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

House

Pay Drilling Rights Owners: House Bill 827 (Fritz-R-Wayne) requiring the Delaware River Basin Commission to reimburse property owners for drilling rights if the Commission adopts a ban on fracking was referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  Click Here for more.

Lyme Disease: House Resolution 38 (Brown-R-Monroe) designating May as Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month was adopted by the House (sponsor summary).

Rainforest Awareness: House Resolution 213 (Donatucci-D-Delaware) recognizing May as Rainforest Awareness Month in Pennsylvania was adopted by the House (sponsor summary)

Safe Digging Month: House Resolution 302 (Matzie-D-Beaver) designating April Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month was adopted by the House.

Senate

Nominations: The renomination of Patrick McDonnell as DEP Secretary was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee with a favorable recommendation to the full Senate.  Click Here for more.

Beginning Farmers Tax Credit: Senate Bill 478 (Vogel-R-Beaver) providing a personal tax credit for landowners who lease or sell their land, buildings and equipment to beginning farmers was referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Senate Fiscal Note and summary) and passed by the Senate.  The bill now goes to the House for action.

Ag Security Areas: Senate Bill 145 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) amending the Agricultural Area Security Law to voluntarily relinquish the right to construct an additional residence (Senate Fiscal Note and summary) was passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.

Ag Building Construction: Senate Bill 453 (Ward-R-Westmoreland) exempting agricultural buildings from statewide Construction Code (sponsor summary) was amended and passed by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.

Coal Refuse Tax Credit: Senate Bill 618 (Argall-R-Schuylkill, Yudichak-D-Luzerne) to increase the Coal Refuse Energy and Reclamation Tax from $10 to $45 million a year (sponsor summary) was reported out of the Senate Finance Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Click Here for more.

Chesapeake Bay Awareness: Senate Resolution 121 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) designating the week of June 2 as Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week was adopted by the Senate (sponsor summary).

5/13/2019