Mar. 15, 2016 /
![Senate Committee Approves Fee’s Declaration of Independence for State Inspector General]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation to ensure the independence of the inspector general role moved closer to final passage by earning approval in the Pennsylvania Senate’s State Government Committee, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mindy Fee (R-Manheim).
Mar. 15, 2016 /
![Hearing Underscores Need to Fund PA Agriculture Initiatives, Causer Says]()
HARRISBURG – Programs supporting the state’s agriculture industry are nearing a crisis without the tens of millions of dollars in state funding vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf in December. That was the message from nearly a dozen testifiers at a joint hearing of the House and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs committees, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), chair of the House committee.
Mar. 15, 2016 /
![Taylor, Keller Introduce Legislation to Reduce Philadelphia Wage and Income Taxes]()
HARRISBURG—Reps. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) and William Keller (D-Philadelphia) have introduced legislation to allow Philadelphia to alter the way it taxes real estate to reduce the city’s wage and business privilege taxes.
Mar. 15, 2016 /
![Simmons’ Student Health and Safety Bill Advances in Senate]()
HARRISBURG – The Senate Education Committee today unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Justin Simmons (R-Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton) that would help to ensure the health and safety of Pennsylvania school students who suffer from severe allergic reactions. House Bill 423 will next be considered by the full Senate.
Mar. 15, 2016 /
![Juvenile Justice Alternatives to be Focus of House Children and Youth Committee Meeting]()
WHAT: The House Children and Youth Committee, led by Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th), will hold an informational meeting focusing on the implementation of evidenced-based home and community programs and practices that would serve as an alternate to detention for the rehabilitation of certain youth placed in the juvenile justice system.
Mar. 15, 2016 /
![House Approves Harris Legislation to Modernize PA Business Laws]()
HARRISBURG – To make the Commonwealth more hospitable for new and current businesses, Rep. Adam Harris (R-Franklin/Juniata/Mifflin) drafted legislation to revise and harmonize Pennsylvania’s existing partnership laws with the Uniform Laws, which are substantially clearer and easier to use. The House passed the bill unanimously today.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![Regan Legislation to Prevent Convicted Drug Dealers from Receiving Welfare Benefits Passed by House]()
HARRISBURG – The House passed legislation authored by Rep. Mike Regan (R-York/Cumberland) that would, if enacted, prevent those persons convicted of drug distribution crimes from receiving Pennsylvania welfare benefits. The bipartisan vote of 170-20 follows approval by the House Health Committee last May.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![Benninghoff Praises THON Participants on House Floor]()
HARRISBURG –The House of Representatives today unanimously passed Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin)’s House resolution congratulating Pennsylvania State University students for raising more than $9.7 million this year to help fight pediatric cancer.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![House Committee to Examine Bill to Protect Landowner Royalties in Shale Regions]()
WHAT: Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny/Washington), chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, will hold an informational meeting on House Bill 1391, which would ensure that royalties paid to landowners who lease to natural gas drillers are protected from unjustified post-production cost deductions.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![Greiner, Rafferty and MADD to Discuss Ignition Interlock Legislation]()
WHAT: State Rep. Keith Greiner (R-Lancaster), State Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery/Chester) and representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving will host a press conference to urge passage of ignition interlock legislation.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![Gaming Committee to Examine Legislation to Help Struggling Taverns]()
WHAT: The House Gaming Oversight Committee will hold a public hearing on legislation that would fix the Small Games of Chance Act, making tavern gaming more accessible and profitable for Pennsylvania’s small business owners.
Mar. 14, 2016 /
![House, Senate Ag Committees to Hold Hearing on Agriculture Funding Cuts]()
WHAT: The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence), will hold a joint public hearing to discuss the impact of agriculture funding cuts on Pennsylvania farmers and programs that support them.
Mar. 11, 2016 /
![Local Lawmakers Call on Gov. Wolf to Release Education Funds and Drop Demands for Broad Based Tax Hikes]()
HEIDELBERG (Allegheny County) – A group of local Republican state House members today called for Gov. Tom Wolf to drop his demands for massive tax increases and release $3 billion in state education funding.
Mar. 11, 2016 /
![Parker Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Unfair School Funding]()
HARRISBURG –Rep. David Parker (R-Monroe) today testified before the House Appropriations Committee on the last day of the 2016-17 budget hearings. Parker detailed how the state’s unfair school funding formula is hurting students and punishing taxpayers in Monroe County. Parker’s spoken and submitted remarks before the committee are as follows:
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Northern Pennsylvania Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers: Wolf Wants More of Taxpayers’ Hard-Earned Money]()
DUBOIS – Northern Pennsylvania legislators of the House Republican Caucus are rejecting Gov. Tom Wolf’s demand for massive tax increases, including an increase to the Personal Income Tax as part of his annual budget proposal. That 11 percent tax increase (retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016), along with several others, would amount to an annual tax hike of $2.7 billion.
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Metcalfe Relaunches Effort to Protect All PA Workers with E-Verify]()
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House State Government Committee Majority Chairman, Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), has reintroduced his legislation to require all Commonwealth employers and government entities to enroll in the federal government’s free E-Verify program to confirm the validity of Social Security numbers for prospective employees.
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Barrar Hearing Focuses on Programs, Issues Impacting Military and Emergency Services Communities]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Stephen E. Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware), majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, hosted a bipartisan and bicameral informational hearing on Wednesday to learn more about the programs and issues impacting the military/veteran and emergency services communities.
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Everett Joins Call for Restoration of Agriculture Funding]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) joined House colleagues, members of the Penn State Ag Council and representatives of 4-H and agribusinesses in calling for a full restoration of funding to Commonwealth agriculture programs cut by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Ortitay Bill Would Streamline Problem Gambling Assistance]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) recently introduced legislation to streamline the Commonwealth’s problem gambling assistance programs. Specifically, House Bill 1887 would require the Department of Health establish and maintain one toll-free problem gambling assistance number, which all in-state casinos must make available to patrons.
Mar. 10, 2016 /
![Diamond to Recognize First Responders for Interstate 78 Heroism]()
WHAT: An appreciation luncheon to honor the first responders who courageously came to the aid of victims of the Feb. 13 multivehicle crash on Interstate 78 in Lebanon County.