Mar. 16, 2021
HARRISBURG - Today, the House approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon) that would give Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) dynamic scoring capability, which would enable it to produce more informative and impactful calculations to help state lawmakers make more informed decisions concerning the Commonwealth’s financial future.
Ryan, a certified public accountant and a leading fiscal watchdog in the House, frequently seeks IFO input on matters having a potential economic impact on the Commonwealth, such as pension and property tax legislation and items involving the state budget, and he often cites IFO data to demonstrate the need for specific bills or actions.
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House Bill 230 would strengthen the analytics used by our IFO to more effectively identify economic options and alternatives,” said Ryan. “We have a number of issues in Pennsylvania that we identify as critical risk factors. Dynamic scoring capability would enable us to weigh the implications of those risk factors and determine the best course of action.”
Dynamic scoring capability in Ryan’s bill would enable the IFO to scrutinize the fiscal impact of any legislation involving state expenditures over $50 million. It would require the IFO to include in its revenue estimates the likely behavioral responses of taxpayers, businesses and others in response to proposed changes, and a statement that outlines those assumptions.
“The use of dynamic scoring will allow us to get a more accurate depiction of how legislation will impact the economy of the Commonwealth,” Ryan said.
House Bill 230 passed by a vote of 128-74. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
To see Ryan’s comments upon passage of the bill, visit here.
Representative Frank Ryan
101st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
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