PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
HARRISBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 432

Spring 2011

Saccone Steps In to Protect

Good Samaritans from Frivolous Lawsuits
Dear Friends:
Welcome to my first newsletter and thanks once again for the
opportunity to serve you at home and in Harrisburg.

This is a very exciting time to represent the people of Allegheny

and Washington counties. Over the course of the next few
weeks, many monumental decisions impacting the future of our
Commonwealth will be made.

Speaking of serving our neighbors, recently I introduced

my first piece of legislation (House Bill 1192) to strengthen
Pennsylvania’s Good Samartian Law.

Under current law, in order for an individual to claim exemption Joined by his wife, Yong, on the Pennsylvania House floor, State
from civil damages when rendering emergency care they must Representative Rick Saccone takes the oath of office to begin his
first term serving the people of the 39th Legislative District.
hold a current certificate in first aid, advanced life saving or basic
life support. This increased possibility for frivolous litigation has a
In addition, I am supporting several other pieces of lead by
chilling effect, discouraging average citizens from rendering critical
example, reform legislation to reduce government spending,
aid out of fear of legal liability.
shrink the Legislature and require all state lawmakers to
contribute to their health care and retirement benefits.
My legislation will allow for any individual to receive exemption
from civil liability provided by the Good Samartian Law if: they
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns relating
provide the assistance or aid in a reasonably prudent manner; the
to state government issues, please do not hesistate to stop by
assistance or aid is provided without fee or compensation; and
or contact my Jefferson Hills district office. My staff and I are
the individual who is providing the assistance or aid relinquishes
here to work for you.
care of the victim when a qualified individual becomes available
to take responsibility.
Serving the 39th District,
Once enacted, House Bill 1192 will restore the true spirit of
Pennsylvania’s Good Samartian Law, encouraging citizens to
help their neighbors in times of need.

