The information you need to follow legislation in the House and Senate- starting with articles and NewsClips from last week--

Environment & Energy NewsClips--

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: House [Republicans] Pass Change To Clean Streams Law, Critics Say It Will Weaken Enforcement

-- Scranton Times-Tribune Editorial: Preserve State's Clean Streams Law [PaEN]

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Lawmakers Consider Bill To Account For Decommissioning Renewable Energy Projects That Are Already Industry Practices; Oil & Gas Wells Have Inadequate Plugging Bonds

-- 7 Environmental Groups Oppose State Legislation To Preempt Local Governments From Making Clean Energy Decisions That Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions  [PaEN]

-- House Environmental Committee Jan. 10 Hearing On Extraction & Use Of Rare Earth Minerals In PA [PaEN]

-- PG Editorial: Finally, The ‘Truth’ Comes Out About Birds - Birds Aren’t Real

Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week--

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week  [PaEN]

Bill Calendars

Senate (January 4): Senate Bill 284 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would load up renewable energy projects, energy efficiency products and high-efficiency locomotives with bonds to prevent their development [Read more here]; Senate Bill 522 (Baker-R-Luzerne, Yudichak-I-Luzerne) further providing for the testing of blood lead levels in children; Senate Bill 597 (Stefano-R-Fayette) would impose conflicting and expensive requirements on small water and wastewater systems for no benefit to their customers and if they can’t comply they would come under the regulation of the Public Utility Commission Read more here];  House Bill 598 (Oberlander-R-Clarion) would limit actions to create prescriptive easements to public entities like state agencies and local governments, not private entities.  <> Click Here for full Senate Bill Calendar.

House (January 4): House Bill 2069 (Cutler-R- Lancaster) Amend Article III, Section 9, to exempt the disapproval of a regulation by the General Assembly from the presentment requirement for the governor’s approval or disapproval [Read more here]; House Bill 2070 (Cutler- R-Lancaster) Amend Article IV, to add a new section providing that any executive order or proclamation issued by the governor, which purports to have the force of law, may not be in effect for more than 21 days, unless extended by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly [Read more here]. <> Click Here for full House Bill Calendar.

Committee Meetings

House   

January 10-- House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee hearing on Benefits and Challenges To Extracting And Utilizing Rare Earth Minerals Found In Pennsylvania.  Room G-50 Irvis Building. 9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.  Read more here.

February 15-- House Appropriations Committee state budget hearings begin. 10:00-Dept. Of Revenue.  House Floor.  Click Here to watch live.

February 28-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 10:00- Department of Environmental Protection.  House Floor.  Click Here to watch live.

March 2-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearing: 10:00- Department of Agriculture.  House Floor.  Click Here to watch live.

     -- Click Here for full House Budget Hearing Schedule

<>  Click Here for full House Committee Schedule.

Senate

January 26-- Performance-Based Budget Board meets on Dept. of Agriculture report. Room 140 Main Capitol. 10:00 a.m.

February 22 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings begin. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

March 2 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings: 10:00 - Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; 2:30 - Department of Environmental Protection. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

March 3 - Senate Appropriations Committee state budget hearings: 10:00 - Department of Agriculture. Hearing Room 1, North Office Building. 10:00 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

     -- Click Here for full Senate Budget Hearing Schedule.

 <>  Click Here for full Senate Committee Schedule.

Bills Introduced

Eliminate DCNR Grant Match For Low-Income Communities:  Senate Bill 973 (L.Williams-D-Allegheny) eliminating match requirement for DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants in municipalities that fall below 80 percent of state median household income.

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.

Session Schedule

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

House

January 4 (NV), 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26

February 7, 8, 9

March 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30

April 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27

May 23, 24, 25

June 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30

September 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

October 24, 25, 26

November 14, 15, 16

Senate

January 4, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26

February 7, 8, 9

March 28, 29, 30

April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13

12/27/2021