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

House

Allowing For Longer Shale Gas Laterals: Senate Bill 694 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) allowing for the accounting of natural gas production across longer Shale gas laterals was removed from the Table, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee (House Fiscal Note & Summary), passed by the House and concurred in by the Senate.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.

Sunday Hunting: Senate Bill 147 (Laughlin-R-Erie) authorizing Sunday hunting for deer on 3 Sundays a year was removed from the Table, amended on the House Floor, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee (House Fiscal Note & Summary) and was passed.  The bill returns to the Senate for a concurrence vote November 18.

Eminent Domain Bill Of Rights: House Bill 188 (Quinn-R-Delaware) establishing a property owner’s bill of rights in eminent domain cases, like those involving pipelines (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Local Government Committee and Tabled.

Sale Of Water/Sewer Systems: House Bill 406 (Cox-R-Berks) requiring a public meeting before the sale of a municipal asset like a sewer or water system (sponsor summary) was amended and reported from the House Local Government Committee and Tabled.

Using Open Space Money For Land Maintenance: House Bill 908 (Rader-R-Monroe) authorizing the use of up to 25 percent of open space tax funds to be used for maintenance and development (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Local Government Committee and Tabled.

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week: House Resolution 581 (Bullock-D-Philadelphia) designating the week of October 20-26 as National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary) was passed by the House on October 29.

Senate

Keystone Tree Fund: House Bill 374 (Everett-R-Lycoming) creating the Keystone Tree Fund to support DCNR’s tree planting programs was reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Senate Fiscal Note & Summary) and passed without amendment.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his action.  Click Here for more.

Restricting Some Uses Of PFAS Firefighting Foams:  Senate Bill 919 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) establish statewide uniform requirements restricting the use of Class B firefighting foams containing added PFAS chemistries for training, restricting their use in testing, while also allowing for continued sale and use against real-world fires was referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Senate Fiscal Note & Summary) and passed by the Senate 40 to 9.  The bill now goes to the House for action.  Click Here for more.

Use Local Funds To Pay PFAS Cleanup Costs: House Bill 1410 (Stephens-R-Montgomery) would use local funds which would otherwise pay state taxes for cleaning up PFAS contamination, rather than relying on responsible parties to pay for cleanups was referred into and out of the Senate Appropriations Committee (Senate Fiscal Note & Summary) and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Click Here for more.

Clean Transportation Infrastructure: Senate Bill 596 (Mensch-R-Montgomery) designed to promote the development of clean transportation infrastructure to support electric, natural gas and hydrogen vehicles was amended and reported from the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee and is now on the Senate Calendar for action.  Click Here for more.

Reauthorization Of Federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee: Senate Resolution 191 (Yudichak-D-Luzerne, Yaw-R-Lycoming) concurrent resolution urging Congress to reauthorize the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fee which is the primary source of funding for Pennsylvania’s abandoned mine reclamation program was unanimously adopted by the Senate and now goes to the House for action.  Click Here for more.

Mushroom Compost: Senate Bill 256 (Dinniman-D-Chester) expanding the use of mushroom house compost was Tabled pursuant to Senate Rule 9-- inaction.

11/4/2019