The Senate and House have at most 7 voting days left on their schedule before the June 30 deadline for enacting a state budget, the Senate did add two new voting days before the Sunday deadline in-fact.

The main General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 1437 (Adolph-R-Delaware)-- is scheduled to be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee Monday, but whether it will be amended with whatever the final version of the budget negotiated between the Governor, Senate and House Republicans is is unknown at this time.  But the bill is in position to move quickly with only a single vote by the full Senate and House standing in the way of enactment.

The other priorities Gov. Corbett wants enacted with the budget are moving, but slowly--

Liquor Privatization: Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks), Majority Chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, Tuesday announced a liquor privatization plan that House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) has already said does not go far enough.  Sen. McIlhinney has scheduled a Committee meeting on Monday to consider both Rep. Turzai’s bill-- House Bill 790-- and Senate Bill 100 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks) Sen. McIlhinney’s proposal, both no doubt with amendments.

Transportation Funding: On Monday the House Transportation Committee is set to consider Senate Bill 1 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) providing for additional highway, bridge and transit funding.  House Republicans said this week they plan to heavily amend the bill with their own version of a funding plan.

Pension Reform: An amended version of the Governor’s pension reform plan was included in Senate Bill 922 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) establishing an expiration date to the defined benefit pension system for school and state employees that came out of the Senate Finance Committee this week.  The bill is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee awaiting action.  However, some House members involved in the issue, like Rep. Glen Grell (R-Cumberland), have said the bill does not solve the problem.

Lots of exciting action ahead this week!

NewsClips:

Corbett Hits Budget Homestretch With Lots At Stake

State Revenue Picture Grows Brighter

PennDOT Shows How New Funding Would Be Used

PennDOT Website Lists Potential Transportation Improvements

House GOP Adds New Wrinkle To Transportation Funding

$100 Ticket Surcharge Not Part Of House GOP Transportation Plan

PennDOT Keeping PA Project Costs Out Of Sight

Turnpike Will Suffer If It Keeps Paying PennDOT

Turnpike Subsidies May End Under Transportation Bill

House Debates Transit Funding, Called Welfare

Transportation Plan Lets Uninsured Motorists Pay Their Way

6/24/2013