Weekly Wrap
Only the Senate was in Harrisburg for session this week, but it was a busy one nonetheless. Meanwhile, some of the committees of the House of Representatives took to the road to examine issues impacting the Commonwealth.
MONDAY
- The Senate Appropriations Committee reported on S.B. 133 (Ward, R-Montgomery), which would allow Pennsylvania to comply with the Federal REAL ID Act.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on the investigation of police-involved shootings.
- Though the House wasn’t in session, the House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing on state police fees for municipalities without local police, and the House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing on the drug epidemic’s impact on rural Pennsylvania.
TUESDAY
- The Senate Local Government Committee reported out S.B. 5 (Langerholc, R-Bedford), providing for state preemption of local gun ordinances and regulations.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee reported out S.B. 108 (Sabatina, D-Philadelphia), prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities in need of organ transplants
- The Senate Transportation Committee reported out S.B. 435 (Boscola, D-Lehigh), providing penalties for failure to remove snow and ice from moving vehicles.
- The Senate passed S.B. 133 by a vote of 46-02.
- The House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing on towing regulations, and the House Gaming Oversight Committee held a public hearing on gaming expansion, casino local share assessment and casino competitiveness.
- A group of bipartisan legislators introduced legislation that would legalize video gaming terminals and generate up to $500 million annually.
WEDNESDAY
- The Senate Education Committee met to consider bills, including S.R. 34 (Argall, R-Berks), calling for a study of the sustainability of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education; S.B. 363 (Williams, D-Philadelphia),prevents former colleagues and supervisors from providing recommendations for future employment at a school when sexual misconduct claims are involved; H.B. 202 (Turzai, R-Allegheny), allowing the use of exams other than the Keystone Exams to show college readiness; and H.B. 224 (Simmons, R-Lehigh), providing for administration of epi-ens by school bus drivers and crossing guards.
- The Senate Health and Human Services Committee held a joint hearing with the Senate Aging and Youth Committee and the Intergovernmental Operations Committee as well as the Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Health and Human Services regarding Gov. Wolf’s proposed consolidation of the Departments of Health, Human Services, Aging and Drug and Alcohol Programs.
A Look Ahead
Keeping with what seems like recent practice to alternate session weeks, only the House of Representatives will be in Harrisburg for voting session next week.
MONDAY
- The House Liquor Control Committee will consider H.B. 438 (Reese, R-Westmoreland), which would allow restaurant and hotel liquor license holders to sell up to three liters of spirits, and H.B. 991 (Harris, R-Juniata), which would create license permitting the sale of wine and spirits for off-premise consumption.
- The House Labor and Industry Committee will consider H.B. 409 (Evankovich, R-Westmoreland), which amends the PA Construction Code Act by reforming the code review process used by the Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council.
TUESDAY
- The House Health Committee will consider multiple bills: H.B. 125 (Baker, R-Tioga), provides for the use of a certain credentialing application that health care providers will be required to use when seeking to become credentialed by a health insurer; H.B. 239 (Toepel, R-Montgomery), establishes a Rare Disease Advisory Council; and H.B. 358 (Baker, R-Tioga), which creates the Volunteer Health Care Practitioner Act to provide civil liability to volunteer health care practitioners.
- The House Judiciary Committee will consider S.B. 261 (Scarnati, R-Jefferson), which amends the statute of limitations for certain criminal and civil actions arising from childhood sexual abuse.
WEDNESDAY
- Like in the Senate last week, the House Health, Human Services and Aging and Older Adult Services Committees will hold a joint public hearing on the consolidation of the Departments of Human Services, Health, Aging and Drug and Alcohol Programs.
- The House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee will hold an informational meeting on H.B. 520 (Mustio, R-Allegheny), which authorizes a tourism promotion fee, provides for a tourism promotion fund and establishes a Sports Commission in Allegheny County.
- The House Consumer Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing with representatives of PA One Call on the operation of the One Call System.
See here for The House Week Ahead.
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