The next scheduled voting session day is March 9 for the Senate and House, but between now and then both chambers will hold hearings on Gov. Rendell's proposed budget. NOTE: Many budget hearings will be carried on the PA Cable Network on cable and online. The Senate Appropriations Committee starts its budget hearings next week. The Senate will webcast their hearings live on the regular Senate webpage.

Session Schedule

Here's the House and Senate session schedule through June 2009--

House

March 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31

April 1, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29

May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 20

Senate

Budget Hearings: Feb. 23, 24, 25, 26 – March 2, 3, 4, 5

March, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31

April 1, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29

May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13

June 1, 2 , 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.

Calendars

House (March 9): House Bill 92 (Staback-D-Schuylkill) authorizing up to a $1 fee on purchasers of hunting licenses and stamps through the automated licensing system.

Senate (March 9): Senate Resolution 20 (Pippy-R-Allegheny) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to determine the impact of state tax credit programs.

Committees

The following Committees have meetings this week--

House: the Appropriations Committee holds budget hearings on the departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Environmental Protection and Health, PA Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security, the Public Utility Commission and the Office of Consumer Advocate; theConsumer Affairs Committee holds an informational meeting on the natural gas industry;

Senate: the Appropriations Committee holds budget hearings on the departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and the Governor's Office.

NOTE: Many budget hearings will be carried on the PA Cable Network on cable and online. The Senate will webcast their budget hearings live on the regular Senate webpage.

Bills Introduced

These bills of interest were introduced this week--

House

Electronics Recycling: House Bill 409 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) establishing a program to require the recycling of consumer electronic equipment.

Appalachian Trail Plates: House Bill 414 (Carroll-D-Monroe) providing for an Appalachian Trail vehicle license plate.

Right To Harvest Game: House Bill 419 (Baker-R-Tioga) proposing an amendment to the Constitution providing for the right to hunt, fish and harvest game.

Hunting On DCNR Lands: House Bill 420 (Baker-R-Tioiga) providing for recreational hunting on lands managed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles: House Bill 424 (Fleck-R-Blair) providing for the regulation of neighborhood electric vehicles.

Development Impact Fees: House Bill 429 (Petri-R-Bucks) amending the Municipalities Planning Code to authorize transportation and development impact fees.

Reducing Alternative Fuel Tax: House Bill 430 (Petri-R-Bucks) reducing state taxes on alternative vehicle fuels by six cents.

Green Buildings: House Bill 444 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) requiring buildings that receive state funding to comply with specified energy and environmental building standards and House Bill 445 (M.Smith) providing for green building tax credits.

Green Roof: House Bill 447 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) establishing a tax credit of up to $100,000 for installation of green roofs.

Energy Star Tax Credits: House Bill 448 (M.Smith-D-Allegheny) providing a tax credit for manufacturers of Energy Star related glass or window technologies and House Bill 449 (M.Smith) providing a tax credit for manufacturers of Energy Star Products.

Oil & Gas Drilling: House Bill 471 (Hanna-D-Centre) amending the Oil and Gas Act to change the procedure for securing compensation for damage to surface property.

Elk Damage: House Bill 480 (Hanna-D-Centre) further providing for eligibility for construction of elk-deterrent fences.

Timber Thefts: House Bill 481(Hanna-D-Centre) further providing for penalties for timber theft.

Live Where You Work: House Bill 489 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) establishing the Live Near Your Work Program.

Adopt-A-River: House Bill 495 (Sturla-D-Lancaster) establishing the Adopt-A-River Program in the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Landslide Insurance: House Bill 523 (DeLuca-D-Allegheny) establishing a Landslide Insurance and Assistance Program.

Coal Bed Methane: House Bill 539 (Reed-R-Indiana) establishing the Coal Bed Methane Well Dispute Resolution Act.

Wood Power: House Bill 544 (Benninghoff-R-Mifflin) provide a sales tax exemption for devices that burn firewood to generate electricity, including wood stoves and wood burning furnaces.

Senate

Threatened/Endangered Species: Senate Bill 91 (D.White-R-Indiana) requires the Fish and Boat Commission to make designations of threatened and endangered species by regulation, rather than the current practice of publishing a list in the PA Bulletin by the Executive Director. Senate Bill 90 would make regulations of the Fish and Boat Commission subject to review by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

Sewer Laterals: Senate Bill 205 (Pippy-R-Allegheny) authorizing funding for sewage laterals.

Flood Control: Senate Bill 235 (Wozniak-D-Cambria) amending the Flood Control Law to require DEP to conduct certain surveys and providing eminent domain authority to purchase flood prone properties.

Alternative Fuels: Senate Bill 247(Gordner-R-Columbia) establishing an Alternative Fuel Deployment tax credit for qualified alternative fuel distributors and Senate Bill 248 (Gordner) imposing a tax on biodiesel and ethanol fuels.

Landslide Insurance:Senate Bill 263(J.Costa-D-Allegheny) establishing the Landslide Insurance and Assistance Program.

Coal Bed Methane: Senate Bill 275 (D.White-R-Indiana) establishing the Coal Bed Methane Well dispute Resolution Act.

Waste Facility Siting: Senate Bill 309 (Browne-R-Lehigh) prohibiting waste facilities within 1,000 yards of a school building.

2/20/2009