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 (April 17): House Resolution 84 (Ryan-R-Lebanon) congratulating the PA National Guard’s environmental office on winning first place in the Sustainability Team in the 2016 Army National Guard Environmental Awards Contest (sponsor summary).  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (April 18): Senate Bill 50 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) further providing for notice of flood history in home sales disclosures (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar. 

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House: the Consumer Affairs Committee meets to consider House Bill 1071 (Farry-R-Bucks) prohibiting bans, fees, surcharges and taxes on recyclable plastic bags (sponsor summary) and holds an informational meeting with the Public Utility Commission and Attorney General’s Consumer Advocate Office.  <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 242 (Baker-R-Luzerne) adds natural gas gathering lines to the PA One Call utility construction safety program so they can be identified and mapped for emergency services (sponsor summary). <>  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--

Arbor Day: House Resolution 255 (Marsico-R-Dauphin) recognizing April 28 as Arbor Day (sponsor summary).

Pipeline Regulation: Senate Bill 604 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) transferring the authority for pipeline safety from the Public Utility Commission to the Department of Transportation (sponsor summary).

Pipeline Impact Fee: Senate Bill 605 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) establishing a pipeline impact fee calculated based on the acreage of linear feet plus the right-of-way width of a pipeline.  Fees generated would be distributed to areas affected by pipelines (sponsor summary).

Quarts Official State Mineral: Senate Bill 610 (Killion-R-Delaware) designating quartz as the official state mineral of the Commonwealth (sponsor summary).

Retroactively Changes Protection From Mine Subsidence Damage: Senate Bill 624 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) fundamentally and retroactively changes the standard used to judge whether an underground mining plan approved by DEP can be challenged on the issue of whether it prevents temporary or permanent damage to surface streams.  Click Here for more complete background.

Session Schedule [Updated]

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

Senate

April 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

May 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 24

June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

House

April 17 (non-voting), 18, 19, 24, 25, & 26

May 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, & 24

June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, & 30

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.

4/17/2017