Oct. 25, 2019 /
MIFFLINTOWN -- Business issues facing rural Pennsylvania were the focus of a roundtable discussion of the House Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest) Thursday morning in Juniata County.
Oct. 25, 2019 /
![Committee Passes Lawrence Bills to Aid Struggling Dairy Farmers]()
HARRISBURG – This week, the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee advanced two bills, sponsored by Rep. John Lawrence (R-Chester/Lancaster), to help Pennsylvania’s struggling dairy industry.
Oct. 25, 2019 /
![Dush Sponsors Resolution to Make PA Next State to Recognize Victims of Communism Memorial Day]()
WHAT: PA State Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson/Indiana) will join with state lawmakers and representatives from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to urge final passage of his resolution to declare Nov. 7, 2019, as Victims of Communism Memorial Day in Pennsylvania.
Oct. 25, 2019 /
![House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee to Examine PA’s CO2 and Climate]()
WHAT: PA House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) will convene a public hearing focusing on Pennsylvania’s CO2 and climate.
Oct. 24, 2019 /
HARRISBURG – With the number of volunteer emergency responders in Pennsylvania plummeting in recent decades, state Rep. Mark Gillen (R-Berks/Lancaster) helped launch an effort to reverse the trend and voted for several bills to help retain existing volunteer first responders and recruit new ones.
Oct. 24, 2019 /
![Rothman Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Exclude Families of Fallen First Responders from Realty Transfer Tax]()
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday approved legislation to support families of first responders by eliminating realty transfer tax burdens for up to five years, said Rep. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland), who co-sponsored the measure.
Oct. 24, 2019 /
![Committee Approves Keefer Bill to Help Policymakers Better Manage State Pensions]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation introduced by Rep. Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg) to give members of the General Assembly information critical to ensuring sound fiscal management of Pennsylvania’s employee pension funds was approved by the House State Government Committee on Tuesday.
Oct. 24, 2019 /
![Rapp Resolution Recognizes 150th Birthday of Titusville-Raised College Football Pioneer John Heisman]()
HARRISBURG – On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House unanimously approved House Resolution 478 which honors renowned college football coach John William Heisman on his 150th birthday. The resolution was sponsored by Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest).
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Brooks’ ‘Heroes and Helpers’ Legislation Passes House]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Bob Brooks’ (R-Westmoreland/Allegheny) legislation to help recruit more first responders across Pennsylvania by authorizing counties to offer a tax credit against the property tax liability of active volunteers of a fire or emergency medical services (EMS) company passed the House of Representatives unanimously today.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
HARRISBURG – Rep. Thomas Murt (R-Montgomery) today joined colleagues at the state Capitol to support legislation which requires professional licensing of applied behavior analysis (ABA) professionals.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Senate Approves Bernstine Legislation to Repeal State’s Asset Tax Law]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Aaron Bernstine’s (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) legislation to repeal a provision in state law that could be used as a gateway to implement a state wealth tax on personal property passed the Senate unanimously today.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![House Votes to Increase First Responder Loan Limits]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-Northumberland/Snyder) today announced that the House of Representatives has voted to advance her bill, House Bill 1816, which would increase the maximum loan limits available to volunteer fire companies and emergency medical services through the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program (VLAP).
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![House Votes to Provide Tuition Assistance to Volunteer First Responders]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. James Struzzi (R-Indiana) today announced that the House of Representatives has unanimously voted to advance his bill, House Bill 1773, which would establish the Tuition Assistance for Active Volunteers Program. This program would provide tuition assistance to active members of a volunteer fire company or emergency medical services agency who attend an approved institution of higher learning.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Diamond Introduces Amendment to Keep Focus on Voting Reform]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) released the following statement today announcing his intent to introduce an amendment to a voting reform bill that would strip it of language regarding access to campaign expense records.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Committee Approves Schmitt Bill to Better Track State Pensions]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation introduced by Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Blair) that would require the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) to produce an additional report each year to provide policymakers with more information for budget planning was approved by the House State Government Committee on Tuesday.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Mehaffie Joins Voices in Support of Recognizing Applied Behavior Analysis Professionals in Law]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and behavior analysts filled the Capitol Rotunda today to urge support of his bill to license these professionals.
Oct. 23, 2019 /
![Committee Advances Bill to Protect Health Care Workers]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam) announced that the House Judiciary Committee has passed his bill, House Bill 1879. This bill would amend Title 18 to add “health care practitioners” to the list of protected classes in the event of assault. Under the bill, the penalty for an assault on a health care practitioner, while in the performance of duty, would be increased from a misdemeanor to a felony of the second degree.
Oct. 22, 2019 /
![Gabler ‘Heroes and Helpers’ Legislation Addresses Property Tax Relief for Volunteer First Responders]()
HARRISBURG – The number of volunteer first responders in Pennsylvania has declined from approximately 300,000 in the 1970s to less than 37,000 today. For state Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Elk/Clearfield), it’s a matter of recruit, retain and respect.
Oct. 22, 2019 /
![House Approves Legislation to Exclude Families of Fallen First Responders from Realty Transfer Tax, Farry says]()
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday approved legislation to support families of first responders by eliminating realty transfer tax burdens for up to five years, said Rep. Frank Farry (R-Bucks), who co-authored the measure.
Oct. 22, 2019 /
![House Approves Bill to Improve PennWATCH Site, Says Toepel]()
HARRISBURG - A bill sponsored by Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) that would include information on the state’s PennWATCH website about each settlement paid as a result of an action taken by an employee of a Commonwealth agency was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives today.