 Home Schooling. This eliminated the unique Pennsylvania requirement for home-schoolers that a professional educator validate the parents work. supports the rights of home-schoolers and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on October 15, 2014 by a vote of HB 2354 EPA Carbon Rule. This bill requires General Assembly approval for any plan proposed by the state Department of Environmental Protection before it is submitted to the federal government. supports legislative approval for regulations and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on October 15, 2014 by a vote of HB 803 Paycheck Protection. The Wagner amendment would have banned the automatic payroll deduction of union dues by school districts. opposes compulsory union dues deductions and supported this amendment. The Senate defeated the amendment on October 15, 2014 by a vote of SB 838 Tax Increase. This bill would allow certain counties to increase their hotel tax by 65% and then direct the hotels as to how the revenue would be used. Most would go toward tourism promotion by the government. opposes these needless tax increases and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on September 23, 2014 by a vote of SB 1268 Obamacare Implementation. This bill set regulations for the federally mandated navigators established by Obamacare to assure they don t compete with private services. It also ensures they undergo criminal background checks. supports state oversight of Obamacare and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on October 14, 2014 by a vote of

6 PENNSYLVANIA SENATE SCORES PENNSYLVANIA SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 49% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 73% LOWEST REPUBLICAN MENSCH 40% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 20% HIGHEST DEMOCRAT WOZNIAK 45% PENNSYLVANIA SENATE VOTE DETAIL 6 Party District SB 1195 HB 1513 HB 1259 SB 1085 HB 1177 SB 838 SB 1268 HB 1565 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 803 ALLOWAY R % ARGALL R % BAKER R % Blake D % Boscola D % Brewster D % BROWNE R % BRUBAKER R % CORMAN R % Costa D % Dinniman D % EICHELBERGER R % ERICKSON R % Farnese D % Ferlo D % FOLMER R % Fontana D % GORDNER R %

7 PENNSYLVANIA SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District SB 1195 HB 1513 HB 1259 SB 1085 HB 1177 SB 838 SB 1268 HB 1565 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 803 GREENLEAF R % Hughes D % HUTCHINSON R % Kasunic D % Kitchen D % Leach D % McILHINNEY R X X X % MENSCH R 24 X % PILEGGI R % RAFFERTY R % ROBBINS R X % SCARNATI R % Schwank D % Smith D % SMUCKER R % Solobay D % Stack D % Tartaglione D % Teplitz D % TOMLINSON R % VANCE R % VOGEL R % VULAKOVICH R % WAGNER R 28 X % WARD R % Washington D X X X X X 0 6 0% WHITE R % Wiley D % Williams D % Wozniak D % YAW R % Yudichak D % 7

8 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 523 Welfare Reform. This bill would require non-custodial parents to enroll their children in their own medical insurance plans before seeking government support. supports efforts to make the government the payer of last resort and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on September 23, 2013 by a vote of HB 36 Investor Tax Credit. The Davidson amendment to a bill providing tax credits to angel investors would require repayment of the credit if the recipient later withdraws his investment. supports taxpayer accountability for government programs and supported this amendment. The House passed the amendment on October 2, 2013 by a vote of HB 1741 School Employee Contracts. This bill requires school boards to give the public 48 hours notice of a pending contract with its teachers and administrators. supports these government reforms and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on January 13, 2014 by a vote of HB 1411 Government Transparency. This bill would require the state Department of Education to post on its website the annual financial statements and adopted budgets of school districts. supports government transparency and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on January 13, 2014 by a vote of HB 1154 Labor Law. This bill removes the unions exemption from state stalking and harassment laws. opposes these exemptions and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 12, 2014 by a vote of HB 2354 EPA Carbon Rule. This bill requires General Assembly approval for any plan proposed by the state Department of Environmental Protection before it is submitted to the federal government. supports legislative approval for regulations and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on July 1, 2014 by a vote of HB 1177 Tax Increase. This bill authorizes a cigarette tax increase in Philadelphia to close a school budget shortfall. opposes permanent tax increases to fix a temporary problem and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on September 22, 2014 by a vote of HB 1565 Environmental Regulation. This bill amends the Clean Streams Law to give businesses and landowners choices on how to minimize pollution from erosion and sedimentation. supports these regulatory reforms and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on September 22, 2014 by a vote of HB 1243 Firearm Purchases. The Santarsiero amendment to the firearms bill would mandate background checks on all firearm purchases rather than just handguns. opposes restrictions on Second Amendment rights and opposed this amendment. The House defeated the amendment on September 23, 2014 by a vote of HB 1243 Local Gun Control Laws. This bill would give the right of civil action against local governments that enact gun control laws. supports the expansion of Second Amendment rights and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on October 6, 2014 by a vote of HB 1699 Energy Regulation. The Lawrence amendment to a regulatory bill would exempt small businesses from new mandates on backup generators. opposes these mandates and supports efforts to allow small businesses to continue competing in the marketplace and supported this amendment. The House passed the amendment on May 7, 2014 by a vote of HB 1259 Tanning Salon Regulation. This bill sets up a new bureaucracy to regulate tanning salons. opposes this expansion of government regulation and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on June 20, 2013 by a vote of HB 1013 Home Schooling. This eliminated the unique Pennsylvania requirement for home-schoolers that a professional educator validate the parents work. A key vote came on the Longietti amendment that would have defeated the purpose of the bill. supports the rights of home-schoolers and opposed this amendment. The House defeated the amendment on June 27, 2014 by a vote of

