Two Lawrence Bills on Governor’s Desk for Approval
HARRISBURG – Two bills authored by Rep. John Lawrence (R-Chester/Lancaster) advanced to the governor’s desk last week after passing the state Senate. Both pieces of legislation saw broad, bipartisan support in both chambers.
House Bill 983 would change Pennsylvania’s law regarding alimony paid during a divorce. Current law allows for a victim of domestic violence to pay alimony to an abusive spouse, even if the abuser has pleaded guilty to the crime. Lawrence’s bill would change the law to ensure a victim of domestic violence does not have to pay their convicted abuser. This bill passed the House unanimously and the Senate 46-3.
“House Bill 983 is critical legislation that will protect victims of domestic violence from being re-victimized in the courts by being ordered to pay their abuser,” said Lawrence. “Unfortunately, this situation occurs on a regular basis in courtrooms across the state. This bill will put an end to this cruel practice.”
House Bill 83 would reform how the Pennsylvania issues state debt to pay down principal faster. The approach also saves taxpayer dollars by significantly reducing the amount spent on interest. An analysis by House Appropriations Committee staff estimates that this reform would save taxpayers $1 billion over 20 years. The measure passed the House 188-2 and the Senate unanimously.
“I applaud the Senate for passing House Bill 83, which provides commonsense reform that saves taxpayers significantly over the life of state-issued bonds,” said Lawrence. “Pennsylvania faces real financial challenges, and this is one step we can take to put the state on a firmer fiscal footing.”
House Bill 83 and House Bill 983 now await the governor’s signature.
Representative John Lawrence
13th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260-6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepLawrence.com