Jun. 14, 2021
HARRISBURG – The state House today in Harrisburg voted unanimously to approve with bipartisan support legislation introduced by state Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford/Erie) that could help school districts across Pennsylvania save taxpayer money.
Roae’s
House Bill 993 would waive a specific fee currently paid by school districts to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The fee currently is waived for state agencies and state-related universities, and Roae believes school districts and their taxpayers deserve the same treatment.
“My bill would protect the wallets of school district taxpayers by waiving this fee,” Roae said. “The cost of this fee is passed on to Pennsylvanians through higher school district tax rates.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Services (BOIS) charges school districts a fee for specific services.
“It’s irritating and pointless to watch the same dollar travel back and forth between the state and school districts,” Roae said. “The state sends taxpayer money to the school district and the school district turns around and sends some of the money back to the state to pay for fees like this one. Passing that same dollar back and forth does nothing to help our children learn.”
BOIS enforces several public safety statutes, which require licensing, registration or inspection of industrial equipment, safety certification requirements, and regulation of certain industrial substances and materials.
BOIS approves and inspects boilers and elevators; approves and registers industrial propane and liquid natural gas storage and dispensing equipment; licenses manufacturers of bedding and upholstery and stuffed toys; issues certification credentials to workers involved in the removal and disposal of asbestos and lead paint; and enforces the building code in municipalities that have opted-out by choosing not to enforce the code or contracted with a third-party inspector to enforce it.
“Anyone with a cable, satellite television or phone bill is familiar with how fees can quickly drive up the cost of something,” Roae said. “Paying a fee for every boiler and elevator can create a significant financial burden for our schools. Every dollar we waste on a boiler fee or elevator fee is another dollar we can’t use to compensate teachers, purchase educational supplies or otherwise support our students.”
Roae’s House Bill 993 now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
More information about Roae is available by visiting his website at
RepRoae.com and following him on Facebook at
Facebook.com/RepRoae.
Representative Brad Roae
6th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Dan Massing
717.772.9845
dmassing@pahousegop.com
RepRoae.com /
Facebook.com/RepRoae