Jan. 21, 2016 /
![Knowles Applauds Senate Committee for Considering Legislative Reduction Bills]()
HARRISBURG – On Wednesday, the Senate State Government Committee voted in favor of two bills aimed at reducing the size of the Pennsylvania state legislature. One of those measures, House Bill 153, is being sponsored by Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill). Knowles applauded the committee’s action on this issue, and is hopeful the bills will be brought up for a vote before the full Senate early this year.
Jan. 20, 2016 /
![Bloom Bill to Reverse Wolf’s Move to Block Pension Reform]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland) today introduced legislation to reverse a partial veto by Gov. Tom Wolf, which effectively prevents new pension reform legislation from being considered by the General Assembly.
Jan. 19, 2016 /
![Taylor Eminent Domain Bill Signed by Governor]()
HARRISBURG—Legislation sponsored by Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) to provide homeowners additional dollars for relocation assistance and bring Pennsylvania’s Eminent Domain laws in line with federal law has been signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Jan. 15, 2016 /
![Saccone Proposes to Balance Next Budget with Spending Cuts]()
HARRISBURG – After a long year of fiscal wrangling in which Gov. Tom Wolf claimed massive income and sales tax hikes were necessary to balance the 2015-16 state budget, Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny/Washington) is working on a proposal that would prove the governor wrong.
Jan. 14, 2016 /
![Cutting Avian Flu Money May Cost Us, Cutler Says]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom) today shared his concern about the governor’s complete elimination of $2.8 million for avian flu and other animal disease outbreaks in the proposed state budget. The money would have protected the Commonwealth’s $13 billion poultry industry in the event of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Jan. 13, 2016 /
![York County House Republicans Support Passage of Fiscal Code]()
HARRISBURG – Members of the York County House Republican Delegation supported the passage of House Bill 1327, also known as the Fiscal Code, which directs state spending in FY 2015-16 budget. This legislation now heads to the Senate for concurrence on House amendments.
Jan. 13, 2016 /
![White Calls for Subcommittee to Consider Kane Impeachment]()
HARRISBURG-- Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) today urged the House to form a bipartisan subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee to investigate the conduct of Attorney General Kathleen Kane and whether it rises to the level of impeachment.
Jan. 13, 2016 /
![Sonney, House Republicans Advance Another Piece of Budget Puzzle]()
HARRISBURG – On a predominately party-line vote, the state House has passed House Bill 1327, legislation which serves as the “operating manual” for the state budget. The bill may now be taken up by the state Senate.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![Higher Education Cuts and Blocked Funding Cause for Distress, Says Quigley]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tom Quigley (R-Montgomery) expressed concern on behalf of students who are pursuing higher education after funding that would have been dedicated to their education was blocked in the House and additional money was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![House Considered Budget Legislation, Says Topper]()
HARRISBURG – This week, the House of Representatives convened in session to consider final pieces of legislation that would make up a full-year fiscally responsible budget. On Monday, the House considered legislation to provide much-needed funding to Penn State University (including the Pennsylvania College of Technology), the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. The legislation allocating the revenue did not achieve the necessary two-thirds majority of votes.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![Killion Votes for State Funding for Penn State, Temple, Lincoln and Pitt]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Thomas Killion (R-Delaware) joined the majority of his House colleagues Monday in voting to approve funding for Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities – Penn State, Temple and Lincoln universities and the University of Pittsburgh – but the measures fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![Oberlander Alerts CDL Holders, Permit Seekers of New Changes]()
HARRISBURG – To comply with federal regulations, a new state law is now in effect that may affect individuals who hold commercial driver licenses (CDL) or those who will be seeking them, said Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest). Many of the new changes went into effect Dec. 21.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![Vereb Won’t Seek Another Term in State House]()
HARRISBURG — State Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) today announced he will not seek another two-year term serving the residents of Pennsylvania’s 150th Legislative District.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![House Democrats Block Funding for College Students, Say York County House Republicans]()
HARRISBURG – Efforts to send much-needed funding to Penn State University (including the Pennsylvania College of Technology), the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School failed today when the legislation allocating the revenue did not achieve the necessary two-thirds majority of votes.
Jan. 12, 2016 /
![House Falls Short of Needed Support to Fund State-Related Universities]()
HARRISBURG – Today the House voted on the five non-preferred appropriation bills that would fund Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Temple, Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. These pieces of legislation represented a 5 percent increase for each of the schools, with the exception of Lincoln University which would have seen a 7 percent increase.
Jan. 11, 2016 /
![Gingrich Announces Plans to Retire From House]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R-Lebanon) announced today that she will retire from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where she has served the citizens of the 101st Legislative District since 2003. Gingrich will finish her seventh and final two-year term in public office in November.
Jan. 11, 2016 /
![Harper Bill Aims to Crack Down on Turnpike Toll Violators]()
HARRISBURG – With the Pennsylvania Turnpike losing millions of dollars annually in unpaid tolls, Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) has introduced legislation to allow the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to suspend the registration of a vehicle owner who habitually skips out on paying tolls.
Jan. 11, 2016 /
![Benninghoff Votes to Increase Funding for Penn State]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) today voted to approve a 5 percent increase in the state’s appropriations for the Pennsylvania State University over last year’s funding levels to keep tuition affordable for students, without any new or increased taxes on Pennsylvania residents. The vote, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass, failed in the House with little Democratic support.
Jan. 08, 2016 /
![Grove, Dush and Christiana Question Wolf Administration Fiscal Management, Transparency - $2 billion line of credit raises concerns of adequate management]()
HARRISBURG – On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Treasury announced that a $2 billion line of credit has been extended to the Commonwealth due to the General Fund’s “historic low [balance] for this time of year,” according to a Jan. 6 press release issued by the Treasury.
Jan. 07, 2016 /
![Tallman Legislation Would Block Obama Executive Order on Firearms]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Will Tallman (R-Adams/Cumberland) has proposed legislation that would protect Pennsylvanians’ Second Amendment rights and make it illegal for the federal government to impose further regulations on firearms through executive order.