The Senate and House return to session April 23, and here’s what’s on the agenda…

House

Calendar: House Bill 772 (Hershey-R-Chester) establishing the Keystone Energy and Environmental Excellence Awards program and an energy efficiency and pollution reduction initiative, House Bill 913 (Vereb-R-Montgomery) establishing the Low-Income Weatherization Assistance Program.

Committees: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 496 (George-D-Clearfield) that would increase fees on nuclear power plants and House Bill 483 (Bastion-R-Somerset) creating the Mine Families First Program to provide assistance to families involved in mine rescue incidents; the Game & Fisheries Committee meets to consider House Bill 13 (Readshaw-D-Allegheny) limiting liability of landowners in connection with opening their lands for hunting and recreation; the State Government Committee meets to consider House Bill 894 (Leach-D-Montgomery) authorizing additional reimbursements for school building construction which meets the LEED standards.

Senate

Calendar: Senate Bill 76 (Tomlinson-R-Bucks) establishing the Home Energy Assistance Act to provide matching public funds to hardship funds contributed by stockholders, employees and ratepayers of home energy providers, Senate Bill 105 (Musto-D-Luzerne) authorizing the Environmental Quality Board to retain independent legal advice, Senate Bill 176 ( Pippy-R-Allegheny) authorizing the use of public funds to pay for the repair of lateral sewer lines, Senate Bill 354 (MJWhite-R-Venango) prohibiting the Environmental Quality Board from accepting rulemaking petitions to regulate substances not authorized by current state or federal law.

Committees: the Public Health and Welfare Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 352 (Robbins-R-Mercer) providing additional funds for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Transportation Committee holds a public hearing on transportation funding options, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee holds a listening session in Berks County.

Other Meetings: the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee holds a meeting of the Forestry Task Force in State College.

Bills Introduced

Several more environmental bills were introduced this week…

Elk Damage Fund: House Bill 1078 (Hanna-D-Clinton) establishing a program to pay claims for damages caused by elk.

Anti-Ideling: House Bill 1113 (Gabig-R-Cumberland) providing for idling restrictions on commercial diesel vehicles.

Lyme Disease: House Resolution 227 (Rubley-R-Chester) designating May as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month”

4/20/2007