February 13, 2015

Weekly Recap:

With just over three weeks until Governor Wolf’s inaugural budget address, the questions on everyone’s minds are what are our priorities as a Commonwealth and how much money do we have to spend on them. On top of the governor’s to-do list: funding public education, which he proposes to do through a severance tax on natural gas extraction. The Pennsylvania Education Reinvestment Act would impose a 5 percent severance tax plus a 4.7 cents per foot of volume on extraction and is expected to bring in over a billion dollars in 2017 according to the governor, most of which would be used to fund our public schools. And while Wolf believes the concept has bipartisan support, the devil, of course, is always in the details.

For more on Wolf’s plan, go to:

http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015021178.HTM

To see what legislative some leaders think about it, check out:

Reed responds to Wolf 7.5 percent severance tax proposal: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015021121.HTM

Sen. J. Costa comments on Gov. Wolf’s severance tax proposal: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015021133.HTM

Dermody and Hanna welcome Wolf proposal: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015021156.HTM

This week, Gov. Wolf also announced that Pennsylvania will be transitioning out of a part of Gov. Corbett’s Healthy PA plan to a traditional Medicaid expansion plan. A letter to the federal government from DHS indicated what the Commonwealth will no longer pursue the “low-risk” health care package, which could have altered the benefits of some Medicaid enrollees. The fiscal impact of Wolf’s action is not clear at this point.

For more, see:

http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015020966.HTM

Check out what legislators are saying:

Sen. J. Costa, Kitchen applaud Wolf administration decision on Medicaid expansion: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015020938.HTM

Hanna lauds Wolf’s plan for full Medicaid expansion in Pa.: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015020943.HTM

Frankel: Wolf Medicaid decision better for health, jobs, state budget: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015020962.HTM

Senator Hughes statement on Governor Wolf’s announcement regarding “Healthy PA”: http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015020952.HTM

Wolf wasn’t the only one making his priorities known; House Republicans announced their intention to raise revenue by privatizing the state liquor stores. In short order, too: House Republican Leader Dave Reed announced a timetable for the House of Representatives to pass a privatization bill during the week of February 23. Reed didn’t specifically earmark any of the $1.1 billion in one-time revenue, but he did say that Pennsylvania is in no place to shoot down any revenue-raising options with the budget looming. Meanwhile, Democrats disagree with the projected returns and continue to push for liquor “modernization.”

For more from Reed, go to:

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/02/house_republicans_plan_to_vote.html

To read the proposed privatization bill, check out:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=466

Other business around the Capitol included some of what we previewed last week. On Wednesday, the House Children and Youth Committee met to review recent changes to the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). Last session, a number or changes to the CPSL were enacted based on the report of the Task Force on Child Protection. Implementation of the changes hasn’t been without challenges, and the committee needs to examine whether any of the issues should be revisited.

For more, check out this article: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/02/09/Pennsylvania-not-prepared-to-handle-reports-clearances-in-wake-of-new-child-protection-laws/stories/201502090009

Also doing his part to protect children is Rep. Frank Burns. This week, Burns introduced a bill that would require school districts to provide transportation to and from school for any student residing in a district where a sex offender is registered.

To read Burns’ bill, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=372

Also on Wednesday, the House Professional Licensure Committee will hold a meeting to consider H.B. 75 (Kauffman, R-89), which would require that pharmacies outside Pennsylvania register with the State Board of Pharmacy if they fill prescriptions for Pennsylvania residents, and H.B. 182 (Grove, R-196) which would allow pharmacists the ability to give flu vaccines to patients over seven years of age. Both bills were reported to the floor and are now on the House tabled calendar.

Speaking of pharmacy issues, Rep. Becky Corbin and Rep. Mike Schlossberg introduced a bill this week to remove the immunization exception for philosophical reasons from the books in Pennsylvania, due to the number of reported cases of measles throughout Pennsylvania.

To read the co-sponsorship memo, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=17368

A Look Ahead:

Once again, only one chamber will hold session next week; the Senate will convene on Tuesday, February 17 at 1 p.m. (Legislative offices will be closed on Monday in observance of President’s Day).

As of this writing, the Senate has scheduled only a few committee meetings. Among them is a meeting of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee to consider S.B. 352, which would modernize Pennsylvania’s Race Horse Industry Reform Act.

Check out the bill at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=352

To check the Senate Committee schedule, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/CMS/index.cfm?Chamber=S

Both chambers are expected to be in session the week of February 23.

In other news:

That’s the news as we know it. As always, things can change; stay tuned to this blog or follow us on Twitter @BuchananGov for updates.