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

NEW: Click Here for expected action on bills by the full House.

House (December 16):  House Bill 247 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) to allow cross unit unconventional drilling and authorizes voluntary pooling; 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 reported from the House Appropriations Committee (House Fiscal Note and summary); House Bill 1106 (Puskaric-R-Allegheny) requires DEP approval of any permit regulating air quality, waste, erosion and sedimentation and dam safety and encroachments within 30 days without regard to public review of permits, creates a new bureaucracy in the form of a “referee” to decide disputes between DEP and applicants over application completeness (Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package) Click Here for more; House Resolution 442 (Schlegel Culver-R-Northumberland) designating October 7, 2019 as World Habitat Day (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (December 18): Senate Bill 258 (Dinniman-D-Chester, Killion-R-Delaware), a bipartisan initiative to improve emergency response to pipeline incidents; Senate Bill 284 (Killion-R- Delaware, Dinniman-D-Chester) require pipeline companies to provide current emergency response plans to PUC; Senate Bill 726 (Bartolotta-R- Washington) which would create a new standard for the review for appeals of DEP permit actions before the Environmental Hearing Board by limiting parties appealing permit decisions-- a company or a citizens group-- to issues raised in and information contained in a record of decision on each permit DEP staff would have to prepare, Click Here for more.; Senate Bill 727 (Bartolotta-R- Washington), a companion bill to Senate Bill 726, would change the term of an Environmental Hearing Board judge from 6 to 5 years and limited judges to serving 2 terms, Click Here for more.; Senate Bill 766 (Leach-D-Montgomery) increases the matching grants available for household hazardous waste collection events rom $100,000 to $250,000 per county per fiscal year (sponsor summary);  House Bill 476 (Mako-R-Northampton) requires municipalities be notified of state and federal waste law violations (House Fiscal Note & Summary).  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings  This Week

NEW: Click Here for a summary of expected House Committee actions.

House: The Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1808 (Mackenzie-R-Lehigh) would provide an exemption from being regulated as a waste facility to a company in Berks County that plans to construct a 1,600 ton/day waste processing facility that would remove plastics for recycling. Click Here for more;  House Bill 2045 (Dowling-R-Fayette) would approve a land exchange between Ohiopyle Borough in Fayette County and DCNR’s Ohiopyle State Park to allow for additional water access (sponsor summary); the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider House Bill 1971 (Day-R-Lehigh) eliminating DEP regulation of bottled water facilities that hold a restaurant license regardless of size of container (sponsor summer),  House Bill 1972 (Day-R-Lehigh) requiring restaurant license holders to follow Safe Drinking Water Act requirements for water sources (sponsor summary). <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate:   <>  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.

House and Senate Co-Sponsorship Memos

House: Click Here for all new co-sponsorship memos

Senate: Click Here for all new co-sponsorship memos

Session Schedule

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

Senate

December 18 [Technically recessed to the call of the President Pro Tempore.]

House

December [9, 10 non-voting days] 16, 17, 18

12/16/2019