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

House

Farm Conservation Excellence Grants:  House Bill 1517 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) establishing the Conservation Excellence Farm Conservation Grant Program, a bipartisan proposal included in Gov. Wolf’s PA Farm Bill proposal was amended and reported out of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to the House Rules Committee as all bills are this time of year. [Note: Companion Senate Bill 634 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) was amended and moved out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.]

Agriculture Disaster Response: House Bill 1516 (Causer-R-Cameron) establishing an Agriculture Rapid Response Disaster Readiness Account (sponsor summary), a bipartisan proposal included in Gov. Wolf’s PA Farm Bill proposal, was reported out of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to the House Rules Committee as all bills are this time of year.

Farm Succession Planning Grants: House Bill 881 (Fee-R-Lancaster) providing for Farm Succession Planning Grants, a bipartisan proposal included in Gov. Wolf’s PA Farm Bill proposal, was amended and reported out of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and Tabled.

Low-Head Dam Safety Warnings: House Bill 1003 (Gillespie-R- York) further providing for the enforcement of safety markings for low head or run-of-the-river dams (sponsor summary) was reported out of the House Game and Fisheries Committee and referred to the House Rules Committee as all bills are this time of year.

PA Park & Recreational Professionals Day: House Resolution 370 (James-R- Venango) designating July 19 as Pennsylvania Park and Recreation Professionals Day in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week: House Resolution 281 (Gillespie (R-York) designating June 2-8 Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Appreciation Day: House Resolution 234 (Sonney-R-Erie) designating September 7 as Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Appreciation Day (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Fishing & Boating Week: House Resolution 373 (Gillespie-R-York) designating the week of June 1-9 Fishing and Boating Week (sponsor summary) was adopted by the House.

Senate

Changing Spill Reporting Requirements/Redefining Pollution: Senate Bill 619 (Yaw-R- Lycoming) makes fundamental changes to the definition of water pollution under the state Clean Streams Law to require an individual or company who causes pollution to surface or groundwater to determine if it should be reported to DEP and whether it is pollution in the first place was amended to make a slight change in the bill, reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Click Here for more.

Nutrient Procurement Program: Senate Bill 575 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would establish a taxpayer funded procurement program for nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment reductions needed to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed pollution reduction goals in all or part of 43 counties in the state.  As written, it would guarantee only large companies with access to lots of resources could take part in the complicated bidding process established in the bill. The bill was amended to make it a Title 27 bill, reported out of the the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Click Here for more.

Compensate Gas Rights Holders In Delaware Watershed: Senate Bill 305 (Baker-R- Luzerne) would require the Delaware River Basin Commission to reimburse oil and gas rights holders for the value of their rights if DRBC adopts a moratorium on fracking in the watershed reported out of the the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and is on the Senate Calendar for action. Click Here for more.

Keystone Tree Fund: Senate Bill 108 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) to create a check off on vehicle and driver’s licenses for a Keystone Tree Fund to support the development of riparian buffers was reported out of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  [Note: The House version-- House Bill 374 (Everett-R- Lycoming)-- has been stuck on the House Calendar since it was reported out of Committee on February 19.]

Farm Conservation Excellence Grants: Senate Bill 634 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establishing the Conservation Excellence Farm Conservation Grant Program, a bipartisan proposal included in Gov. Wolf’s PA Farm Bill proposal was amended and reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. [Note: Companion House Bill 1517 (Zimmerman-R-Lancaster) was moved out of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and referred to House Rules Committee as all bills are this time of year.]

Relinquish Residence Provision: House Bill 370 (Klunk-R-York) would amend the Agricultural Area Security Law to authorize farmland conservation owners to relinquish the right to establish a residence (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.

Tree Of Heaven Noxious Weed: House Bill 404 (Lawrence-R-Chester) would add the tree of heaven preferred by the spotted lanternfly as a Class B noxious weed (House Fiscal Note and summary) was reported out of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action. [Note: The Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee added tree of heaven to the Class B list on April 25.]

Coal Refuse-Fired Electric Generation Subsidy: 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 was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Historic Preservation Tax Credit: Senate Bill 541 (Argall-R-Schuylkill) would extend the sunset from 2020 to 2030 on Historic Preservation Incentive Tax Credit, increase the cap from $3 million to $30 million and put a priority on creating workforce housing was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

PA Park & Recreational Professionals Day: Senate Resolution 148 (Killion-R-Delaware) recognizing Pennsylvania Park and Recreation Professionals Day on June 4 (sponsor summary) was adopted by the Senate.

6/10/2019