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

House

Roll Back Protection From Deep Mining: Senate Bill 624 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson) retroactively rolling back protections for streams from deep coal mining was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and passed by the House by a vote of 120 to 77.   A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote.  (Click Here for more.)

Roll Back Protection From Surface Mining: House Bill 1333 (Gabler-R-Clearfield) eliminating the current DEP limit on how long surface mine operators can temporarily cease mining operations from 180 days to the federal standard of what could be years was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House 163 to 33.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Emergency Mine Medical Responders: House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) providing for the certification of bituminous coal mine emergency medical responders was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House 197 to 0.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Ag Security Areas: House Bill 1550 (Klunk-R-York) amend the Agricultural Area Security Law allowing for the voluntary relinquish the right to construct a residence was reported out of the House Rules Committee, 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.

Members Of Ag Lands Condemnation Board: House Bill 1518 (Causer-R-Cameron) further providing for the appointment of members to the Agricultural Lands Condemnation Approval Board was reported out of the House Rules Committee, 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.

Leaf Waste: House Bill 927 (Rader-R- Monroe) mandating curbside leaf pick up programs was reported out of the House Rules Committee and 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.

Construction Code: House Bill 1469 (Heffley-R-Carbon) authorize municipalities to use third-party agencies to enforce the Uniform Construction Code was amended on the House Floor, was 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.

Overweight Vehicles: House Bill 1426 (Fee-R-Lancaster) relating to overweight vehicle permits during holiday periods was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee and was passed by the House.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available. 

The bill was reported out of the Senate Transportation Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Performance-Based Budgeting: Senate Bill 181 (Mensch-R-Montgomery) providing for a performance-based budgeting (exempting appropriations to the General Assembly and the Judiciary) and creating a Performance-Based Budget Board was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.

Smart Electric Meters:  House Bill 1563 (Reese-R-Somerset) requiring consent for sharing information from electricity smart meters (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, was referred into and out of the House Rules Committee and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

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 out of the House Rules Committee, amended on the House Floor and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Natural Gas Vehicles: Senate Bill 589 (Langerholc-R-Bedford) increasing maximum allowable weight for natural gas vehicles (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Transportation Committee and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Recycling Fee Extension: Senate Bill 646 (Killion-R-Delaware) eliminating the sunset of the $2/ton Recycling Fee was amended to extend the $2 recycling fee for one year until January 1, 2021 and reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the House Calendar for action.

Onlot Septic Systems: Senate Bill 144 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) amending Act 537 on include alternative on-lot sewage systems in sewage plans was amended and reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the House Calendar for action.

Paying for Water Laterals: Senate Bill 656 (Fontana-D-Allegheny) authorize local governments to make funds available to repair or replace lateral water lines contaminated with lead (Senate Fiscal Note and summary) was reported out of the House Local Government Committee and Tabled.

Lake Awareness Month: House Resolution 427 (Wentling-R-Crawford) recognizing July as Lake Awareness Month (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Senate

Nominations: The nomination of John Coleman for Public Utility Commission was unanimously reported out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and is now before the full Senate for action.

Littering Penalties: Senate Bill 431 (Scavello-R-Monroe) increasing penalties for littering and illegal dumping was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Lawn Fertilizer Application: Senate Bill 792 (Alloway-R-Adams) regulating the application of law fertilizer (sponsor summary) was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

USTIF Tank Board: House Bill 290 (Metzgar-R-Bedford) providing for legislative appointments to the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board, fills a gap in funding for DEP’s Storage Tank Program and extends the sunset date for the environmental cleanup programs for storage tanks was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

PUC Oversight Of Pittsburgh Water/Sewer Authority: House Bill 1490 (Turzai-R- Allegheny) placing the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission was amended and reported out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Construction Code: Senate Bill 663 (Langlin-R-Erie) amending the PA Construction Code to provide for third party contracts to enforce the Code (sponsor summary) was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Construction Code: House Bill 409 (Evankovich-R-Allegheny) making changes to the process for adopting amendments to the Uniform Construction Code was amended and reported out of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Purchase Of Federal Timber: House Bill 1494 (Rapp-R-Forest) authorizing the state to enter into a cooperative agreement with federal agencies for the purpose of selling timber on federal land was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

7/3/2017