The House will be Working to Restore the People’s Voice During Times of Emergency; Allow Some Justice for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

The state House returns to session on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, to vote on issues of importance.

Restoring the People’s Voice

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives will be moving legislation and taking action to restore the people’s voice during times of emergency and will take action to speak on their behalf during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

By advancing House Bill 38, a constitutional amendment that will go before the voters to limit the governor’s emergency declaration authority, the House will take concrete action to rein in unchecked executive authority and restore the people’s voice to how decisions get made. Should this proposal pass both chambers in the coming two session weeks, it will be timely for consideration by the voters in the upcoming spring primary.

In speaking on behalf of Pennsylvanians now, two important committee hearings will highlight the dangers of that executive overreach.

On Wednesday, the House Commerce Committee is currently scheduled to hold a public hearing on the current struggles of the restaurant industry which has been unfairly targeted by executive economic shutdowns.

In addition, the House Labor and Industry Committee is currently scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday to hear an update on the Unemployment Compensation system, which has failed to adequately respond to Pennsylvanians in dire need of assistance, as a result of unilateral and overbroad executive action that closed down Pennsylvania businesses.

Allowing Some Justice for Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse

On the legislative calendar this week is House Bill 14, which creates a two-year window in which civil lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse may be filed in court notwithstanding any otherwise applicable statute of limitations defense. Should this proposal pass both chambers in the coming two session weeks, it will be timely for consideration by the voters in the upcoming spring primary.

The Weekly Schedule

Bill numbers will be used to identify the legislation being considered either in committee or on the House floor. The bills, sponsors and summaries are posted below.

Monday, Jan. 25, 2021

Committee Meetings/Hearings

COMMERCE, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Reorganizational meeting and any other business that may come before the committee.
LIQUOR CONTROL, 11 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- Reorganization meeting and adoption of rules, and any other business that may come before the committee.
APPROPRIATIONS, Call of the Chair, Room 140, Main Capitol
- Agenda to be announced.
HEALTH, Call of the Chair, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Voting meeting to reorganize and adopt committee rules, and any other business that may come before the committee.
HUMAN SERVICES, Call of the Chair, Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- Voting meeting on reorganization and adoption of committee rules, and any other business that may come before the committee.

Session

On Monday, the House will meet at 12 p.m. for legislative business.

Votes on Second Consideration

NONE

Votes on Third Consideration

NONE

Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021

Committee Meetings/Hearings

AGING & OLDER ADULT SERVICES, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Voting meeting on committee rules and any other business that may come before the committee.
VETERANS AFFAIRS & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, 9:15 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
- Voting meeting on reorganization and adoption of committee rules.
PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, 9:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol
- Voting meeting on committee rules.
JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- HB 103 (Rep. Lou Schmitt, R-Blair): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide that if a person intentionally or knowingly causes the officer to come into contact with saliva or other bodily fluid by throwing, tossing or spitting the bodily fluid, the person would commit a criminal offense.
- HB 146 (Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Lawrence): Amends Title 61 (Probation and Parole) to provide for Markie’s Law, which precludes the parole board from prematurely releasing an inmate at the expiration of his minimum sentence if the inmate was convicted of a violent offense while incarcerated.
- HB 156 (Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Potter/Bradford): Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) to amend the Tender Years Hearsay Act to permit the introduction of hearsay statements, made by children 16 years of age or younger, concerning violent or sexual offenses.
- HB 163 (Rep. Craig Staats, R-Bucks): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to further provide for the offense of invasion of privacy by criminalizing “upskirting.”
- HB 184 (Rep. Dawn Keefer, R-York/Cumberland): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in criminal homicide, further providing for the offense of causing or aiding suicide.
- HB 185 (Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana): Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) to provide that any individual who intentionally causes bodily injury to a person with a physical or intellectual disability is guilty of aggravated assault, a felony of the second degree.
GAMING OVERSIGHT, 10:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing
- Voting meeting on reorganization and adopt rules, and any other business that may come before the committee.
URBAN AFFAIRS, 10:30 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol
- Voting meeting on reorganization meeting to adopt rules and any other business that may come before the committee.
APPROPRIATIONS, Call of the Chair, Room 140, Main Capitol
- Agenda to be announced.
GAME & FISHERIES, Call of the Chair, Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- Informational meeting on reorganization.
INSURANCE, Call of the Chair, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Voting meeting to organize, adopt rules and consider HB 70 (Rep. Perry Warren, D-Montgomery): An Act establishing the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force.

