The Senate and House are in session the week of April 3. Here’s the rundown of what’s on the calendars and in committees—

Calendars

The Senate will have this item on their Calendar-- House Bill 2054 making changes to the Eminent Domain Code in response to the Kelo Supreme Court decision.

The House will start with this bill of interest on its Calendar-- House Bill 2067 setting limits on state spending through a constitutional amendment.

Committees

In the House, the Finance Committee meets to consider House Bill 906 phasing out the Inheritance Tax.

In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee meets to consider House Bill 2054 making changes to the Eminent Domain Code in response to the Kelo Supreme Court decision and House Bill 2317 establishing the 2005-2006 Capital Budget for flood control, Keystone Recreation, Environmental Stewardship projects; the Environmental Resources & Energy Committee will hold a hearing on gasoline additives and their impact on the environment and fuel supplies; and the Senate Democratic Policy Committee is having a hearing on deep mine safety.

The Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds an Environmental Issues Forum featuring a presentation by PA CleanWays on rural dumping in Pennsylvania.

Senate/House Bills Moving

Legislation on defending conservation easements and changing the Eminent Domain Code moved in the Senate this week. Here’s the rundown.

Eminent Domain: House Bill 2054 (Grell-R-Cumberland) making changes to the Eminent Domain Code in response to the Kelo Supreme Court decision was amended and reported out of the Senate State Government Committee. It is on the Senate Calendar for action.

Defending Conservation Easements: House Bill 671 (Reichley-R-Berks) requiring county farmland preservation boards to monitor and enforce agricultural conservation easements, including payment of legal costs associated with defending easements was reported from the Senate Agriculture Committee after being amended to allow up to $200,000 to be used for the Land Trust Reimbursement Program for expenses, and adds the provisions of Senate Bill 723 (Wenger-R-Lancaster) stating that the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board can purchase agricultural conservation easements with a county and a local government unit to the bill.

3/31/2006