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

House

Stormwater: House Bill 1103 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) providing for exemptions from stormwater permitting for agricultural high tunnels was removed from the Table, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Heritage Areas: House Bill 1605 (James-R-Venango) which would establish the program in law, was removed from the Table, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Transit Revitalization District: Senate Bill 385 (Pileggi-R-Delaware) further providing for Transit Revitalization Investment Districts was removed from the Table, amended on the House Floor and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  (A House Appropriations Committee meeting has been scheduled for March 21 to consider the bill.)

Potomac River Basin Commission: House Bill 577 (Moul-R-Adams) authorizing designees with proxy voting rights for certain members of Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled.

USTIF Board:  House Bill 1895 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) changing the members of the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board (sponsor summary) was amended to require the Senate and House to appoint 4 members of the 10 member board leaving the Governor to appoint 2 members and reported from the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and Tabled.

Forestry Task Force: Senate Resolution 55 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) concurrent resolution reestablishing the Forestry Task Force under the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee was given final action by the House and now becomes effective.

Senate

Supplemental FY 2015-16 Appropriations: House Bill 1801 (Irvin-R-Centre) containing $6.05 billion in supplemental appropriations for FY 2015-16 developed by Republicans were passed by votes of-- Senate- 31 to 18, House- 128 to 63 and sent to the Governor for his action. . Click Here for a copy of the line-by-line General Fund spreadsheet by House Republicans.  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary are available.

FY 2015-16 Fiscal Code Bill: House Bill 1327 (Peifer-R-Pike) amending the Fiscal Code to implement the FY 2015-16 Republican General Fund budget were passed by votes of--(Senate- 30 to 19, House- 120 to 71) and sent to the Governor for his action.  A House Fiscal Note and summary are available.

The bill amends the Fiscal Code to among other things, kill DEP Chapter 78 conventional drilling regulations and make DEP start over, reduce Growing Greener watershed restoration funding by $15 million this fiscal year and to slow consideration of any state plan to comply with the EPA Clean Power Climate Plan.

The bill would also transfer $12 million from the High Performance Green Buildings Program to the Natural Gas Infrastructure Development Fund administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

USTIF Board: Senate Bill 1142 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) amends the Storage Tank Act to add members to the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund Board was amended to require the Senate and House to appoint 4 members of the 10 member board leaving the Governor to appoint 2 members and reported out of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

1-Pound Waiver: Senate Bill 1123 (Vogel-R-Beaver) extends the one-pound Reid Vapor Pressure waiver for gasoline sold in Pennsylvania that is due to expire on May 1, 2016 was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Farmland Preservation: House Bill 806 (Causer-R-Cameron) providing for county-specific use values for land in forest reserves (sponsor summary) was amended and reported from the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Natural Gas Competition: House Bill 57 (Payne-R-Dauphin) further providing for natural gas competition (sponsor summary) was Tabled per the 10-day rule.

3/21/2016