September 18, 2015

Weekly Wrap:

After nearly four months of impasse, the Pennsylvania Senate made efforts this week to enact a stopgap budget for the Commonwealth. With human service and educational agencies running lower and lower on funds, the proposal would provide funding to cover the months of July, August, September and October. The measure, S.B. 1000 (Browne, R-Lehigh) and its companion Fiscal Code legislation, S.B. 1001 (Browne, R-Lehigh), passed the Senate today by party line 30-19 vote, with all Republican members voting in the affirmative. The bills will be considered by the House of Representatives next week, and while a party line vote there could send the bills to the Governor’s desk easily, their fate is uncertain: Gov. Wolf has said publicly that he will veto the stopgap budget without agreement on a spending plan for the entire 2015-2016 fiscal year.

For more, go to: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20150917_Wolf_says_he_ll_veto_GOP_interim_budget.html

To view the budget bill, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1000

To view the Fiscal Code legislation, go to:  http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1001

The Senate advanced other legislation this week as well. House Bill 75 (Kauffman, R-Franklin) passed finally and is headed to the Governor’s desk. The bill would require that out of state pharmacies that fill prescriptions for Commonwealth residents register with the State Board of Pharmacy. The Senate also passed S.B. 879 (Baker, R-Luzerne), which would allow for the establishment of tax free savings accounts for persons with disabilities.

To read H.B. 75, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us//cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=16897

To read S.B. 879, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=879

 A Look Ahead:

The House of Representatives will return to session next week, when action is expected on the stopgap budget. Voting session will be held on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Several committee meetings have also been scheduled. On Monday, the House Education Committee will meet to consider House Bill 1552 (Roae, R-Crawford), which would authorize the Department of Education to enter into an interstate reciprocity agreement governing postsecondary distance education courses and programs.  On Thursday, the House Transportation Committee will consider S.B. 385 (Pileggi, R-Delaware) which would update the Transit Revitalization Improvement District (or TRID) Act. Finally, on Friday, the House Judiciary Committee will meet to consider House Bill 323 (Grove, R-York), which would establish a specialty Commerce Division of the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

To read House Bill 1552, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1552

To read Senate Bill 385, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=385

To read House Bill 323, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=323

The Senate is not expected to return until Monday, September 28.

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