Session

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

Votes on Second Consideration

HB 14 (Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Blair): Amends the Pennsylvania Constitution with a two-year window in which civil lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse may be filed in court notwithstanding any otherwise applicable statute of limitations defense.
HB 55 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York): Amends the Pennsylvania Constitution to (1) Add race and ethnicity under the Declaration of Rights Section of the Pennsylvania Constitution; and (2) Change the Emergency Declaration provision to ensure emergency declarations only last 21 days and need legislative approval to continue thereafter.
HB 104 (Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny): Amends Title 71 (State Government) providing for the assessment and reduction of improper payments by Commonwealth agencies.
HB 108 (Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter): Amends Title 71 (State Government) providing for improper payments; and establishing a Do-Not-Pay Initiative.

Votes on Third Consideration

NONE

Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021

Committee Meetings/Hearings

COMMERCE, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- Public hearing on: The current struggles of the restaurant industry.
LABOR & INDUSTRY, 9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Voting meeting on reorganization of committee, adoption of committee rules and any other business that may come before the committee.
LABOR & INDUSTRY, 9:45 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- Public hearing on status of unemployment compensation from the Dept. of Labor & Industry.
CHILDREN & YOUTH, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- Voting meeting on reorganization and adoption of committee rules, and any other business that may come before the committee.
APPROPRIATIONS, Call of the Chair, Room 140, Main Capitol
- Agenda to be announced.
AGRICULTURE & RURAL AFFAIRS, Call of the Chair, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building
- HB 101 (Rep. Barbra Gleim, R-Cumberland): An Act providing for limited civil liability for agritourism activity providers, for notice of limited civil liability and for acknowledgment of limited civil liability.
- HB 110 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-Potter/McKean): Amends the Hardwoods Development Council Act to provide for additional representation by Pennsylvania’s forestry industry on the Hardwood Development Council within the Department of Agriculture.
- HB 179 (Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna): Amends Title 3 (Agriculture) providing for Food Establishment Pandemic Disease Remediation Cost Reimbursement Grant Program.
LABOR & INDUSTRY, Call of the Chair, Room 205, Ryan Office Building
- HB 157 (Rep. Mindy Fee, R-Lancaster): Act repealing the act of July 1, 1978 (P.L.584, No.109), entitled "An act establishing an agency to create the linkage necessary for the planning of an economic development system for Pennsylvania, and making an appropriation."
- HB 178 (Rep. R. Lee James, R-Venango): Amends the Unemployment Compensation Law to lengthen the time for unemployment compensation appeals.

Session

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

Votes on Second Consideration:

HB 11 (Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Luzerne): An Act designating a portion of Pennsylvania Route 92 from Apple Tree Road to Rustic Lane in Exeter Township, Luzerne County, as the Robert F. Kile, Sr., Memorial Highway.
HB 12 (Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Luzerne): An Act designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 46475, carrying State Route 1021 over the Susquehanna River in Wyoming Borough, Luzerne County, as the George J. Dennis, Jr., Memorial Bridge.
HB 16 (Rep. Matt Dowling, R-Fayette): An Act designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 40269, on that portion of US 219 Southbound over State Route 2047, Summit Township, Somerset County, as the SP4 Michael William Twigg Memorial Bridge.

Votes on Third Consideration:

HB 14 (Gregory)
HB 55 (Grove)
HB 104 (Gaydos)
HB 108 (Owlett)

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