Visit me on the Web at REPSACCONE.COM


Representative Saccone recently had the pleasure of touring
Jefferson Regional Medical Center.
Saccone Appointed to
Four Standing House Committees
Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) has appointed
me to serve on the following House committees for the 2011-12
legislative session:
• ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES & ENERGY: This
committee has legislative oversight for the more than 45 different
environmental laws administered by both the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), including legislation
dealing with the development and extraction of Marcellus Shale
natural gas.
In addition, Speaker Smith has recently appointed me to serve as
a member of the Joint House and Senate Legislative Air and
Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee.
As a signer of the Americans for Tax Reform 2011-12 Taxpayer
Protection Plan Pledge, I will not support any tax on the
drilling of Marcellus Shale natural gas or any other tax increase
on individual Pennsylvania taxpayers or job creators.
• JUDICIARY: One of the most active committees in the state
house, the Judiciary committee focuses on legislative issues
involving the criminal code, courts, prison system, tort reform and
family law.
As a member of Firearms Owners Against Crime (FOAC), a life
NRA member and gun owner, I believe that government should
take no action that infringes on our self-evident right to keep and
bear arms. To that end, I co-sponsored House Bill 40 to make
Pennsylvania the 24th state to adopt the Castle Doctrine.
• URBAN AFFAIRS: I have been appointed chairman of the
Subcommittee on Cities, Counties - Second Class for this
committee that primarily reviews legislation pertaining to the
economic development, preservation and restoration of
Pennsylvania’s urban communities.
• CHILDREN & YOUTH: This committee deals with issues
related to child protection services, county children and youth
agencies, foster care, adoption, child care, juvenile facilities and
non-crime legislation related to child protection and safety programs.
FOLLOW M E O N
Legislation I Like
Following is a list of legislative proposals I have either
voted for or have co-sponsored.
LEGISLATION APPROVED
BY THE HOUSE
House Bill 1 reforms the state’s joint and several
liability law by ensuring that defendants found negligent or
liable for an injury are responsible for only their share of
the damages. The Fair Share Act passed the House by
a margin of 112 to 88.
House Bill 15 establishes the PennWatch online
database to allow state taxpayers to conveniently monitor
government expenses and other statistical information to
hold elected officials fiscally responsible. This legislation
passed the House unanimously.
House Bill 40 would make Pennsylvania the 24th
state to adopt the Castle Doctrine to fully restore the
legal ability of law abiding Commonwealth residents to use
lethal force to defend themselves against violent criminals.
The Castle Doctrine passed the House by a margin of
164 to 37.
House Bill 68 amends Megan’s Law to require sex
offenders without a residence to register every 30 days
with the Pennsylvania State Police as transients and sets
penalties for sexually violent predators who knowingly fail
to comply with monthly counseling sessions.  The bill passed
unanimously.
House Bill 75 amends Megan’s Law to provide for
specific criminal sentences for sex offenders who fail to
comply with registration requirements. The bill had one
negative vote.
House Bill 103 increases penalties for lobbyists engaging
in prohibited activities. The bill passed unanimously. 
House Bills 104 and 105 strengthens whistleblower
protections for all state employees and those in the private
sector who are working on state contracts. These bills
passed unanimously.
House Bill 107 prohibits an individual who has been
employed by a company offering a competitively sealed bid
within the last two years from participating in the evaluation
of such proposals. The bill passed unanimously.
House Bill 108 makes the Right-To-Know law
applicable to public procurement contracts and provides
for public inspection of non-competitive contracts prior to
execution of the agreement.  The bill passed unanimously.
House Bill 109 prohibits members of the General
Assembly from creating or maintaining non-profits receiving
public funds. The bill had one negative vote. 
PENSION REFORM
House Bill 418 forces General Assembly members to
lead by example to solve Pennsylvania’s multi-billion dollar
public pension funding crisis. If enacted, House Bill 418
would convert all legislative pensions from the present
defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan.
LEGISLATIVE REDUCTION
House Bill 53 amends the Pennsylvania
Constitution to reduce the Pennsylvania House from
203 to 153 members and in the process deliver substantial
taxpayer savings by reducing the operating costs for
America’s second largest legislature as well as increasing the
overall level of legislative accountability, leadership,
and credibility.
 Castle Doctrine Would Save Pennsylvania Lives
Op-Ed By State Representive Rick Saccone
Harrisburg-Patriot News, February 25, 2011
We must ensure citizens are given all the facts about the concept
known as the Castle Doctrine, which fundamentally affirms that a person’s
home is his castle and a citizen should be authorized to use deadly force
to protect it.
Pennsylvania suffers under a weak form of the law that incorporates
the so-called “duty to retreat” by citizens if, in doing so, they could avoid
employing deadly force, thus saving a life. Defenders of a strong Castle
Law insist no man should be compelled to surrender his home to an
intruder under any circumstances.
What has recently become known as House Bill 40 effectively
removes the duty to retreat clause from the law while broadening the
definition of a home to encompass the porch, patio or attached deck and
expanding the protection to a person’s vehicle.
Gun-control advocates like to falsely assert that citizens already
enjoy the ability to use deadly force in their homes and ridiculously insist
that people should surrender their homes to an intruder if it might save a
life. Unfortunately, these advocates appear more worried about the life
of the attacker than the victim.
Grandma, nor any other citizen, should not have to worry whether
they might have to prove if they could have safely retreated when faced
with an attacker in the middle of the night. House Bill 40 places the force
of law where it should be, with the resident, by creating the presumption
that anyone unlawfully and forcefully entering a person’s home does so
with the intent to inflict serious bodily harm to the owner.
House Bill 40 contains additional critical distinctions. It removes the
requirement of duty to retreat from a citizen attacked in a public place.
For example, a person in a shopping mall parking lot accosted by multiple
assailants would no longer bear the duty to retreat, but would be allowed
to stand his or her ground and defend themselves with deadly force if
he or she so chooses.
I NEED YOUR
INPUT ON
PROPERTY TAXES!
As a newly appointed member
of the House Republican Property Tax
Reform Caucus to draft legislation
that would improve Pennsylvania’s
school funding mechanisms, I have
heard from many citizens in the 39th
District who list property tax reform
as their number one priority.
I want your opinion on this
issue. I invite you to visit my web
site, RepSaccone.com, to take
an online survey regarding possible
alternatives to property taxes.
As my work with the House
Republican Property Tax Reform
Caucus, moves forward I will be
Representative Saccone was part of the official
sure to bring your ideas to the legislative escort to the Pennsylvania House floor for this link to get started:
forefront. Governor Tom Corbett’s first-ever budget address.
LINKS ARE AVAILABLE AT RepSaccone.com
Most importantly, the Castle Doctrine extends civil immunity to those
lawfully defending themselves, including police officers. Imagine shooting
a threatening intruder who later sues you for his medical bills. Even
though you might prevail in court, you could exhaust your life savings in
legal bills defending yourself for a lawful act.
Opponents often try to scare citizens by arguing that House Bill 40
amounts to a “shoot first” defense ultimately encouraging violence in the
streets. They fail to recognize that law-abiding citizens are not crazed
killers; instead they enjoy a history of acting responsibly and should not
be placed at a disadvantage to protect the life of a criminal who means
to do them harm.
Last session, the General Assembly did what 23 other states have
already done and passed the Castle Doctrine. Using the same flawed and
life-threatening “shoot first” ideology, Pennsylvania’s most notorious anti-
Second Amendment governor, Ed Rendell, vetoed it. The representatives
of the people reflected the overwhelming sentiment of Pennsylvanians
who demand a Castle Law. Most citizens assume we already enjoy it
because it is plain common sense.
House Bill 40 will save lives, the lives of law-abiding citizens, by
allowing them to defend themselves wherever they are, especially
including their homes, without the fear of prosecution for some technicality
in the law that favors violent criminals, who in most cases obtain their
guns illegally.
Pennsylvania needs to affirm the primary right of every American to
protect his or her life as well as the lives of their family members. No one
should live in fear of criminals wherever he lawfully travels.
Let the word go out from here that if you enter another man’s home
unlawfully in Pennsylvania you place your life in peril. That alone will
deter a portion of the criminals intent on depriving us of our lives, liberty,
property and safety.
My Facebook Page
Keeps You
Connected 24/7
As your State Representative, I
strive to keep you informed about
how I am representing you and
our district in Harrisburg. By using
resources such as Facebook, I am
able to share news and information
virtually as it happens.
Fo r e x a m p l e , I c a n p o s t
legislative updates from the House
floor, district event photos, videos
and much more. These posts, which
are timely and unfiltered, allow me
to keep you informed, in many cases,
as news and events are unfolding.
Signing up for Facebook is free
and easy. Simply log in and follow
Facebook.com/RepSaccone
 SAVE THE DATES!
Religious Liberties Bus Tour
Monday, May 23
State Capitol, Harrisburg

