Here are the Senate and House Calendars for the next voting session day and Committees scheduling action on bills of interest as well as a list of new environmental bills introduced--

Bill Calendars

House (Feb. 5): House Bill 1401 (DiGirolamo-R-Bucks) which amends Title 58 to impose a sliding scale natural gas severance tax, in addition to the Act 13 drilling impact fee, on natural gas production (NO money for environmental programs) and includes provisions related to minimum landowner oil and gas royalties; House Bill 2034 (Marshall-R-Beaver) requiring agriculture lime to be labeled with the percentage of molybdenum it contains; House Resolution 284 (Moul-R-Adams) urging Congress to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s MS4 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (sponsor summary).  <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (Jan. 29): Senate Bill 792 (Alloway-R-Franklin) requiring law fertilizer applicators to be certified in application techniques and creates an education program; Senate Bill 799 (Alloway-R-Franklin) a voluntary program to allow municipalities to pay for nutrient reductions. <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meeting Agendas This Week

House:   <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate: the Appropriations Committee meets to consider 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, Click Here for more; the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Resolution 226 (Yudichak-D- Luzerne) directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct an independent performance evaluation of DEP’s Chapter 102 Erosion and Sedimentation) and Chapter 105 (Water Obstruction and Encroachment) permitting programs (sponsor summary) Click Here for more;  Senate Resolution 104 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) resolution urging the Governor to end the moratorium on new nonsurface disturbance natural gas drilling on state forest land (sponsor summary); House Bill 1341 (Pyle-R-Armstrong) further providing for training and certification of emergency medical personnel responding to bituminous deep mine accidents (House Fiscal Note and summary); House Bill 1486 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) exempting agricultural high-tunnel structures from the Stormwater Management Act (House Fiscal Note and summary); the Local Government Committee meets to consider 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 and House Bill 916 (Everett-R- Lycoming) providing for the adoption of stormwater fees by Cities of the Third Class-- Click Here for more.<>  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.

Bills Introduced

The following bills of interest were introduced last week--

Government Oversight Committees: House Bill 2026 (Grove-R-York) establishing Senate and House Government Oversight Committees to oversee state agencies (sponsor summary) [each standing committee already has assigned oversight responsibilities.].

End Exemption From Property Tax On Natural Gas Interests: House Bill 2036 (Sturla-D-Lancaster) would end the current exemption for natural gas property interests from local property tax as a result of a state court decisions (sponsor summary).

Pipeline Construction: Senate Bill 1027 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) require notification of residents impacted by pipeline construction (sponsor summary) and Senate Bill 2018 (Rafferty-R-Montgomery) requiring pipeline owners to conduct hydrologic studies before construction to determine whether the construction will impact aquifers (sponsor summary).

Session Schedule

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

Senate

January 29, 30, 31

February 5, 6 (Governor's Budget Address), 7

Budget Hearings: Feb. 20 - March 8

March 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28

April 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30

May 1, 2, 21, 22, 23

June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

House

February 5, 6, 7

Budget Hearings: Feb. 20 to March 8

March 12, 13, 14

April 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 30

May 1, 2, 22, 23

June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 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.

1/29/2018