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 (November 14): House Bill 1391 (Everett-R-Lycoming) establishing a guaranteed minimum oil and gas well royalty (sponsor summary); House Resolution 872 (Causer-R-Forest) urging federal and state regulatory agencies to use science-based, peer-reviewed data to evaluate crop protection chemistry and nutrients (sponsor summary); Senate Bill 1166 (Stefano-R- Fayette) authorizing hunting license changes by Game Commission and  Senate Bill 1168 (Eichelberger- R-Blair) authorizing fishing license changes by Fish & Boat Commission. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (November 16): Senate Bill 16 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) establishing a task force on lead and the hazards of lead poisoning and authorizing a study (sponsor summary); House Bill 1103 (Zimmerman-R- Lancaster) exempting agricultural high-tunnel greenhouse structures from stormwater permitting requirements (House Fiscal Note and summary).  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House:   <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate:   <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Pending In Key Committees

Check the PA Environmental Council Bill Tracker for the status and updates on pending state legislation and regulations that affect environmental and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania.

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--

Water Quality Improvement Grants: Senate Bill 1401 (Alloway-R-Franklin, Corman-R- Centre) establishing the Water Quality Improvement Grants funded by a water resource use fee.  The second half of the bill would establish a program to subsidize high-cost technological solutions to reducing only nutrient loads.

Nutrient Credit Program Favoring High-Cost Technological Solutions: House Bill 2430 (Tallman-R-Adams) would create a Nutrient Credit Trading Program in law that has taxpayers paying for the credits instead of the existing program where credits are bought and sold between those generating credits and those needing credits without taxpayer involvement. These transactions take place in a framework administered by PennVEST. The sponsor summary says ALL investments now made by the state in farm conservation BMP installation, stormwater and wastewater compliance would be diverted into this new program. Very similar legislation-- Senate Bill 724-- introduced earlier this session was opposed by agricultural and environmental groups because it favored the most expensive technological solutions and leave out conservation measures on family farms and creating an significant bureaucracy.

New Drinking Water Standards: House Bill 2431 (Murt-R-Montgomery) would require DEP to set standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in our drinking water (sponsor summary).

17 Principles Of Environmental Justice: House Resolution 1108 (Bullock-D-Philadelphia) recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the adoption of 17 principles of environmental justice (sponsor summary).

Explore PA Outdoors: Senate Resolution 477 (Teplitz-D-Dauphin) designating October 23 to 29 Explore PA Outdoors Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.

Session Schedule

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

Senate

November 16

House

November 14, 15

Governor’s Schedule

Gov. Tom Wolf's work calendar will be posted each Friday and his public schedule for the day will be posted each morning.   Click Here to view Gov. Wolf’s Weekly Calendar and Public Appearances.

10/31/2016