Pennsylvania was founded on religious liberty and

our State Capitol is loaded with biblical references
in picture and scripture quotes chiseled throughout.

Come see for yourself! Your State Capitol tour

guides will be Rep. Saccone and his son, Matt.

The bus will leave the Park’n Ride on PA Route

51, located behind the Jefferson Technology
Center, at 7:00 a.m. and arrive in Harrisburg by
10:30 a.m. Representative Saccone presents certificates of recognition to
2011 Pennsylvania Farm Show Rabbits Youth Class Competition
Lunch will be served at NOON and attendees will ribbon winners and Elizabeth 4-H members Mary Pickford (Left)
be recognized on the House floor at 1:00 p.m. and Jacob DeMaio (Right).
Cost is $25 per person. Please note bus holds
only 55 people. Seating is first come, first serve. Natural Gas Automobile Display
Make your reservation by calling (412) 653-1025.
Thursday, June 16
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Earlier this spring, Rep. Saccone hosted his first

Morning Coffee & Conversation
Have your morning coffee with Rep. Saccone and
discuss your most important concerns both at home
and in Harrisburg.
Friday, May 20, at 10:00 a.m.
Blue Flame Restaurant, PA Route 51
Jefferson Hills
Thursday, June 9, at 10:00 a.m.
Gil’s Cafe, 2700 Brownsville Road
South Park Township
Marcellus Shale Informational Forum. This
event was very successful and attendees left with
a solid understanding of this vital economic issue.
In addition, Rep. Saccone is supporting a
package of legislation to encourage businesses
and transit systems to switch their vehicles to
natural gas.
The measures, dubbed collectively “Marcellus
Works,” would offer $47.5 million in tax credits,
grants and loans to subsidize the cost of new
natural gas vehicles and fueling stations.
Continuing with his ongoing series of Marcellus
Shale related events, on June 16, Rep. Saccone
will provide an up close and personal opportunity
for you to see a state-of-the-art natural gas
automobile at his Jefferson Hills district office.

Ice Cream Social

District Office Open House
Thursday, June 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Carousel Marina, 200 Carousel Drive Saturday, July 16
Bunola (Forward Township) 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cool off with some refreshing ice cream with Rep.

Saccone and discuss your most important concerns Join Rep. Saccone and his staff to learn more
both at home and in Harrisburg. about the wide variety of services offered at
his Jefferson Hills district office. Hot dogs and
beverages will be served.

How My Offices Can Help You

HARRISBURG OFFICE: PO Box 202039 / Harrisburg, PA 17120-2039 / Phone: (717) 260-6122
DISTRICT OFFICE: 1002 Old Hickory Lane / Jefferson Hills, PA 15025 / Phone: (412) 653-1025 / Fax: (412) 653-1275
EMAIL: rsaccone@pahousegop.com

My staff and I are always ready to serve the needs of District 39 residents with a number of state-related matters, including
PennDOT paperwork, PACE and PACENET applications for senior citizens, 2010 Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms and many others.

Visit me on the Web at REPSACCONE.COM or

FACEBOOK.COM/REPSACCONE