News from Second and State | Buchanan Government Relations

March 18, 2016

Weekly Wrap:

With budget hearings finished and just over a month until the 2016 primary election, the Pennsylvania Legislature set to work this week addressing issues from soup to nuts. However, the big ticket items up for consideration were the legalization of medical marijuana and the lingering 2015-2016 state budget.

On Monday, the Senate reported H.B. 1801 (Irvin, R, Centre) from the Appropriations Committee, positioning it to be used as a vehicle to enact a state budget. On Tuesday, it was amended to include a 2015-2016 supplemental appropriation, and by Wednesday, it passed the Senate by a vote of 31-18 and was back in the House of Representatives for concurrence in those Senate amendments, where it passed by a vote of 128-63.The roughly $30 billion dollar bill, along with the accompanying Fiscal Code legislation, are now on the Governor’s desk for his signature. The Governor has stated he will veto the bill.

In addition to the General Appropriations bill, the legislature passed five “non-preferred” appropriations bills, which would provide funding for Penn State, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania. Attempts to pass these bills have failed in the House previously; there were not enough votes to achieve the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. Until now, House Democrats, who have just enough members to stop legislation and procedural maneuvering that requires a two-thirds vote, had stood firmly with the Governor. However, this week, it seems just enough of them have decided otherwise, voting with the Republicans to pass these spending bills. This dynamic could make things very interesting in the event of a veto-override attempt, for which a two-thirds majority is required.

Go to: http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/03/pa_house_democrats_break_ranks.html

This week’s other big news was the House’s passage of S.B. 3 (Folmer, R-Lebanon) which would legalize the use of medical marijuana in the Commonwealth. The bill, which was parked in the House of Representatives for nearly a year, was amended by the House and will now return to the Senate for a concurrence vote, which could also come as soon as Monday.

The amended bill can be found at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0003

The committees were also busy this week. On Monday, Senate Appropriations Chairmen Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) and Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia) announced that the committee will adopt a subcommittee structure that will provide “increased focus and specialization in subject areas of spending priority and to advance greater integration of the General Assembly in all stages of the budget process. The subcommittees will meet on Monday during session weeks, and the new Subcommittee on Infrastructure, Environment & Government Operations, chaired by Sen. John Eichelberger(R-Blair) and Sen. Jim Brewster (R-Erie) hit the ground running, holding a hearing with Secretary of Environmental Protection John Quigley. Other subcommittees include:

Public Safety & Criminal Justice, chaired by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Bucks) and Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Delaware)
Education, Workforce and Community & Economic Development, chaired by Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster)and Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna)
Health & Human Services, chaired by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland) and Sen. Sean Wiley (D-Erie)

On Tuesday, the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee met to consider two bills: S.B. 881 (Blake, D-Lackawanna), which would exclude certain resorts that provide some utilities to residents from the definition of “public utility,” and H.B. 1326 (Godshall, R-Montgomery), which would establish a process for determine fair market value of a water or wastewater company acquired by a water or wastewater public utility of rate making purposes. Also on Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee voted on H.B. 423 (Simmons, R-Lehigh) which would provide civil immunity to properly trained school bus drivers who administer epi-pens. Finally on Tuesday, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a public hearing on H.B. 1391(Everett-R, Lycoming), which addresses minimum royalty payments to a lessor for oil and gas well production.

Though typically not so busy, Wednesday was another action packed day for the standing committees. House Finance reported out S.B. 879 (Baker, R-Luzerne), providing for the establishment of ABLE savings accounts. Also, the House Professional Licensure Committee sent two bills the full House for consideration: H.B. 1841 and H.B. 1842 (Killion, R-Delaware) would provide professional requirements and standards for perfusionists. Finally in the House, the House Commerce Committee sent H.B. 1535 (Kotik, D-Allegheny) to the floor: the bill would establish the Blight Demolition Bond Issuance Program. On the Senate side, Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee voted on S.R. 267 (Schwank, D-Berks), directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish and advisory committee to study drug addiction treatment.

In other news, there were three special elections this week, held in the 57^th(Westmoreland County), 192^ndand the 200^th House districts (both of which are in Philadelphia). The seats were held by Rep. Tim Krieger (R), Rep. Louise Bishop (D) and Rep. Cherelle Parker (D), respectively. Not surprisingly, the outcome of those elections will result in no change to the numbers in the state House; Republican Eric Nelson won in the 57^th, Democrat Lynwood Savage takes the 192^nd and Democrat Tonyelle Cook-Artis will now represent the 200^th.

And while we’ve got a few new House members, we’ve got one less Supreme Court Justice. Justice Michael Eakin resigned on Tuesday amid allegations surrounding his involvement in the now infamous “porn-gate” scandal.

A Look Ahead:

Expect another busy week next week. If the Governor vetoes H.B. 1801, discussed above, there could be an attempt to override the veto. Also expected is a final vote on legislation to legalize medical marijuana.

For anticipated floor action in the House, check out The Week Ahead: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2016/20160317ZF.PDF

For the Senate, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/SessionCalendars/index.cfm?Chamber=S

Plenty of committee meetings have been scheduled, too. On Monday, the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing to discuss whether or not Pennsylvania should “incentivize natural gas.” The House Gaming Control Committee will also hold a hearing on consolidation of regulatory oversight of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Finally, the House Labor and Industry Committee will meet to consider H.B. 1234 (Marsico, R-Dauphin) amending the Prevailing Wage Act, and H.B. 1543 (Maloney, R-Berks) amending the Uniform Construction Code Act.

To read H.B. 1234, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1234

To read H.B. 1543, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1543

Tuesday the House Gaming Control Committee will meet again; this time to consider two bills amending the Gaming Act: H.B. 1393 (Warner, R-Fayette) and H.B. 1397 (Nesbit, R-Butler), and the House Finance Committee will hold an informational meeting on H.B. 931 (Lawrence, R-Chester), providing a procedure for the approval of leased-back debt obligation. Finally on Tuesday, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will meet to consider several bills; among them is S.B. 1145 (Yaw, R-Bradford), which allows Marcellus Shale drillers to pierce the Onondaga formation in the course of their drilling operations.

To read H.B. 1393, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1393

To read H.B. 1397, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1397

To read H.B. 931, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=0931

To read S.B. 1145, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1145

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, but no agenda is yet available.

For a full list of committee meetings, go to:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/session.cfm

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