Pension Reform for New Employees Only and Budget Bill on House Agenda Next Week

The House returns to session on Monday, June 23. Live web streams of House session and the majority of committee meetings are available at PAHouseGOP.com. Important information and events may also be viewed by visiting Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP.

Public Pensions: Reform is Necessary

A pension reform bill, House Bill 1353 (Rep. Warren Kampf, R- Chester/Montgomery), is scheduled to be voted on second consideration on Monday.

Unless a pension reform plan for new employees is implemented, the benefits earned by current participants could be in jeopardy.

Pension costs are consuming a larger and larger part of the state budget – more than doubling from $1.7 billion in the 2012 state budget to $6.6 billion in the 2018 state budget, and growing into the future.

To state taxpayers and school property taxpayers, public pension reform means managing the debt and meeting our budget obligations to avoid massive tax increases and funding cuts in the long-term. If nothing is done, there will be tax increases and cuts to important government and school programs in the future.

For current retirees and public pension participants, the reform (in the form of an amendment authored by Rep. Mike Tobash, R-Schuylkill/Berks) being considered in the House ensures they receive the benefits they have earned, as they are not included in the new plan.

The new plans would only affect future employees.

For future public pension participants, public pension reform means the opportunity to earn a personal, portable, competitive retirement benefit. The first $50,000 of an employee’s salary would still be in a “defined benefit,” or traditional pension. Anything above $50,000 would be in a portable 401(k) style, or “defined contribution” plan.

The legislation (through an amendment authored by Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery) would ensure that maternity or sick leave, vacation, authorized leave of absence without pay, disability, or changing positions or districts WOULD NOT cause a break in service or require employees to start a new plan. In fact, the ONLY way a current employee’s plan would not continue as-is would be if they quit, or their employment is terminated.

Pennsylvania must reduce the cost to taxpayers of both the Public School Employees’ Retirement System and State Employees’ Retirement System. Pension reform being considered by the House would lead to cost savings of more than $11 billion over 30 years.

General Fund Appropriation Bill…

House Bill 2328 (Rep. Bill Adolph, R-Delaware County) is scheduled for a vote on second consideration on Monday.

The Weekly Schedule

Identified by bill number, the sponsors and summaries for bills scheduled to be considered in committee or on the House floor are posted below. More information regarding these bills can be found at PAHouseGOP.com by clicking on the “Research Bills” tab.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

INSURANCE, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

Public hearing to examine insurance coverage for consumers when using an experimental transportation service, also known as ride sharing.

Session

On Monday, the House will convene at 1 p.m. for legislative business. The members will vote the uncontested calendar and Rule 35 resolutions.

Votes on Second Consideration

HB 1353 (Rep. Warren Kampf, R-Chester/Montgomery): Establishes the State Employees’ Defined Contribution Plan to be administered and managed by the State Employees’ Retirement Board and implements benefit changes applicable to future benefits earned by current members of the State Employees’ Retirement System’s defined benefit plan.
HB 2280 (Rep. William Adolph, R-Delaware): Makes appropriations from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and from restricted revenue accounts within the General Fund to the Department of State.
HB 2281 (Adolph): Makes appropriations from the Workmen’s Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry and to the Office of Small Business Advocate.
HB 2282 (Adolph): Makes an appropriation to the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development for the fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
HB 2283 (Adolph): Makes an appropriation to the Office of Consumer Advocate in the Office of Attorney General for the fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
HB 2284 (Adolph): Makes an appropriation to the Public School Employees’ Retirement Board for the fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
HB 2285 (Adolph): Makes an appropriation to provide for expenses of the State Employees’ Retirement Board for fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015
HB 2286 (Adolph):.Makes appropriations from the Philadelphia Taxicab and Limousine Regulatory Fund and the Philadelphia Taxicab Medallion Fund to the Philadelphia Parking Authority for fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
HB 2287 (Adolph): Makes an appropriation to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for fiscal year July1, 2014, to July 30, 2015.
HB 2288 (Adolph): Makes appropriations to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the Department of Revenue, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Attorney General for fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.
HB 2328 (Adolph): General Fund budget for fiscal year July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015.

