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

House

Budget - Fiscal Code: House Bill 674 (Bernstine-R- Beaver) was amended with a variety of provisions related to implementing the $31.9 billion General Fund budget, reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by the Senate.  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill was concurred in by the House by a vote of 109 to 75 and now goes to the Governor for his action.  Click Here for more.

Noxious Weeds: House Bill 790 (Pashinski-D-Luzerne) repeal the Noxious Weed Control Law and replace with the Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Act was reported from the House Rules Committee and was concurred in by the House and now goes to the Governor for his action.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.

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 passed by the House and concurred in by the Senate.  A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Vehicle Emissions Inspection: House Bill 86 (Lawrence-R-Chester) eliminate vehicle emissions testing for vehicle model years 1992-1995 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.

Severance Tax: House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends the Tax Code to impose a sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural gas production was amended to divert all revenues to the General Fund and NO money for environmental programs and add provisions related to minimum landowner oil and gas royalties was removed from the Table and is now on the House Calendar for action.

Coal, Nuclear Power Pricing: House Resolution 576 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to quickly implement policies to ensure baseload electricity generation (like coal and nuclear) are compensated for all the positive attributes they provide to the electric system was amended to make it a House-only resolution and reported out of the House Consumer Affairs Committee and adopted by the House by a vote of 176 to 9.

Lead Poisoning Awareness: House Resolution 527 (Bullock-D-Philadelphia) recognizing October 22 - 28 as National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Senate

Budget - Tax Code: House Bill 542 (Thomas-D-Philadelphia) budget-related tax and borrowing provisions to implement the FY 2017-18 budget was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and passed by a vote of 29 to 21. A House Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.  Click Here for more.

Utility Line Safety: Senate Bill 242 (Baker-R- Luzerne) adding unconventional and larger conventional natural gas gathering lines to the PA One Call utility safety program (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported from the Senate Rules Committee and concurred in by the Senate.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.  Click Here for more.

Pittsburgh Water Authority: House Bill 1490 (Turzai-R-Allegheny) placing the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission was amended on the Senate Floor and was passed by the Senate.  The bill returns to the House for a concurrence vote.

Limiting Term Of Fish Commission Executive Director: Senate Bill 935 (Scarnati-R- Jefferson) would limit the term of the Executive Director of the Fish and Boat Commission to eight years was reported from the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee by party-line vote (Republicans supporting), referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed by a vote of 34 to 16.  A Senate Fiscal Note and summary is available.  The bill now goes to the House for action.

Local Clean Energy Funding: Senate Bill 234 (Blake-D-Lackawanna) would authorize local governments to create energy improvement districts to help fund energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects by commercial and industrial buildings to reduce their operating costs was amended and reported out of the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Lawn Fertilizer: Senate Bill 792 (Alloway-R-Franklin) requiring law fertilizer applicators to be certified in application techniques and creates an education program was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action. Click Here for more.

Coal/Nuclear Power Pricing: Senate Resolution 227 (Aument-R- Lancaster) urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to quickly implement policies to ensure baseload electricity generation (like coal and nuclear) are compensated for all the positive attributes they provide to the electric system  (sponsor summary) was reported out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, amended on the Senate Floor to make it a Senate Resolution only and was adopted by the Senate by a vote of 42 to 8. 

Vehicle Emission Inspections: Senate Resolution 168 (Langerholc-R-Cambria) directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to review the vehicle emissions inspection program was adopted by the Senate.

10/30/2017