The following bills of interest saw action this week in the House and Senate--

House

General Fund Budget: House Bill 1192 (Adolph-R-Delaware) House Republican General Fund budget bill was referred back to the House Appropriations Committee.

House Republicans took procedural steps this week to put Gov. Wolf’s budget plan up for a House vote as the Governor wanted.  Unfortunately, the votes went the wrong way for Wolf.  Democrats and the Governor immediately cried foul!  Political stunt!

Here’s what happened.

Gov. Wolf's tax package was offered by Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) Monday as an amendment to House Bill 283 (F.Keller-R-Snyder) and when down unanimously-- 193-0.

In a second step, an amendment by House Minority Appropriations Committee Chair Joe Markosek (D-Allegheny) was offered to the General Fund budget bill-- House Bill 1192 (Adolph-R-Delaware)-- with Gov. Wolf’s spending plan.  By a vote of 119 to 74 the amendment was declared non-germane because it did not meet the requirement in House rules to be revenue neutral.

Republicans in the House called these the votes the Governor wanted and his budget went down.

House Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) immediately objected saying the budget included in House Bill 1192 was not paid for either.  A spirited Floor debate ensued.

Leachate Transport: House Bill 398 (Killion-R-Delaware) authorizing the transport of landfill leachate by truck (sponsor summary) was removed from the Table, amended on the House Floor  and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Flood Insurance Report: Senate Bill 494 (Ward-R-Westmoreland) eliminating the requirement for an annual flood insurance report was removed from the Table and is now on the House Calendar for action.  A summary and Senate Fiscal Note are available.

Senate

Nominations: The Senate confirmed the nominations of Cindy Dunn as Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources.      The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out of nomination of John Quigley as Secretary of Environmental Protection without a recommendation.

Sustainable Forestry: Senate Resolution 144 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) designating June 5 as PA Sustainable Forestry Initiative Day (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.

Waterfront Development Tax Credit: Senate Bill 282 (Vulakovich-R-Allegheny) establishing the waterfront development tax credit was amended and reported from the Senate Finance Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Conservation Easements: Senate Bill 556 (McIlhinney-R-Bucks) that would exempt from the realty transfer tax grants of conservation easements to municipalities (sponsor summary) was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

6/8/2015