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Accomplishments
Education
- "Education Empowerment"
legislation for poorly performing school districts in the state, including
the Harrisburg City School District, which was placed under control of the
Mayor of Harrisburg due to poor academic performance of the district.
- Creation of the South
Central Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Program, Inc., a scholarship
organization that provides tuition assistance to needy families in the
region.
- Passage of Act 157 of
2002, requiring schools to display the American flag in classrooms and to
offer either the Pledge of Allegiance or the playing of the National
Anthem at the start of each school day.
- Passage of Act 66 of
1996, placing tighter control on sabbatical leave for teachers,
administrators and other employees.
- Advocate for teacher
re-certification and continuing education and professional development
(Act 48 of 1999) and sabbatical reform (Act 66 of 1996).
- Former member of the
Commission on Academic Standards, which developed rigorous and clearly
focused academic standards
Urban Revitalization & Environment
- Passage of the first
laws in decades to fight urban blight, slumlords, and absentee landlords.
Pennsylvania neighborhoods were improved by Acts 5, 35, 69, 70, and 105 of
1998 and Act 99 of 2000.
- Authored the Strategic
Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) law, balancing both citizen
and business interests.
- Sponsored legislation
giving municipalities and citizens greater say over decisions on
landfills.
- Supporter of the HACC Midtown
Campus, designed to expand its presence and
opportunities in the city of Harrisburg
Economic Development & Transportation
- Passage of Act 60 of
1997, divesting control of Harrisburg International and Capital City
Airports from the state to a local, municipal authority.
- Fought to keep the
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency within Harrisburg City limits.
- Lead local efforts to
enhance transportation access and create new jobs in Derry Township with
the extension of Hersheypark Drive and construction of the new Hershey
Foods distribution warehouse.
- TecPort initiative to
create the Business Center on the 102-acre former AMP campus.
- Funding for Ned Smith Center for
Nature and Art, National Civil War Museum, and the
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, and the Fort
Halifax Park
- Highway and bridge
improvements including the much needed Dauphin Narrows bypass,
reconstructed Paxtang Parkway, and State Route 283 ramps.
- Secured state funding
for facilities providing indigent care including: Capital Region Health
System at Hamilton Health Center, Pinnacle Health System, and Penn State
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
- Passage of Act 21 of
1999, the natural gas deregulation legislation that provides customer
choice to families and small businesses.
Public Safety/Protection & Judicial Reform
- Passage of Act 30 of 2007 which
severes the tie-in between federal and state judicial
salaries, a connection established in the inexcusable
2005 pay raise
- Author of the "Property Rights
Protection Act," historic legislation sighed into law
in 2006 and designed to provide greater protection to
owners of private property from governmental
authorities who abuse the use of eminent domain powers
- Passage of Act 57 of
2002, Joint and Several Liability, the archaic legal doctrine whereby
"deep pockets" paid most – or all - damages in legal cases even when
defendants had little actual responsibility.
- Leading efforts to
reduce high medical malpractice insurance premiums, eliminate frivolous
lawsuits, and set reasonable caps on non-economic damages (or "pain and
suffering").
- Passage of Act 119 of
1996, "Jen and Dave's Law," legislation that established a statewide
information system to protect children in custody situations.
- Passage of Act 136 of
1998, legislation that allows professional counselors and marriage and
family therapists to be licensed for the first time in Pennsylvania and
affording consumers the resources they need to choose quality care.
- Outspoken House
Judiciary Committee Chair who lead numerous judicial and crime issues,
including the successful Special Session on Crime in 1995; authoring laws
creating the "Three Strikes" penalty, the Office of the Victim Advocate,
and several measures protecting against elder abuse.
- As Prosecutor for the
House of Representatives, lead the successful impeachment of then-state
Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen.
Awards & Recognitions
- Piccola was awarded the first-ever "Cyber Families
Leadership Award" by the Pennsylvania Families for Public Cyber Schools
for efforts during his tenure in the Legislature on behalf of the
Commonwealth's public cyber schools. (http://www.piccola.org/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=1746&SubjectID=)
(5/13/08)
- Piccola was honored by the Dauphin County Library
System with the 2006 "Impact Award" for his support of public library
service and his work in securing the release of state Redevelopment
Assistance Capital Project funds for area libraries. (1/4/07)
- Piccola received the "Joseph
Siegman Award," which is presented annually by the
Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) to
the legislator who puts forth the greatest effort to
secure consideration of school retiree concerns. PASR
recognized Piccola for unveiling and securing passage
of legislation that would require the Public School
Employees' Retirement System to continue making
certain information available to legitimate active and
retired school employee organizations and
strengthening prohibitions on the release of private
information from the records of Pennsylvania’s 400,000
active and retired public school employees. (10/8/06)
- Piccola was the recipient of the
2006 Catalyst Award from the Harrisburg Regional
Chamber and the Capital Region Economic Development
Corporation (CREDC) in recognition of his substantial
career achievements serving the citizens of the
greater Harrisburg region and Pennsylvania.
