PA Capitol Digest Blog

January 9, 2012

Senate Releases Budget Hearing Schedule

The Senate Appropriations Committee released its schedule of budget hearings today. Here's the combined Senate and House schedule--

-- February 13-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Governor's Budge Office; 1:00 - Independent Fiscal Office Economic Outlook and Revenue Overview; 3:00 - Treasury Department. Hearing Room 1, North Office.
-- February 14-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of General Services; 1:00 - Public Utility Commission; 3:00 - Insurance Department. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 15-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Office of the Auditor General; 1:00 - Office of Attorney General; 3:00 - Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 16-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Liquor Control Board; 1:00 - State Police/ Homeland Security; 3:00 - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 21-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Revenue; 1:00 - Department of Health; 3:00 - Department of Aging. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 21-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Global Economy; 11:00 - Independent Fiscal Office; 1:30 - Department of Revenue. Room 140.

-- February 22-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Environmental Protection; 1:00 - Department of Transportation; 3:00 - Department of Banking. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 22-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:00 - Attorney General; 10:00 - Treasury Department; 11:00 - Auditor General; 1:30 - Department of Banking; 2:30 - State-Related Universities (Pitt, Penn State, Temple, Lincoln). Room 140.

-- February 23-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - SERS/ PSERS; 1:00 - Judiciary; 3:00 - Department of Labor and Industry. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 23-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:00 - Gaming Control Board; 10:30 - Judiciary; 1:30 - PSERS/SERS. Room 140.

-- February 27-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Education; 1:00 - Department of Corrections/Board of Probation and Parole; 3:00 - Department of Community and Economic Development/ PA Housing Finance Agency. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 27-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 10:00 - Public Utility Commission; 11:00 - Office of Consumer Advocate, Small Business Advocate; 1:00 - Liquor Control Board; 3:00 - Insurance Department. Room 140.

-- February 28-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Public Welfare; 1:00 - Department of Agriculture; 3:00 - Gaming Control Board. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 28-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Agriculture; 10:30 - Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; 1:30 - Department of Environmental Protection. Room 140.

-- February 29-- NEW. Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - PA Emergency Management Agency; 11:00 - Department of State. Hearing Room 1, North Office.

-- February 29-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Transportation; 11:30 - Taddeus Stevens College of Technology; 1:30 - Department of Health (including Bureau of Drug & Alcohol); 3:00 - Department of Aging. Room 140.

-- March 1-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 10:00 Department of Labor & Industry; 1:00 - Department of Community and Economic Development; 3:00 - PA Commission for Community Colleges. Room 140.

-- March 5-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 10:00 - Department of Education; 1:00 - State System of Higher Education; 2:30 - PHEAA. Room 140.

-- March 6-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - State Police/Office of Homeland Security; 11:00 - PA Emergency Management Agency; 1:30 - Department of Corrections, Board of Probation and Parole; 3:00 - Department of General Services. Room 140.

-- March 7-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 9:30 - Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; 11:30 - Department of State; 1:30 - Department of Public Welfare. Room 140.

-- March 8-- House Appropriations Committee budget hearings: 10:00 - Budget Secretary; 1:00 - House Member Testimony. Room 140.

Monday NewsClips

Governor Shuns Limelight His Predecessor Sought
Corbett Business Aid Plan Gets Second Wind
Op-Ed: Let's Change The Rules For State Budget Game
Op-Ed: Finally, A Fiscally Responsible Governor
Editorial: Grading Corbett's First Year
Legislature Kicks Off 10 Month Campaign Cycle
Editorial: Pay Freezes Should Include Lawmakers Too
Plan Funnels Funds From Turnpike To Mass Transit
Debt Demands Could Hamper Turnpike Projects
Pellegrini Is Unanimous Choice For Commonwealth Court Top Spot
Split Supreme Court Lets Stand Negligent Infliction Of Distress
Luzerne County Recovering From Child Scandal
Op-Ed: Expungement Could Allow Thousands To Move On
PA Isn't Known For Producing Presidents
PA GOP Leaders Believe Santorum Is Fit For Presidency
Corporate Tax Loopholes Topic Of Mundy Bill
Act 32 Could Raise Local Income Tax Rates
Job Losses, Foreclosures Drive Demand For Public Housing
Click Here for today's Environmental NewsClips