9 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE SCORES PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 57% REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 79% LOWEST REPUBLICAN TAYLOR 42% DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 29% HIGHEST DEMOCRAT GIBBONS 85% PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 ADOLPH R % AUMENT R % BAKER R % Barbin D % BARRAR R % BENNINGHOFF R X % Bishop D X - - X X % Bizzarro D % BLOOM R % BOBACK R % Boyle, B. D X X % Boyle, K. D X % Bradford D % Briggs D % BROOKS R % 9

10 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 BROWN, R. R % Brown, V. D % Brownlee D % Burns D % Caltagirone D % Carroll D % CAUSER R % CHRISTIANA R % Clay D % CLYMER R % Cohen D X % Conklin D % CORBIN R % Costa, D. D X X - - X % Costa, P. D % COX R % Cruz D X % CULVER R % CUTLER R % Daley, M. D % Daley, P. D % Davidson D % Davis D % DAY R X % Dean D % Deasy D % DeLissio D % 10

11 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 DELOZIER R % DeLuca D % DENLINGER R % Dermody D % DiGIROLAMO R % Donatucci D X % DUNBAR R % ELLIS R % EMRICK R % ENGLISH R % EVANKOVICH R % Evans D X - - X X X % EVERETT R X % Fabrizio D % Farina D % FARRY R % FEE R % FLECK R % Flynn D % Frankel D % Freeman D % GABLER R 75 + X % Gainey D % Galloway D X X % Gergely D % Gibbons D % GILLEN R % 11

12 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 GILLESPIE R % GINGRICH R X % GODSHALL R 53 + X + + X - X % Goodman D % GREINER R % GRELL R % GROVE R % HACKETT R X X % Haggerty D % HAHN R % Haluska D % Hanna D % Harhai D % HARHART R % Harkins D % HARPER R % HARRIS, A. R % Harris, J. D % HEFFLEY R % HELM R % HENNESSEY R X % HICKERNELL R % JAMES R % KAMPF R X % KAUFFMAN R % Kavulich D % 12

13 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 KELLER, F. R % KELLER, M. R X % Keller, W. D % KILLION R X % Kim D % Kinsey D % Kirkland D 159 X % KNOWLES R % Kortz D % Kotik D X X X % KRIEGER R % Kula D % LAWRENCE R % Longietti D % LUCAS R % MACKENZIE R % MAHER R % Mahoney D % MAJOR R % MALONEY R % Markosek D % MARSHALL R 14 X % MARSICO R % MASSER R X + + X % Matzie D X % McCarter D % 13

14 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 McGeehan D X X % McGINNIS R % McNeill D % MENTZER R % METCALFE R X % METZGAR R % MICCARELLI R X % MICOZZIE R X % MILLARD R % Miller, D. D % MILLER, R. R X % MILNE R % Mirabito D % Miranda D % Molchany D % MOUL R % Mullery D % Mundy D % MURT R % MUSTIO R 44 X X + X - + X X X % Neilson D X X X X % Neuman D % OBERLANDER R % O'Brien D % O'NEILL R X % Painter D % 14

15 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 Parker D % Pashinski D % PAYNE R % PEIFER R % Petrarca D % PETRI R % PICKETT R % PYLE R % QUINN R % RAPP R % Ravenstahl D X X X % Readshaw D % REED R % REESE R % REGAN R % ROAE R % ROCK R % Roebuck D X X X - - X % ROSS R % Rozzi D % Sabatina D % SACCONE R % Sainato D % Samuelson D % SANKEY R % Santarsiero D % 15

16 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 SAYLOR R % SCAVELLO R X % Schlossberg D % Schreiber D % SIMMONS R % Sims D X % SMITH R % Snyder D % SONNEY R % STEPHENS R % STERN R % STEVENSON R % Sturla D % SWANGER R 102 X % TALLMAN R % TAYLOR R X % Thomas D X X % TOBASH R % TOEPEL R % TOOHIL R % TOPPER R 78 X X X X + + X % TRUITT R % TURZAI R % VEREB R X % Vitali D % Waters D % WATSON R X % 16

17 PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 523 HB 36 HB 1741 HB 1411 HB 1154 HB 1699 HB 1259 HB 1013 HB 2354 HB 1177 HB 1565 HB 1243 HB 1243 Wheatley D X % White D % Youngblood D % 17

18 NOTES

19 NOTES

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