Weekly Wrap

With a national holiday on Monday and no session for either chamber, it was a quiet week in the Capitol. There was no movement on any legislation and very little budget talk. However, there is some news you can use from the Governor’s Office.

Last week, the Governor announced that he would monetize the state’s liquor stores to pay the state’s bills coming due as the passage of a legislative package to raise much needed revenue hangs in the balance. This would raise $1.25 billion to help pay off last year’s deficit. On Monday, he announced that he also plans to lease the state Farm Show Complex, hoping to bring in an additional $200 million. He also announced that the state has realized over $300 million in savings over the last fiscal year from his GO-TIME efforts. Wolf has asserted that he plans to maintain or increase savings through government efficiencies in the face of our budget stalemate for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

Also this week, Pennsylvania was granted an extension for enforcement under the REAL ID Act, so Pennsylvanians will not face any access issues entering federal buildings until January 22, 2018, when REAL ID compliance for commercial air travel is set to be enforced. However, Pennsylvania does not expect to have REAL ID compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards available until early 2019.

The Administration announced “personnel changes” at the Department of State. Pedro Cortes announced his resignation as the Department’s top dog on Wednesday. Gov. Wolf has announced that Executive Deputy Secretary Robert Torres will now serve as acting Secretary of State.

And finally, Governor Wolf nominated Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, Acting Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller, Acting Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs Jennifer Smith and Acting Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman to serve permanently in their respective roles.

A Look Ahead

Next week is shaping up to be a busy one already. Most notably, on Monday, the House Finance Committee will meet to consider H.B. 1401 (DiGirolamo, R-Bucks), which would provide for shale gas severance tax. Finance Committee Chairman Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks) is making good on his word to bring the bill up for consideration, after announcing his intention last week on the House floor after a failed effort to discharge a severance tax bill from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. However, now that the Governor has announced his plan to forge ahead and fund the state budget without legislative approval of a revenue package, it’s hard to say what will become of any new tax-raising efforts, including a severance tax.

Also on Monday, House Education Committee will meet to consider H.B. 1386 (Hill, R-York), which would create new grade span and age levels for teacher certification, and H.B. 1653 (Quigley, R-Montgomery), which would make students enrolled in Pennsylvania-based distance education programs eligible for PHEAA grants.

The House Insurance Committee will consider H.B. 1335, H.B. 1848 and H.B. 1851, all by Rep. Pickett (R-Bradford). These bills are a package to address fairness and transparency issues in the insurance industry and within the Insurance Department. The House Transportation Committee will get a briefing from the PA Motor Truck Association on H.B. 1699 (Marshall, R-Beaver), which would allow 102 inch wide trailers to travel on Pennsylvania highways. The Committee will vote on H.B. 1748 (Marshall, R-Beaver) and S.B. 172 (Argall, R-Schuylkill), which both would establish a pilot program for speed enforcement cameras in highway work zones. The House Commerce Committee will meet to consider a bipartisan bill package providing for consumer protection measures in the event of a data breach: H.B. 1846 (Ellis, R-Butler) and H.B. 1847 (Driscoll, D-Philadelphia).

Tuesday brings another busy day. The House Finance Committee will meet again, this time to hold public hearing on H.B. 1312 (Petri, R-Bucks), which would alter the payment and distribution of nonresident wage taxes imposed by the City of Philadelphia. The House Judiciary Committee will hold an informational meeting on opiate and other illegal drug use, and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee will consider S.R. 5 (Boscola, D-Lehigh), which would establish a task force on Women Veterans’ Health Care.

Finally on Wednesday, the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee will consider H.B. 1588 (Diamond, R-Lebanon), which would require the Department of Aging to cross reference its list of beneficiaries with death records maintained by the Department of Health on a monthly basis. Two hearings are also scheduled for Wednesday: the Senate Finance Committee will hold a public hearing on SERS and PSERS fund management fees, and the Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee will release a report on the PA One Call System.

A full list of committee meetings can be found here.

For anticipated floor action see below.

In Other News

  • PA legislators are lining up to replace Rep. Tim Murphy, who announced his resignation this week. So far Sen. Guy Reschenthaler, Rep. Rick Saccone and Sen. Kim Ward have all thrown their hats in the ring.
  • The Governor signed H.B. 45 (Godshall, R-Montgomery), Act 33, into law. The bill gives terminally ill patients the right to try experimental treatments not fully approved by the FDA.
  • Attorney General Josh Shapiro is suing the President and his administration for eliminating guaranteed contraceptive care.
  • The President was in the Commonwealth on Wednesday, outlining his tax plan to a crowd at Harrisburg International Airport.