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

House

Pittsburgh Water Authority: House Bill 1490 (Turzai-R-Allegheny) to place the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority under the Public Utility Commission was amended and reported out of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, was referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed the House.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate.

SRBC Retirement: House Bill 922 (Tallman-R-Adams) removing new employees of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission from the state employees retirement system was amended on the House Floor, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House 114 to 80.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available. The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Performance-Based Budgeting: House Bill 410 (Warner-R-Fayette) performance-based budgeting was passed by the House 115 to 79.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.  A Senate companion bill-- Senate Bill 181 (Mensch-R-Montgomery)-- is still in the House Appropriations Committee.

Exempting Roadside Stands: House Bill 176 (Pickett-R-Susquehanna) exempting roadside standards from Uniform Construction Code was 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.

Local Stormwater Fees: House Bill 913 (Everett-R-Lycoming) providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by incorporated towns, House Bill 914 (Everett-R- Lycoming) providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by boroughs, House Bill 915 (Everett-R-Lycoming) providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by first class townships, House Bill 916 (Everett-R-Lycoming) providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by Cities of the Third Class were removed from the Table, amended on the House Floor and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  (The Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet on these bills Monday, June 12.)

Repeal MS4 Stormwater Program: House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House State Government Committee with a party-line vote (Republicans supporting) and is on the House Calendar for action.  (Click here for more.)

Landowner Recreational Liability: House Bill 544 (Moul-R-Adams) further providing for landowner liability protection for opening land for use by snowmobiles and ATVs (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee and Tabled.  (Click Here for more.)

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week: House Resolution 329 (Everett-R-Lycoming) designating the week of June 4-10 as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.  Sen. Richard Alloway (R-Franklin) sponsored a similar resolution in the Senate-- Senate Resolution 131-- which passed on May 24.  Both Rep. Everett and Sen. Alloway represent Pennsylvania on the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Senate

Natural Gas Vehicle Weight: Senate Bill 589 (Langerholc-R-Erie) exempting heavy duty natural gas-fueled vehicles from weight limits was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action..  A companion bill-- House Bill 603 (Metzgar-R-Bedford)-- passed the House on May 31 and is in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Exempting Steel Slag From Definition of Waste: Senate Bill 497 (Vogel-R-Butler) eliminating the designation of steel slag as waste was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.

Eliminate Stream Protections From Mining: Senate Bill 624 (Scarnati-R- Jefferson) which retroactively changes the protection streams receive under Act 54 from underground coal mining was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate by a vote of 32 to 17, largely along party lines (Republicans supporting).  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available. The bill now goes to the House for action. (Click Here for more.)

Eliminating Sunset For Recycling Fee:  Senate Bill 646 (Killion-R-Delaware) would prevent a funding crisis in the state’s Recycling Program by eliminating the expiration date for the Act 101 $2 per ton recycling fee on waste disposed in Pennsylvania was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  (Click Here for more.)

Approval Of Regulations: Senate Bill 561 (Disanto-R-Dauphin) which requires an up or down vote by the General Assembly on every final regulation approved by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission if that regulation has a fiscal impact of $1 million or more.  If the General Assembly does not vote, the regulation would die was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. (Click Here for more.)

Banning Plastic Bag Bans: House Bill 1071 (Farry-R-Bucks) to prevent the imposition of a ban, fee or surcharge on recyclable plastic bags (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported out of the Senate Finance Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Task Force On Lead Exposure: Senate Resolution 33 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne) creating a Senate Task Force on Lead Exposure and imposing duties on the Joint State Government Commission was adopted by the Senate (sponsor summary).  (Click Here for more.)

6/12/2017