Specifically, Piccola was acknowledged for his work to
reform the Harrisburg School District, eliminate
frivolous lawsuits and bring overall tort reform,
medical malpractice relief to keep our hospitals and
doctors open for business, and advocating for the
creation of jobs and job opportunities. (3/21/06)
- Piccola was named "Legislator of the Year" by the
Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society for his leadership and commitment to
supporting excellence in medicine including efforts to reform the
Commonwealth's lawsuit abuse crisis. (11/17/05)
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http://www.piccola.org/pages/newsreleases/11-17-2005/1071.asp
- Piccola was the recipient of the
2005 Legislator Recognition Award from the
Pennsylvania Chapter for the American College of
Emergency Physicians for his contributions to issues
relating to emergency medicine such as medical
liability reform, retention of the motorcycle helmet
law, and seatbelt safety. (4/19/05)
- Piccola was named "Guardian of
Small Business" by the National Federation of
Independent Business for his outstanding voting record
on behalf of Pennsylvania's small business owners for
the 2003-2004 Legislative Session (9/28/04).
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http://www.piccola.org/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=576&SubjectID=
- Piccola received the 2004
Pennsylvania Government Leader of the Year Award from
the Harrisburg School District and Mayor Stephen Reed
for his contributions to public education and
community development (10/18/04)
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http://piccola.org/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=601&SubjectID=
- Piccola honored for his leadership by the
Pennsylvania State Association of Elected County Officials (PSAECO) for
furthering cooperation between state and local government. (3/11/04)
- Piccola received 2003 Government
Leader of the Year Award from the Harrisburg Regional
Chamber for his continued leadership in creating jobs and job
opportunities including efforts to reform Pennsylvania's Lawsuit Abuse
system, to protect business from increasing tax liability and to advocate
for the continued development of business in the Commonwealth.
(12/19/03)
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http://senatorpiccola.pasenategop.com/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=294&SubjectID=
- Piccola received
Special Recognition Award from the Fair Housing Council of the Capitol
Region, Inc. for his contributions and long-term support of housing
initiatives and urban improvement in Central Pennsylvania. (6/6/03)
-
http://senatorpiccola.pasenategop.com/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=295&SubjectID=
- Piccola awarded the
William J. Van Essen Award by the Pennsylvania Optometric
Association (POA), which honors individuals outside the optometric
profession who have significantly served the welfare of the public.
Piccola's contributions have included civil justice and education reform,
urban improvement, obtaining state grants for several community
improvement projects, and obtaining state assistance for highway and
bridge improvements. (6/4/03)
-
http://senatorpiccola.pasenategop.com/newsreleases/default.asp?NewsReleaseID=296&SubjectID=
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Piccola received 2001 President's Award from the Harrisburg Young
Professionals for his work on behalf of the city and region.
(1/26/01)
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Piccola received national honor from the
American School Counselor's Association for leading the way on a law that
allows professional counselors and marriage and family therapists to be
licensed by the Commonwealth. (6/28/00)
-
Piccola honored by the Pennsylvania Mental
Health Counselors for leading the way on a new law allowing professional
counselors and marriage and family therapists to be licensed by the
Commonwealth. (10/23/99)
-
Piccola honored by Common Cause/PA as
Champion of Good Government for his dedicated efforts to build
safeguards into Pennsylvania's justice system (passage of the Independent
Counsel law to reduce the corruption in the Office of Attorney General and
District Attorneys' offices throughout the Commonwealth). (10/5/99)
- Piccola received the
Legislative Service Award from the Pennsylvania League of Cities
and Municipalities (PLCM) in recognition of his fight against absentee
landlords or "slumlords." (3/17/98)
- Recipient of
Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of
Independent Businesses (Pennsylvania Chapter).
- Award
from the Pennsylvania Optometric Association for dedication towards
quality eye-care for citizens of Pennsylvania. (11/96)
- Dedicated Service Award from the Susquehanna Township Republicans. (9/96)
- Leadership Award from the Pennsylvania Coalition against Domestic
Violence. (10/94)
- Dauphin County Police Chiefs Citizen Support Award. (1994)
- Awarded 33rd degree of Freemasonry for significant
contributions to humanity and outstanding service to Freemasonry.
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