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: House Republican: Expected Bill Actions On House Floor

House (January 21):  House Bill 247 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) would amend Act 13 to authorize an accounting mechanism to allow for the drilling of longer unconventional gas well laterals; 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 881 (Fee-R-Lancaster) would authorize the use of Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund monies for farm succession planning grants; 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 653 (Causer-R-Cameron) designating March 16-22, 2020 Maple Producers Week in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary). <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Senate (January 27): 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

House: The  Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meeting on House Bill 1779 (Wentling-R-Erie) exempting privately constructed shoreline stabilization groin structures from submerged land lease fees covering Commonwealth-owned land.  Click Here for more on the agenda.   <>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

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

Other: The Performance Based Budget Board Hearing on Performance Budget Report for the Department of Environmental Protection. Click Here for more on the report.

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-- 

Adding Member To Mining & Reclamation Board: House Bill 2219 (James-R-Venango) adding a member of the coal refuse energy industry to DEP’s Mining and Reclamation Advisory Board (sponsor summary).

50th Anniversary Of Earth Day: House Resolution 663 (McCarter-D-Montgomery) recognizing April 22, 2020 as the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in Pennsylvania (sponsor summary).  The resolution was referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee whose Majority Chair historically has never moved legislation sponsored by Democrats.

Radon Action Month: House Resolution 665 (Briggs-D-Montgomery) designating January 2020 as National Radon Action Month (sponsor summary).  The resolution was referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee whose Majority Chair historically has never moved legislation sponsored by Democrats.

Drinking Water Month: House Resolution 666 (Donatucci-D-Delaware) designating the month of January 2020 as Safe Drinking Water Month (sponsor summary).

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

January 27, 28, 29

February 3, 4, 5

Budget Hearings: February 18 - March 5

March 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

April 6,7, 8

May 4, 5, 6, 18,19, 20

June 1,2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

House

January 21, 22

February 3, 4, 5

Budget Hearings: February 18 - March 5

March 16, 17, 18, 23, 24,25

April 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16

May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20

June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30

1/20/2020