Votes on Third Consideration

HB 681 (Rep. Gary Haluska, D-Cambria): Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of commissioners of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
SB 874 (Sen. Patricia Vance, R-Cumberland/York): Enables school districts that sponsor community colleges to negotiate more affordable funding levels.
SB 1194 (Sen. Donald White, R-Armstrong/Butler/Indiana/Westmoreland): Allows schools located in municipalities where no local police department exists to enter into cooperative police service agreements with adjacent municipalities.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

COMMERCE, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

HR 778 (Rep. Curtis Thomas, D-Philadelphia): Directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of the Commonwealth’s cyber security framework.
SB 622 (Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland): Establishes the Debt Settlement Services Act for the licensure and regulation of entities providing debt settlement services to individuals residing in the Commonwealth.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 9:15 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

HB 1543 (Rep. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Amends the Home Improvement Consumer Protection law by defining a “time and materials” provision between a homeowner and home improvement contractor and includes time and materials provisions as a legally enforceable home improvement contract.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES/AGING AND YOUTH, 9:30 a.m., Hearing Room #1, North Office Building

Joint House and Senate informational meeting with a presentation by the Department of Aging on Pennsylvania’s Alzheimer’s state plan.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH, 10 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

Informational meeting on Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance’s commissioned study regarding adults’ reluctance to report suspected child abuse to the state and discussion on the Front Porch Project.

LIQUOR CONTROL, 10:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

HB 2364 (Rep. James Clay, D-Philadelphia): Requires liquor and malt and brewed beverage licensees to use a transaction scan device if licensee has a second or subsequent offense of sale to minors within a three-year period.

Session

On Tuesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, 9 a.m., Room G-50 Irvis Office Building

HB 2354 (Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Fayette/Greene/Washington): Establishes the Pennsylvania Greenhouse Gas Regulation Implementation Act.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

Informational meeting on HB 2014 (Rep. Tim Hennessey, R-Chester): Amends the Older Adult Protective Services Act regarding employee criminal history provisions and reporting of suspected abuse.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, 10:15 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

HB 700 (Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton): Allows the Department of Community and Economic Development to grant an additional period of up to five years for administrative costs associated with the hiring of a Main Street Manager.
HB 1323 (Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery): Limits the professional services contracting requirements of Act 44 to municipal pension systems with 100 or more active members.
HB 1729 (Rep. Kevin Haggerty, D-Lackawanna): Grants local governing bodies the authority to override their Home Rule Charter provisions when levying taxes in excess of an expressed, written threshold in the Home Rule Charter.
HB 2194 (Rep. Mark Mustio, R-Allegheny): Allows airport authorities in second class counties to invest in commercial paper.
SB 1185 (Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Allegheny/Butler): Expands the allowable uses of fees collected for various coroners’ reports and documents.
SB 1255 (Sen. Edwin Erickson, R-Chester/Delaware): Allows storm water authorities to establish programs to help property owners reduce their storm water rates by implementing and maintaining storm water best management practices that reduce the quantity or improve the quality of the storm water that their properties generate.

HUMAN SERVICES, Call of Chair, Room 60, East Wing

HR 697 (Rep. Daniel Miller, D-Allegheny): Urges the Congress of the United States to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2013 (ABLE Act) to provide an improved quality of life for individuals with disabilities through tax-exempt savings accounts.
HR 903 (Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a review and issue a report on the Department of Public Welfare, Office of Developmental Programs’ implementation of the 1999 Olmstead Decision of the United States Supreme Court.

Session

On Wednesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Committee Meetings/Hearings

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

Public hearing on HR 426 (Rep. Ron Miller, R-York): Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to provide a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth’s program for beneficial use of sewage sludge by land application.

HEALTH, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

HB 1760 (Rep. Gordon Denlinger, R-Lancaster): Establishes the Volunteer Health Care Practitioners Act which provides immunity from civil liability in accordance with the act to certified volunteer health care practitioners.

Session

On Thursday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Session

On Friday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business.

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