Budget Update:
It was all budget all the time this week, but it seems to have been to very little or no avail. Despite procedural maneuvers by the House Republicans intended to advance a budget package, the likes of which would require a flow chart to follow, the House of Representatives abruptly recessed on Wednesday afternoon without sending any part of a 2015-2016 spending plan to the governor for his signature or to the Senate for concurrence.
The Senate, frustrated with the House’s inability to come to any sort of agreement, made an interesting play of its own late Wednesday. The Senate reverted to the House-passed version of H.B. 1460 (Adolph, R-Delaware), passed it finally, and sent it along to the governor. The bill is a general appropriations bill that carries a $30.2 million price tag. No implementing legislation—amendments to the Public School Code or the Fiscal Code—was sent to the Governor along with the GA bill. (A Public Welfare Code Omnibus bill is currently on the governor’s desk with a last day of action of December 28. Its fate hangs in the balance while the numbers are worked out). According to Senate Republican Leader Jake Corman (R-Centre), this isn’t the end of the line for the 2015-2016 budget, but sending the bill to the governor would free up much needed funding for certain agencies in the meantime.
The Senate also sent H.B. 1332 (Godshall, R-Montgomery). This bill amends the SERS and PSERS codes, but don’t get too excited. The bill makes technical changes to the codes imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. The bill does not include a major pension overhaul that we had expected to see this budget season.
H.B. 1460 and H.B. 1332 have been signed in the Senate and the House. Now that they crossed the finish line, they head to the governor’s desk. As of now, both chambers are in recess and on six-hour call, unless sooner recalled by the respective leader of their body. Given the ups and downs of the last few days, and the intervening holiday and weekend, it’s hard to say just what is on the agenda for next week.