Weekly Wrap
This was the last week of budget hearings, as the House and Senate Appropriations Committees heard testimony on the Governor’s 2020-21 proposed budget. Here’s a look at the hearings that took place and some of the topics discussed in each.
Monday, March 2
House
Department of Education
- Lead and asbestos in schools
- Charter school law reform
- School safety
PA Higher Education Assistance Agency
- Scholarship and loan programs
Senate
Department of Agriculture
- Race Horse Development Fund
- Dog licensing
- Spotted lanternfly
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
- Enrollment
- Infectious diseases
- Research and testing
Penn State University Agriculture Research and Extension
- Agriculture education initiatives
Tuesday, March 3
House
PA State System of Higher Education
- System redesign
- Tuition and student loan debt
State-related universities
- Tuition rates
- Enrollment figures
Senate
State-related universities
- Graduation rates
- Student demographics
- Affordability
Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
- State park operations and personnel
- Oil and gas leases
Penn College of Technology, Thaddeus Stevens College, and Community Colleges
- Tuition and enrollment
- Articulation agreements
- Job placement and employment figures
Wednesday, March 4
House
Department of Human Services
- Community Health Choices
- Supplemental appropriations
- Medical Assistance funding
Department of Revenue
- Minimum wage
- Combined reporting
Senate
Department of Environmental Protection
- Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
- Safe drinking water
- Chesapeake Bay cleanup
Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association
- Number of policyholders
- Nursing home coverage
Budget Secretary/Governor’s Executive Office
- Race Horse Development Fund
- Toxic schools
- State Police municipal tax
Thursday, March 5
House
Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association
- Fiscal status and surplus
Budget Secretary/Governor’s Executive Office
- Pupil transportation
- Department of Human Services funding
- Lead and asbestos remediation in schools
The Week Ahead
The House and Senate are back in session the week of March 16, 2020. The House Democratic and Republican Policy Committees will hold hearings throughout the state next week on a variety of issues including charter school funding, economic development, and emergency management services. There’s one hearing scheduled in Harrisburg on Thursday, when the House Health Committee will hold a public hearing on appropriate care models for transgender adolescents.
In Other News
- February 2020 revenue collections came in 4.4 percent more than anticipated, with fiscal year-to-date collections reaching 1.2 percent above estimate.
- The Department of Human Services announced $7.75 million in grants to health information organizations to improve care coordination for patients.
- The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission awarded $2 million in cultural and historical grants.
- PennDOT announced the start of automated work zone speed enforcement.