Committee to Provide Input on Charter School Regulations, Hold Hearing on Teacher Shortage

Mar. 14, 2022 /

WHAT: The House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Curt Sonney (R-Erie), will hold a voting meeting to consider whether to issue a letter disapproving of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s final form regulation related to charter and cyber charter schools. Afterward, at 10 a.m., it will hold a public hearing on the teacher shortage within the Commonwealth.

House Appropriations Hearings Conclude

Mar. 10, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Today the House Appropriations Committee held its final day of budget hearings. The committee heard from the governor’s Budget Secretary Greg Thall. House Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor (R-York) issued the following statement:

Lawmakers Join Flood in Advocating for PIAA Sanctioning of Girls Wrestling Programs

Mar. 10, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – In her continuing effort to advocate for girls wrestling programs in Pennsylvania’s schools, Rep. Ann Flood (R-Northampton) this week sent a letter to Robert Lombardi, executive director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), in support of the PIAA’s official sanctioning of the sport.

Schemel Introduces Bill on Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment

Mar. 10, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) this week introduced legislation designed to help patients and providers wishing to utilize a Pennsylvania Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form to direct their preferred medical treatment.

Free Market is Raising Wages, Not the Government

Mar. 09, 2022 /

It’s highly likely everyone has seen an ad or a massive billboard touting impressive starting salaries. One billboard I recently saw while driving on Route 30 was for work at a local York County manufacturing plant with pay of $35 an hour. It wasn’t the stroke of the governor’s pen that drove up these wages. Rather, it was the free market.

Key Takeaways from House Appropriations Hearings

Mar. 08, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Today the House Appropriations Committee held its ninth day of budget hearings. The committee heard from Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln University and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

Owlett Aims to Ensure Fairness in Disaster Assistance Eligibility

Mar. 07, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) is calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update its per capita impact indicator and thresholds to ensure all citizens and communities impacted by natural disasters are treated fairly.

Ecker Quizzes State Education Officials on Student Performance Metrics

Mar. 07, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – A recent Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) report found there is a lack of correlation between education spending and student proficiency. During the House Appropriations Committee’s budget hearing this morning, Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) asked Department of Education officials about the findings in the report.

In Order to Aid Ukrainian Relief, PA House Republicans Request PPE Stockpile Inventory and Deployment

Mar. 04, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin), and House Human Services Committee Chairman Frank Farry (R-Bucks) sent a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of General Services Secretary Curt Topper Friday requesting an inventory of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) stockpile accumulated by the Commonwealth during COVID-19 and its potential deployment to Ukraine to help with medical needs during the humanitarian crisis resulting from Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war against the country.

Key Takeaways from House Appropriations Hearings

Mar. 03, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Today the House Appropriations Committee held its seventh day of budget hearings. The committee heard from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP):

Boback and Committee Review Military-Related Programs

Mar. 03, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, on Wednesday led an informational meeting to review three programs over which the committee has oversight.

Key Takeaways from House Appropriations Hearings

Mar. 02, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Today the House Appropriations Committee held its sixth day of budget hearings. The committee heard from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) and the Department of Labor & Industry (L&I):

Boback Leads Hearing on Pennsylvania’s EMS Crisis

Mar. 02, 2022 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, on Tuesday convened a public hearing to examine Pennsylvania’s emergency medical services (EMS) crisis.