July 10, 2015

Budget Update:

As of our July 1 post, the legislature had sent a number of budget related bills—including the General Appropriations Bill—to the governor for action. Ten days later (the exact number of days the governor has to sign or veto a bill), here’s where everything stands:

  • General Appropriations bill:
    • H.B. 1192 (Adolph, R-Delaware)—Vetoed by the governor in total on June 30.
  • Fiscal Code bill:
    • S.B. 655 (Browne, R-Lehigh)—Vetoed by the governor on July 2.
  • School Code bill:
    • H.B. 762 (Roae, R-Crawford)—Vetoed by the governor on July 2.
  • Liquor Privatization bill:
    • H.B. 466 (Turzai, R-Allegheny)—Vetoed by the governor on July 2.
  • Pension Reform bill:
    • S.B. 1 (Corman, R-Centre)—Vetoed by the governor on July 9.

Of the remaining appropriations bills, the non-preferred appropriations bills (for the commonwealth’s state-related institutions) never made it to the governor’s desk, and the preferred appropriations bills (for the commonwealth’s self-funded agencies) were signed on July 2.

So now we’re 10 days into the fiscal year, and it’s safe to say everyone has a case of the budget blues. News reports (below) indicate that negotiations between the governor and the legislature are not going well:

http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/capitol-ideas/mc-politics-heating-up-in-pennsylvania-s-budget-impasse-20150708-story.html

And the governor and the general assembly have been throwing plenty of barbs:

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2015/07/06/Negotiators-expected-back-at-table-amid-Pennsylvania-s-budget-stalemate-Wolf/stories/201507060115

http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015070865.HTM

http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015070987.HTM

However, both the Senate and House have added session days for July. The Senate will reconvene on Monday, July 13 for three voting days, and the House will reconvene on Tuesday, July 21 for two voting days. It’s too soon to say what is in store-budget wise for those few days.

In Other News:

Things are generally quiet in Harrisburg while members and staff meet behind closed doors to hash out a new spending plan. Meanwhile, here are a few other newsworthy items: