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

House

EQB Independent Counsel: Senate Bill 307 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) amending the Administrative Code to provide for an independent counsel for the Environmental Quality Board was amended with an unrelated provision related to state agricultural fairs funded by the State Racing Fund was reported from the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House 157 to 37.  The bill returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote where it remains.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.

Senate

Fiscal Code: House Bill 1605 (James-R-Butler) amends the Fiscal Code with provisions to implement the FY 2016-17 General Fund budget, establishes the DCNR Heritage Parks Program and increases in-lieu of tax payments for State Forests lands to local governments was given final approval by the Senate and House.  Click Here for a PA Environment Digest summary of the bill. A House Fiscal Code and summary is available.  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill was signed into law as Act 85. 

Tax Code: House Bill 1198 (Barrar-R-Delaware) amends the Tax Code to provide the largest piece of the revenue package needed to support the FY 2016-17 General Fund budget adopted in Senate Bill 1073 (Browne-R-Lehigh). Click Here for a Senate Republican summary of the Tax Code bill provisions.  Click Here for a PA Environment Digest summary of the bill.  Click Here for a Senate Republican summary of the Tax Code bill provisions.  Click Here for a House Democratic summary of the Tax Code provisions.  The bill was signed into law as Act 84.

State Construction Code: House Bill 568 (Evankovich-R-Allegheny) further providing for the updating of the State Construction Code was passed by the Senate and now returns to the House for a concurrence vote.  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.

Potomac River Basin Commission: House Bill 577 (Moul-R- Adams) providing for the appointment of alternates on the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (House Fiscal Note and summary) was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Lead Poisoning Task Force: Senate Bill 16 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) creating a Task Force On Lead and Hazards of Lead Poisoning was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Bills On Senate Calendar Were Tabled: Senate Bill 20 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) further providing for disclosure of lead in water and paint in real estate sale; Senate Bill 142 (Greenleaf-R- Montgomery) further providing for the disclosure of flooding hazards in leasing property; Senate Bill 805 (Boscola-D-Lehigh) providing an opt-out for large companies from Act 129 energy efficiency requirements (Senate Fiscal Note and summary);  Senate Bill 1041 (Schwank-D- Berks) amending Act 101 to authorize all local governments to charge a recycling service fee (sponsor summary); House Bill 1394 (Mustio-R-Allegheny) authorizing boroughs to charge stormwater management fees; House Bill 1661 (Mustio-R- Allegheny) authorizing first class townships to charge a stormwater management fee; House Bill 1895 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) changing the membership of the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board from appointments only by the Governor to appointments by both the General Assembly and the Governor.

7/18/2016