Governor’s Budget Proposal to be Unveiled Next Week

The House returns to session on Monday, March 2. All of House session and most committee meetings will stream live on PAHouseGOP.com. Many events also may be viewed on Facebook.com/PAHouseGOP.

The governor will present his 2015-16 state budget proposal during a Joint Session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, March 3, at 11:30 a.m. A media availability with House (and possibly Senate) Republican leaders will take place approximately 30 minutes after the budget address in the Capitol Rotunda, 2^nd Floor, in front of the lieutenant governor’s office (after the House and Senate Democratic leaders’ response). More details to come.

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, March 2, 2015

Committee Meetings/Hearings

CHILDREN AND YOUTH, 11 a.m., Room 60, East Wing

Informational meeting with an overview of the Family Court System and its relationship to Children and Youth Services.

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 140 (Rep. Thomas Killion, R-Delaware): Permits a carpool or vanpool operated by a private operator to be considered a ridesharing arrangement.
HB 164 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Establishes the offense of “possession of animal fighting paraphernalia” as a third-degree misdemeanor.
HB 188 (Rep. Curt Sonney, R-Erie): Provides a preserved farmland owner with at least 50 acres the access to grant a right-of-way to install a wind power generation system.
HB 512 (Rep. James Roebuck, D-Philadelphia): Establishes uniform standards for awarding college credit for prior learning at public institutions of higher education.
HB 530 (Rep. Mike Reese, R-Somerset/Westmoreland): Changes the formula for funding cyber charter schools, creates a funding commission to make recommendations concerning funding and other matters related to charter schools, and makes other updates to the state’s charter school law.

Votes on Third Consideration

HB 73 (Rep. Frank Farry, R-Bucks): Requires that a provider of counseling services notify the district attorney and law enforcement in the municipality in which the counseling center is located if it is providing services to sexually violent predators.
HB 166 (Rep. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland/York): Prevents convicted sex offenders who are non-compliant in their Megan’s Law registry requirements from receiving welfare benefits.
HB 186 (Rep. Joseph Hackett, R-Delaware): Amends the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act to increase a victim’s right to be present during trial proceedings.
HB 446 (Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin): Requires the court to impose a mandatory three-year probation period consecutive to and in addition to any other lawful sentence imposed by the court for a person convicted of a Tier III sex offense under Pennsylvania’s Adam Walsh Act.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Committee Meetings/Hearings

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

Informational meeting to discuss priorities and issues of counties, municipalities and school districts.

CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 9:15 a.m., Room 60 East Wing

Informational meeting with a presentation by the telecommunications and cable industries.

Session

On Tuesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business. The governor will give the budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly at 11:30 a.m.

Votes on Second Consideration

HB 57 (Rep. John Payne, R-Dauphin): Changes the current interest rate structure associated with recovery of purchased gas costs, eliminates the migration rider charged to customers who switch to a competitive supplier and allows recovery of costs incurred to implement customer choice.
HB 66 (Rep. Robert Godshall, R-Montgomery): Requires a municipal authority to publicly discuss all acquisitions and how an acquisition will provide a public benefit to the authority’s current ratepayers.
HB 315 (Rep. Brian Ellis, R-Butler): Allows minors to be employed as youth sports officials.
HB 319 (Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill): Requires that the testimony at any hearing before an Unemployment Compensation referee be taken by both a reporter and by recording device, and that an unabridged transcript and audio recording of the testimony be made available, at cost, to any party upon written request and extends this requirement to appeals heard by the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review.
HB 568 (Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Allegheny/Westmoreland): Amends the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act to provide more options for code administrators to certify commercial buildings.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Committee Meetings/Hearings

GAME AND FISHERIES, 9 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol

Informational meeting to receive the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s annual report.

AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building

Informational meeting with a presentation by AARP on their legislative priorities.

STATE GOVERNMENT, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building

HB 296 (Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Allegheny/Westmoreland): Requires that PennDOT cannot exclude the use of slag as a road construction aggregate from the procurement process.

Session

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

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