WEEK in REVIEW Grassroots Lobbying May 31, 2013 Network

WEEK IN REVIEW Grassroots Lobbying May 31, 2013 Network

News for the Weeks of May 20 and 27

Legislative News Prevailing Wage ALERT! We need your help! If you haven’t already done so, please help us increase legislative support for meaningful prevailing wage reform forward by adopting the PSATS Prevailing Wage Reform Resolution at your next meeting. This resolution urges the General Assembly to enact prevailing wage reform that includes all of the following elements:  Increase the threshold for compliance from the current $25,000 to $189,000 for all public works projects to account for inflation since 1963, with an annual cost of living increase;  Restructure the method used by the Secretary of Labor and Industry to determine prevailing wage rates to ensure the use of comparable local wages in the area; and  Exclude “maintenance work” on roads, highways, and bridges from compliance with the act, including the replacement of guiderails and curbs, pavement overlays of up to 3.5 inches, road widening that does not result in additional lanes, and bridge cleaning and resurfacing.

Please note that it is essential that we continue to press for the threshold to be increased to $189,000 in order to obtain any type of meaningful reform and to comply with standing PSATS resolutions. There are legislators that believe that a $100,000 threshold is the highest that can be passed in the House and your township may be asked for its support of a $100,000 threshold. We must disagree and believe that asking for any less than $189,000 at this time will only undermine efforts for meaningful prevailing wage reform.

Once passed, please send copies of the adopted resolution to your state representative and senator, as well as PSATS. And thank you to the hundreds of townships that have already adopted this resolution! We appreciate your assistance on this critical issue!

Budget Season is Here! The House and Senate return to Harrisburg on Monday for the June budget season. We can expect to see lots of legislative movement on many issues of interest to townships from now until the constitutional budget deadline on June 30. Major issues that are expected to be addressed in the coming weeks include the state budget, transportation, and liquor privatization. In addition, we are making a strong push, along with the other local government groups, for meaningful prevailing wage reforms before the summer recess.

We will continue to provide weekly updates and, if needed, will provide special updates on critical issues. Be sure to check www.psats.org, as well as our Twitter feed @psats and www.facebook.com/psats for more frequent updates on the latest legislative action affecting townships.

$28.3 Billion Budget Proposal Introduced in the House On Wednesday, House Appropriations Chairman Bill Adolph (R-Delaware), House Speaker Sam Smith (R-Jefferson) and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) held a press conference to announce the introduction of a $28.3 billion budget proposal for the 2013-14 fiscal year. House Bill 1437, the budget bill, includes a 2.1 percent, or $578 million increase over the current budget year. The budget bill includes an increase in spending on K-12 education, funding to hire 300 more state troopers, and greater support for certain health programs, county conservation districts, and the Office of Open Records. For more on the budget, click here to read an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pension Reform Appears Unlikely Before June 30 According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, despite a push from Gov. Tom Corbett, pension overhaul appears to be the least likely of his major legislative proposals to be completed by the June 30 budget deadline. Pension overhaul plans were not included in the House budget proposals unveiled on Wednesday in Harrisburg. Click here to read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

Lottery Privatization Continues Despite Record Profits According to the Patriot News, despite a trajectory that shows Pennsylvania Lottery profits on course to break the past year’s record-breaking performance, Gov. Corbett’s administration has not abandoned its effort to privatize the lottery’s management. Administration officials have been working with consultants and lawyers to revise the contract that Attorney General Kathleen Kane rejected in February due to its constitutional. Click here to read the Patriot News article.

More News From Around The State $10 Million Available For Natural Gas Vehicle Conversions According to the Associated Press, state environmental officials are offering $10 million worth of incentives to businesses, local governments, and nonprofits for the purchase of cars or light trucks that run on natural gas or to convert lighter-weight vehicles that now use gasoline. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection launched the program in a bid to generate demand for natural gas vehicles. Click here to read the Associated Press article.

DeWeese Presses Appeal According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, an attorney for convicted former state Rep. Bill DeWeese told an appellate court panel the trial judge undercut his defense by limiting the number of witnesses who testified. Camp Hill lawyer William Costopoulos told the three-judge Superior Court panel that Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover wrongly barred about 20 people from testifying about a DeWeese directive warning House staffers to confine any political work to their personal time. If he wins the appeal, DeWeese would get another trial. Click here to read the Tribune Review article.

Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate Declines According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the state’s unemployment rate improved in April, but economists said Pennsylvania’s economy remains weak. The seasonally adjusted jobless rate dipped to 7.6 percent last month, down three-tenths of a percentage point from 7.9 percent in March, according to a monthly employment report. Click here to read the Tribune Review article.

* * * Looking for this week’s issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin? Click here.* *

Legislative Action

The legislature was not in session the week of May 20 or 27.

Capitol Calendar

Legislative Committee Meetings for the Week of June 3:

MONDAY - 6/3/13 House Finance 10:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing Informational meeting on property tax reform

House Appropriations 11:00 a.m., Room 140 Main Capitol Agenda to be announced

House Education 11:00 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building To consider: HB 618 Emrick, Amends Public School Code re charter schools; HB 980 Fleck, Amends Public Schools re charter school fund; HB 1207 Christiana, Amends Tax Reform Code re EITC

House State Government 11:00 a.m., Room B31 Main Capitol To consider: HR 249 Swanger, Resolution re development of oil & nat. gas; HB 1247 Stern, Act re Project 70 restrictions in Blair County

House Urban Affairs 11:00 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building To consider: HB 1363 Taylor, Amends Property Conservatorship re actions; HB 1319 Tobash, Amends Housing Authority Law re professional employee contribution; HB 128 Haggerty, Amends 2nd Class A City Pension Law; HB 131 Haggerty, Amends Act re credit for military service

House Children and Youth 12:00 p.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building To consider: HB 1075 Moul, Amends Public Welfare Code re family finding; HB 1076 Moul, Amends Public Welfare Code re family conference; HR 163 Harhart, Resolution re JSGC study on child abuse program; HB 1101 Benninghoff, Amends Welfare Code re cty children services

House Health Off the Floor, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building To consider: HB 461 Knowles, Amends Public Welfare Code re Human Services; HB 1249 Brown, Act re body art regulation & penalties; HR 57 Brown, Resolution re youth tobacco prevention

TUESDAY - 6/4/13 House Education 9:00 a.m., Room 60, East Wing To consider: HB 1141 Saylor, Amends Public School Code re budget revision; HB 1424 Clymer, Amends Public School Code re Holocaust & Genocide education; SB 470 Browne, Amends Public School Code re special education fund; HR 338 English, Resolution re state academic standards

House Environmental Resources and Energy 9:00 a.m., Room 39, East Wing To consider: HB 343 Miller, Amends Title 27 re water well

House Human Services 9:00 a.m., Room B31 Main Capitol To consider: HB 806 DiGirolamo, Amends Fiscal Code re human services funds

House Agriculture and Rural Affairs 9:30 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building To consider: HB 920 Sonney, Amends Agricultural Area Security Law re conservation easements; HB 1196 Stephens, Amends Rabies Prevention and Control Act; HB 1377 Brooks, Amends Restaurant Est. Act re inspection authority; SB 155 Greenleaf, Amends Rabies Prevention Act re vaccinations; SB 526 Waugh, Mike Amends Title 3 re definitions & sanitation standards

House Human Services 9:30 a.m., Room B31 Main Capitol Informational meeting on the RAND report on Medical Assistance (MA) expansion

Senate Law and Justice 9:30 a.m., Hearing Room 1, North Office Building Public hearing to consider Governor’s plan on liquor privatization

House Finance 9:45 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building To consider: HB 1138 Gabler, Amends Tax Code re sales tax definitions; HB 1315 Matzie, Amends Tax Code re processing definition; SB 4 Brubaker, Constitutional Amendment re public charity criteria

House Judiciary 10:00 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building To consider: HB 164 Stephens, Amends Title 18 re cruelty to animals; HB 397 Keller, Act re farm- related tourism activities; HB 1202 Regan, Amends Title 75 re eluding a police officer; HB 1356 Stephens, Amends Title 18 re wiretapping expiration; SB 865 Gordner, Amends Controlled Substance Act re ammonia; SB 419 Gordner, Amends act to validate conveyances re expiration

