Here’s what’s coming up on the Senate and House agenda for next week, as well as the voting session schedule through June 30.

Session Schedule

The Senate and House will return to voting session on May 12.

House 2008 Session Days—

May 12, 13, 14

June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30

Senate 2008 Session Days--

May 12, 13, 14

June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30

You can watch the Senate Floor Session and House Floor Session live online.

Calendars/Committees

The Senate and House published committee schedules and floor Calendars for next week--

Calendars

House (May 12): House Resolution 546 (George-D-Clearfield) urging Congress to investigate gas and energy prices; House Resolution 627 (George-D-Clearfield) urging federal government to provide more heating assistance funding; House Bill 934 (Scavello-R-Monroe) authorizing counties to impose up to a $4/ton solid waste management fee to support local recycling, anti-litter programs.

Special Session House Bill 13 (Bennington-R-Mifflin) amends the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to provide for increased use of energy efficiency, extends the compliance period from 15 to 21 years and provides additional milestones for the use of alternative energy; Special Session House Bill 17 (McIlvaine Smith-D-Montgomery) excluding purchase price of hybrid electric vehicles from sales and use tax.

Senate (May 12): House Bill 1281 (Freeman-D-Lehigh) requiring municipalities to protect the Appalachian Trail through land use controls; Senate Bill 1317 (Waugh-R-York) providing incentive payments for cellulosic ethanol production.

Committees

Senate: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 2 (Earll-R-Erie) provides $750 million for drinking water, wastewater, flood control and high hazard dam projects, Senate Resolution 244 (Rhoades-R-Schuylkill) urging Congress to investigate the high cost of energy, Senate Resolution 283 (Brubaker-R-Lancaster) recognizing the accomplishments of Franklin & Marshall professors Robert Walter and Dorothy Merritts on their research into legacy sediments; the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee holds a hearing on energy efficiency and demand side response programs.

House: the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee meets to consider House Bill 1242 (Goodman-D-Schuylkill) establishing additional siting criteria for municipal and residual waste landfills, House Resolution 712 (Hutchinson-R-Venango) re-establishing the Forestry Task Force, House Resolution 719 (George-D-Clearfield) endorsing request for federal funding for PA river basin commissions; the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets to consider Senate Bill 1020 (Wonderling-R-Montgomery) updating the county conservation district law; the Labor Relations Committee holds a hearing on the Hazardous Material Emergency Planning and Response Act.

Other: the Joint Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, presents a program on the Environmental Management Assistance Program provided by the PA Small Business Development Centers.

Bills Introduced

These environmental bills of interest were introduced this week—

H20 PA Infrastructure: Senate Bill 2 (Earll-R-Erie) provides $750 million for drinking water, wastewater, flood control and high hazard dam projects.

Conservation District Funding I: House Bill 2491 (Miller-R-York) putting a surcharge on fines and penalties collected by the DEP to be deposited in the Conservation District Fund.

Conservation District Funding II: House Bill 2492 (Miller-R-York) appropriating $10 million to Conservation Districts to provide conservation assistance to farmers raising biofuels.

Drinking Water Week: House Resolution 741 (Rubley-R-Chester) designating May 4-10 “Drinking Water Week” in Pennsylvania and was adopted by the House.

5/9/2008