An on-time budget in June brought a quiet summer in Harrisburg, but the dog days are behind us and it’s time to get ready for the legislature’s return. The House of Representatives will convene on Tuesday and welcome its newest member, David Rowe (R-Union/Snyder). He defeated Dr. Jennifer Rager-Kay last month in a special election for the seat formerly held by Rep. Fred Keller, who was elected to Congress in May to fill the seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Tom Marino.
Beginning the session week on Tuesday, rather than the customary Monday start-day, will have the Representatives in Harrisburg through Thursday. Then both chambers convene for session on Monday, September 23. The full session schedule for the fall can be found here:
Speaking of new faces, we’ve got some news from Buchanan. We are happy to welcome Erin Molchany to our Pennsylvania Government Relations Practice. You can read more about Erin here.
The Week Ahead
Monday isn’t a voting session day, but there are a few informational meetings. First, the House and Senate State Government Committees will hold a joint informational meeting on election-related issues. Second, the House Gaming Oversight Committee will hold an informational meeting on sports betting.
We’re back to the grind on Tuesday, when the House Transportation Committee will hold an informational meeting on the use of asphalt and concrete for road construction and maintenance. Also Tuesday, the House State Government Committee will consider two bills from the House Republican’s “Energize PA” package: H.B. 1106 (Puskaric, R-Allegheny), which would overhaul the permitting process for all general and individual environmental permits, as well as general plan approvals; and H.B. 1107 (O’Neal, R-Washington), which would create a permitting commission, tasked with enforcing regulations and issuing permits. The committee will meet again Wednesday, this time for a public hearing on redistricting in conjunction with the Senate State Government Committee.
Also on Wednesday, the House Health Committee will consider H.B. 533 (Owlett, R-Tioga), which would address the credentialing process of health insurers for applicants included in their networks. The House Human Services Committee will consider two bills of note: S.B. 675 (Brooks, R-Mercer), which would provide for certified, office-based prescribers of buprenorphine; and H.B. 730 (Cruz, D-Philadelphia), which would ensure babies are screened for every recommended disorder. Lastly, the House Education Committee will hold an informational meeting on the financial future of school districts.
Thursday, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an informational meeting with Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell on climate change initiatives.
See here for a full list of committee meetings:
In Other News
- Pennsylvania is launching an online application for absentee ballots.
- For the seventh time, Governor Wolf renewed the disaster declaration to fight the opioid crisis.
- PennDOT announced they are accepting applications for Multimodal Transportation Fund grants.