Here are the Senate and House Calendars and Committee meetings showing bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Bill Calendars

House (March 2):  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (March 2): Senate Bill 201 (Schwank-D-Berks) allowing the the location of agriculture- related business on preserved farmland (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 289 (Fontana-D- Allegheny) funding for sewage lateral line improvements and repair (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 307 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) providing for an independent counsel for the Environmental Quality Board (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 375 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) establishing a Health Advisory Panel on Shale Gas Extraction (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 385 (Pileggi-R- Delaware) will modernize the Pennsylvania Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) Act (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the State Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 296 (Evankovich-R- Allegheny) beneficial use of steel and blast furnace slag (sponsor summary); the Game and Fisheries Committee information meeting to receive the Fish and Boat Commission’s annual report; the House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on carbon neutrality.  <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Local Government and  Environmental Resources and Energy Committees hold a joint hearing on the opportunities created by the Act 13 drilling impact fee for counties, municipalities, conservation districts and local economic development agencies <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Other: Governor’s Budget Address Tuesday; Joint Legislative Air And Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee presentation by Brian Wagner, PA Council of Trout Unlimited.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Here are links to key Standing Committees in the House and Senate and the bills pending in each--

House

Appropriations

Education

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Affairs

Gaming Oversight

Human Services

Judiciary

Liquor Control

Transportation

Links for all other Standing House Committees

Senate

Appropriations

Environmental Resources and Energy

Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Community, Economic and Recreational Development

Education

Judiciary

Law and Justice

Public Health and Welfare

Transportation

Links for all other Standing Senate Committees

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced this week--

Adopt-A-River: House Bill 519 (Sturla-D-Lancaster) establishing the Adopt-A-River Program within DCNR (sponsor summary).

Severance Tax: House Bill 526 (Conklin-D-Centre) would impose a 5 cents per volume severance tax dedicated solely to facilitate the growth of natural gas transportation systems (sponsor summary) and House Bill 528  (Conklin-D-Centre) would impose a 10 cents per volume severance tax and dedicate up to $300 million in revenue to the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program and any remaining revenue would be dedicated to the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (sponsor summary).

Stream Buffers: Senate Bill 560 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) which would authorize municipalities to adopt regulations requiring riparian buffers and the Department of Environmental Protection to enforce a 100 foot stream buffer requirement (sponsor summary).

Session Schedule

Here is the latest voting session schedule for the Senate and House--

Senate

March 2, 3 (Budget Address), 4

April 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22

May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13      

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30    

House

March 2, 3 (Budget Address), 4, 30, 31

April 1, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22

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

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

3/2/2015