Pa. Lawmakers: Protecting Us

While everyone was worrying about the Phillies’ postseason and the Dow dropping to triple digits, our lawmakers in Harrisburg were protecting us by passing some new laws. Today, Rendell signed a bunch of ‘em!

Let’s head to the governor’s website and take a look:

• “Senate Bill 1023 amends the Acupuncture Registration Law to require that acupuncturists be licensed by the commonwealth. Current law requires them to be registered.”
• “Senate Bill 884 amends Title 53 by requiring that when enacting an ordinance, regulation or plan regarding the placement of antennas or antennas support structures, a municipality must accommodate amateur radio service communications.”
• “Senate Bill 1019 gives the State Board of Vehicles the authority to discipline out-of-state RV dealers for violating Pennsylvania law.”
• “Senate Bill 295 places limitations on the amount of time that a large vehicle can idle without moving.”
• “House Bill 44 says that, within one year, no person shall sell, offer for sale, or install a mercury thermostat in Pennsylvania.”
• “House Bill 747 allows for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to auction one elk license a year, proceeds of which are to be used in the commission’s elk program.”
• “House Bill 1147 narrows the definition of a chop shop.”
• “House Bill 2499 enacts the Massage Therapy Law and establishes an 11-member State Board of Massage Therapy. The board’s charge is to approve qualifications and fitness of applicants for a license to practice massage therapy; promulgate necessary regulations; revoke, deny, approve, renew or suspend licenses; and submit an annual report.”

Mercury thermometers: Get ‘em while you still can.

Gov. Rendell Signs Dozens of New Bills Into Law [KYW 1060]

Inquirer Narcs On Temple Puppy Auction

During Saturday’s game against St. Joseph’s, Temple held an auction for its sports programs. One of the items up for bid was a nine-week old golden retriever puppy. (Since the school can’t auction sex, it clearly knows “puppies” is about the best it can do.)

And guess who won the auction? Temple women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, hardly a Michael Vick of the sports world. She’s going to give it to her mother, and something tells me Dawn Staley’s mom might have enough time and money to care for the dog and give it a good home. Clearly, this is a win-win for all people.

But wait! The Inquirer was having none of this, and seemingly notified the authorities (or at least Temple) about the puppy auction. Even though the state is the puppy mill capital of the United States, auctioning off a dog is apparently illegal in Pennsylvania.

Anyway, the story has quotes worrying about how a college student could care for a dog, even though it was adopted by a multi-millionaire athlete. Yes, one shouldn’t purchase a pet on a whim, but winning one at an auction and buying one in a pet store are pretty much the same thing, only the legal pet store option is much, much worse.

Temple could get fined for auctioning off said nine-week old adorable puppy. The Inquirer will get fined for using a record number of puns (345) in one news story. The puppy will probably get a bone or something.

Puppy auction buys Temple a little spot of trouble [Inquirer]

Leftovers: Don’t Meet Me Tonight In Atlantic City

• The former Atlantic City Council president who pled guilty to taking $36,000 in bribes has been banned from future city council meetings in advance of his sentencing. A judge said letters about Craig Callaway made him seem like “a one-man crime wave.” Awesome. [Inquirer]

• Tons of new state laws go into effect on January 1 all across the country. In Pennsylvania, there are things like more sex offender regulations and protections from identity theft. And lobbyists finally have to disclose their contributions. Yay! [Stateline.org]

• Everyone’s favorite Inquirer columnist, Inga Saffron, destroys the New River City proposal in a column today for reasons other than NIMBYism. [Inquirer]

Leftovers: Breakin’ Up The Strike

• Brian Tierney has criticised the Newspaper Guild for threatening to strike, etc., etc. And, la de dah, they will be publishing in the advent of a strike. Time to find some old-fashioned strikebreakers! [E&P]

• What, Editor & Publisher’s Joe Strupp isn’t enough strikey goodness for you? Fine, here are some more thoughts. [Citizen Mom]

• In addition to free booze, Pennsylvanians are now required to put their headlights on when using their windshield wipers. You’re still not allowed to stock up on free drinks at the casinos and go driving, even if you used your headlines headlights and windshield wipers. [AP/NBC 10]