The state Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved legislation sponsored by Sen.

Jane Orie, R-40th, that would establish specialized "problem solving" courts to integrate intervention and treatment into certain criminal cases.The measure, for example, would provide for the creation of drug courts, which have proven to be successful in lowering recidivism rates and saving tax dollars."In Allegheny County, which has a drug treatment court, Orie said, "the recidivism rate is approximately 28 percent, compared to more than 50 percent for defendants who do not participate in a drug court program."And studies have shown that these programs can save as much as $10 for every $1 invested."Another problem solving court could deals with the mental issues of some defendants.Orie said her bill, which would provide state assistance to other county or judicial districts to create similar courts, calls for a statewide coordinator in the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Court. That person would be responsible for identifying sources of funding and providing coordination, best practices, and technical assistance to bolster those efforts.———Legislation that would continue funding the cleanup of contaminated sites in Pennsylvania has landed on the governor's desk, said Sen.

Mary Jo White, R-21st, chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.The measure, sponsored by White and Sen. Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Chester, was approved Wednesday by the House of Representatives. The Senate previously passed the bill, which would fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act through 2010-11 without raising taxes.The measure calls for $17 million this year. It earmarks $40 million out of the state Capital Stock and Franchise Tax for the following three fiscal years.The bill, White noted, does not affect the Senate Republican plan to phase out this tax by the end of 2010.——-—The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved legislation authored by Rep.

Jason Altmire, D-4th, to support and expand entrepreneurial opportunities for veterans and reservists."As more and more service members return to civilian life after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan,"he said, "the opportunities and economic benefits that the federal government can provide will become even more critical, especially for business owners."Altmire's bill, the Military Reservist and Veterans Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, would increase funding for the Small Business Administration's Office of Veteran Business Development to $4.4 million.Additionally, the measure would increase the number of Veterans Business Outreach Centers across the country and identify areas that are in need of assistance to ensure that veterans and reservists in every region are able to keep their businesses afloat.Altmire, chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, noted the legislation would improve programs to help relieve the burden placed on small business owners during and after deployments by improving reservist programs.———U.S. Rep.

Phil English, R-3rd, is pushing action on U.S.-China trade issues.English, in a letter to Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., chairman of the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee, called for movement on legislation to deal with subsidies, intellectual property rights and exchange rate practices."Blatant intellectual property theft, rampant subsidies and prolific dumping plague the bilateral relationship and eviscerate any chance for America's employers to compete on a level playing field," wrote English, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee."The sector of our economy most in crosshairs of China's mercantilist trade practices is the American manufacturing base. As long as China continues to operate outside of conventional trade norms, it is nothing more than a rouge agent threatening to breakdown the world-wide trade regime."English is a long time advocate in Congress for strengthening U.S. trade remedy laws and ending Chinese mercantilist trade practices.