January 7, 2012

Saturday NewsClips

Corbett Call To Cut Comes Amid Lifting Of Salary Freezes
Editorial: Get Moving On Transportation Funding
House Republicans To Try Again On Prevailing Wage
Penn State Appropriations Need Careful Review In Light Of Scandal
PA Now Counts Severance Pay Against Unemployment Benefits
Unemployed Push For Extension Of Benefits
Holden Says He Knows NE PA Well
Editorial: Delco Looking For Leadership From Corbett
Unions Make Another Push For Delco Refinery Workers
2012 Assessment Values Must Be Used In Allegheny
Judge Will Consider Delaying New Assessment Numbers For Year
Editorial: Only Uniformity Can Calm Assessment Furor
Harrisburg Incinerator Debt Includes $49 Million In Attorney's Fees
Former Executive Director Voiced Concerns Over Incinerator Loan
Click Here for today's Environmental NewsClips

January 6, 2012

Jan. 9 PA Environment Digest Now Available

Jan. 9 PA Environment Digest now available. Click Here to print this Digest.

Sen. Scarnati Pushes Governor, House Republicans To Agree On Marcellus Bill

Shortly after being sworn in as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) told reporters, "I would strongly recommend that we have this (Marcellus Shale legislation) wrapped up before the budget address (February 7). The people want it done. If it isn't done, it's going to be an issue for 2012."

Otherwise, he said, reconciling the different Senate and House versions of the drilling fee and environmental protection measures would be "complicated" by debates over the state budget.

"What we saw last year was the fact that Shale could've held up this budget greatly," said Sen. Scarnati. "We respected the wished of the Governor to wait for the (Marcellus Shale) Commission."

Sen. Scarnati noted the decision by five Republican Senators from Southeast Pennsylvania last month to vote for an amendment offered by Sen. John Yudichak (D-Luzerne), Minority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, for a higher $75,000 per well fee shows the degree of support in the Senate for a higher fee and using some fee revenue for statewide needs.

In December, the House unanimously non-concurred in changes made by the Senate to House Bill 1950 (Ellis-R-Butler) imposing a Marcellus Shale drilling fee and enacting a laundry list of additional environmental protection measures related to drilling.

The Senate earlier amended House Bill 1950 to include the provisions of its own version of a drilling fee and environmental protection provisions from Senate Bill 1100 (Scarnati-R-Jefferson).

The House-passed version of House Bill 1950 contains an optional, county-adopted drilling fee favored by Gov. Corbett while the Senate Bill includes a uniform, higher state-imposed fee.

The House version, however, includes transfers from the DCNR Oil and Gas Fund to the award-winning Growing Greener Program. In addition to providing funding to deal with the local impacts of drilling, fee income also supports other statewide environmental programs and county conservation districts.

The Senate drilling fee would also support local programs designed to deal with the impacts of drilling and conservation districts, but would give money to the Commonwealth Financing Authority for infrastructure and watershed restoration projects.

A summary, the Senate Fiscal Note and the House Fiscal Note are available for the bills.

The Senate is expect to insist on its amendments to House Bill 1950 when they and the House return to session on January 17 and name members to the conference committee, however, Senate and House Republicans and representatives of the Governor's Office continue to meet to work on a compromise measure.

NewsClips:

Senate Leader Sees Crunch Time On Shale Bill
Sen. Scarnati Urges Action On Drilling Fee In January
Drilling Fee Deadline: Before Corbett's Budget Address

Fair Tax On Gas Drillers Could Help Alleviate Shortfall