HARRISBURG -- Top Senate Republican leaders are urging House Democrats to vote on seven bills to reform state government before the current two-year legislative session winds down in late October.

Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, and Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware, urged House Democratic leader Bill DeWeese of Waynesburg yesterday to stop stalling on the seven measures, all of which passed the Senate unanimously -- some of them months ago.

Referring to the attorney general's arrest of 12 present or former Democratic House members and staffers last week, the two Republicans said, "These events severely threaten to further erode public confidence in the General Assembly.

"We remind you of numerous reform-focused bills languishing in the House -- some for more than one year. We again urge you to take immediate action on them."

DeWeese aide Tom Andrews wouldn't say what House Democrats might do when the Legislature returns Sept. 15.

The bills at issue are:

• Senate Bill 729, which would require government salary information to be posted online. It passed the Senate on May 22, 2007, and has sat in the House State Government Committee since June 2007.

• SB 1499, which would restrict state vehicle use, and limit take-home vehicles to employees who drive 1,200 miles a month or more on official business, not including commutes to and from work. It's been in the House State Government Committee for two weeks.

• SB 986, to ban future bonuses for state workers. It has sat in the House committee since last October.

• SB 467, to bolster penalties for violating the state Sunshine Law. It's been before the House committee since May 2007.

• SB 1015, to tell the public when tax money is being spent on advertising. It was sent to the House committee in late June.

• SB 903, to require the attorney general to review all contracts between state agencies and private consulting companies. It passed the Senate in early July and hasn't been sent to a House panel yet.

• SB 1201, to put information about the use of state planes on the Internet. It passed the Senate in February and is now before the House Transportation Committee.

The Legislature isn't holding a three-week "lame duck" session in November this year, so any bills not acted on by late October will die and action will have to be started all over again in January.

"There is no excuse for such a delay," Mr. Scarnati and Mr. Pileggi said.

In a related matter, another Senate Republican, Jeffrey Piccola of Dauphin, will hold a news conference today to begin circulating petitions among House and Senate members calling for a special legislative session on governmental reform in mid-September.

He had asked Gov. Ed Rendell to call the session, but the governor said the Legislature first needs to finish work on such matters as energy conservation and health insurance.

Mr. Piccola said the "broad, sweeping charges against legislators and legislative staff" filed by Attorney General Tom Corbett show the need for legislative reforms. If he gets at least 26 of the 50 senators and 102 of the 203 House members to sign his petition, the governor will be forced to call the session.

First Published: July 16, 2008, 4:00 a.m.