Senate Labor and Industry and House Labor and Industry 10:00 a.m., Room 8E-A, East Wing Joint public hearing on: SB 476 Argall, Act re rights of correctional officers; HB 976 Fleck, Act re Corrections Officers Bill of Rights

Senate Game and Fisheries 12:00 p.m., Room 8E-A, East Wing To consider: SB 895 Alloway, Amends Title 34 re commission organization; HB 126 Maloney, Amends Title 34 re license; HB 353 Reed, Amends Title 34 re safety zones for waterways; HB 798 Heffley, Amends Title 30 re commission organization; HB 891 Peifer, Amends Title 34 re remote electronic trap

House Appropriations Off the Floor, Room 140 Main Capitol Agenda to be announced

WEDNESDAY - 6/5/13 House Commerce 9:00 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building To consider: HB 942 Major, Amends Recorder of Deeds Act re PRODA leg; SB 304 Greenleaf, Amends Title 15 & 54 re corporations; SB 371 Brubaker, Repeals Savings Assoc. Code re incorporation

Senate Aging and Youth 9:00 a.m., Hearing Room 1, North Office Building Public hearing on: SB 20 Washington, Amends Title 23 re exclusions from abuse

House Judiciary 9:30 a.m., Room 200, Ryan Office Library Informational meeting on mental health issues with the criminal justice system and the benefit of treatment courts

House Insurance 10:00 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building To consider: SB 194 Folmer, Amends Mcare Act re repealing provisions

House Professional Licensure 10:00 a.m., Room B31 Main Capitol To consider: HB 612 Mustio, Act re licensure of naturopathic physicians; HB 776 Grove, Amends Pharmacy Act re injectible meds authority; HB 1348 Sonney, Amends Medical Practice Act re physician assistant; HB 1351 Sonney, Amends Osteopathic Med Practice Act re physicians assistant

House Local Government 10:00 a.m., Room 39, East Wing To consider: HB 1177 Lucas, Amends Title 53 re consolidation/merger of municipalities; HB 1230 Ross, Amends Real Estate Tax Sale re maintenance; SB 583 Eichelberger, Amends Economic Development Law re contract awards; SB 591 Vulakovich, Amends Fiscal Code re assistance to municipalities

House Tourism and Recreational Development 10:00 a.m., Room 60, East Wing To consider: HB 1215 Stern, Act re establishing the PA Tourism Commission; HB 1216 Stern, Amends Tax Code re tourism promotion credit

House Appropriations Off the Floor, Room 140 Main Capitol Agenda to be announced

House Health Off the Floor, Room G-50, Irvis Office Building Agenda to be announced

THURSDAY - 6/6/13 House Human Services 9:00 a.m., Room 60, East Wing Public hearing on medical assistance expansion

House Democratic Policy Committee 10:00 a.m., Room 418 Main Capitol Informational public briefing on PA Fish & Boat Commission’s Fiscal Slope: Spending Reallocation Plan and Revenue Generating Options

House Labor and Industry 10:00 a.m., Shawnee Inn, 100 Shawnee Inn Drive, Shawnee on Delaware Public hearing on: HB 858 Major, Amends UC Law re employment definitions

House Select Committee for School Safety 10:00 a.m., Robert M. Smith Student Center Theatre, Room 315, 1 Morrow Way, Slippery Rock Public hearing being held pursuant to: HR 53 Day, Resolution re school safety

Senate Democratic Policy Committee 10:00 a.m., Holiday Inn Downtown, Crown Ballroom, 250 Market Street, Johnstown Roundtable discussion on crime in Pennsylvania’s small urban centers

FRIDAY - 6/7/13 House Labor and Industry 9:00 a.m., Shawnee Inn, 100 Shawnee Inn Drive, Shawnee on Delaware Public hearing on Contractor and Subcontractor Act (Act 7 of 1994)

2013 Session Days for the Pennsylvania General Assembly: The House and Senate are scheduled for session on the following days:  June: 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20 (House only), 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Content in this review contributed by Pennsylvania Legislative Services.

Looking for daily updates on legislation and news related to townships? Check out the PSATS Legislative update: www.mypls.com/PSATS/tabid/1338/Default.aspx located on our Grassroots Lobbying Network page

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