HARRISBURG — The first major rewrite of Pennsylvania's 1961 mine safety law received unanimous approval from the state Senate Monday, but the mine workers union wants the House to make additions to it.

Under the current draft, state inspectors for the first time would be able to impose fines for safety infractions on mine owners, instead of just supervisors. Also, it would establish a seven-member safety board, which, among other things, would be tasked with keeping the law in step with advances in mine safety technology and practices.

For several years, legislators, state officials and representatives from the union and mining companies have worked to update the decades-old state law governing safety in about 200 bituminous mines. But the sides have spent much of the time in disagreement.

Eventually, the fear that another mine accident would happen while the sides fought spurred compromises, said one of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Mary Jo White, R-Venango.

No one, she said, "wanted to ever be in the position of facing a television camera with anxious relatives behind them and trapped miners below ground saying they that they had not done everything they could humanly do that was possible to move forward the issue of mine safety."

PITTSBURGH — The Allegheny County district attorney said he will investigate the fatal shooting of a 64-year-old Coraopolis man by a county police officer last week.Stephen Zappala Jr. said he expects police to hand over the file on the shooting of Gary Dennison on Tuesday.Police said Dennison was shot and killed early Saturday in Moon Township after he refused to stop his car for officers who tried to pull him over for a traffic violation.Police Superintendent Charles Moffat said Dennison used his car as a weapon, but would not elaborate.Dennison's family said the Vietnam veteran and retired US Airways baggage handler had an inner ear problem that often resulted in dizziness and vertigo.

PHILADELPHIA — Monday mornings are hard enough. Imagine finding 50 chickens running loose through your high school.Workers arriving about 5:30 a.m. to open Northeast High School in Philadelphia found dozens of hens and roosters wandering around the hallways. The birds were apparently brought to the school sometime over the weekend, said school district spokesman Fernando Gallard.The floors were covered with droppings and chicken feed. Most of the school's 3,600 students were sent home for the day because of the extensive cleanup required, he said.A farmer was called to round up the birds and bring them to Fox Chase Farm, the district's agricultural school, Gallard said.Police are checking surveillance tapes to see if they can determine the perpetrator of the fowl prank. The culprit will have to pay a hefty fine, Gallard said.