Weekly Wrap

On Friday afternoon, Governor Wolf announced that 12 more counties will enter the yellow phase of reopening on Friday, May 22. Those counties include Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and York. 24 counties moved into the yellow phase on May 8 and another 13 beginning today. The remaining 18 counties remain in the red phase.

The Senate was in session the first three days of the week, while the House of Representatives returned to Harrisburg on Thursday for a voting session day.

Monday, the Senate Education Committee held a public hearing on the continuity of education during COVID-19. In the Senate Appropriations Committee, members reported out S.B. 1148 (Browne, R-Lehigh), the COVID-19 Emergency Supplement to the General Appropriations Act of 2019. The bill adds federal appropriations to departments and agencies to provide relief from the financial burdens caused by COVID-19.

The Senate Finance Committee reported out H.B. 2408 (Markosek, D-Allegheny), which would exclude an individual’s stimulus check and Paycheck Protection Program loans under the CARES Act from the state personal income tax. The bill would also increase the limit on the amount of funds allowed to be expended by a nonprofit corporation or charitable trust from an endowment from 7% to 10% for a calendar year in which there is a proclamation of disaster emergency or state of disaster emergency is in effect and the succeeding calendar year.

On the Senate floor, S.B. 959 (Bartolotta, R-Washington) passed unanimously and is now in the House Health Committee for consideration. The bill would provide for an additional payment of $130 per eligible Medicaid ventilator or tracheostomy day for qualified medical assistance nonpublic and county nursing facilities.

Tuesday, the Senate Transportation Committee held a public hearing on COVID-19’s impacts to the Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. S.B. 958 (Mastriano, R-Franklin), which would clarify that electric energy supplied to a borough for resale within the borough limits is exempt from the gross receipts tax, was reported from the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Senate unanimously passed S.B. 1122 (Pittman, R-Indiana), which would making the following appropriations from funds provided by the federal CARES Act: $449 million for Medical Assistance – Long-Term Care; $50 million for Community HealthChoices; and  $8 million for Medical Assistance – Long-Term Care – Managed Care. In addition, H.B. 1076 (Hennessey, R-Chester) was sent to the Governor. The bill would provide that the filing of a claim for property tax or rent rebate may be extended from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020.

On Wednesday, the Senate Aging and Youth Committee held a joint public hearing with Senate Local Government Committee on the safety of vulnerable populations and counties’ ability to open safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the House didn’t hold any floor votes, there were a few committee meetings to move bills along in the legislative process. The House Appropriations Committee reported out H.B. 2510 (Turzai, R-Allegheny), which would establish regional health collaboratives to protect individuals in long term care nursing facilities, personal care homes, and assisted living residences. The Commonwealth Financing Authority would receive $500 million in federal CARES Act dollars to pay for the program.

The House State Government Committee reported out the following bills:

  • H.R. 867 (Cutler, R-Lancaster), which would appoint a special committee to monitor and track the response, identify issues, develop a recovery plan and submit a report on the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • H.B. 2502 (Mihalek, R-Allegheny), which would require the Department of State to issue a report on the administration of the 2020 primary election;  
  • H.B. 2505 (Ecker, R-Adams), which would provide for COVID-19 record retention by state agencies;
  • H.B. 2506 (Everett, R-Lycoming), which would allow establishments to open outdoor areas with up to 50% of seating capacity; and
  • H.B. 2513 (Everett, R-Lycoming), which would allow establishments to utilize 50% of their indoor seating capacity.

The Senate unanimously passed H.B. 327 (Warren, D-Bucks), which would allow sales of prepared alcoholic beverages and mixed drinks for off-premise consumption. The bill will go to the Governor’s desk for his signature.

Other bills that will go to the Governor once signed by the Senate include:

  • H.B. 2388 (Mihalek, R-Allegheny), which would provide a waiver to the Governor’s business closure order to the following business types: vehicle dealers, lawn and garden centers, cosmetology salon and barber shops, messenger services, animal grooming services, and all manufacturing operations;
  • H.B. 2412 (Polinchock, R-Bucks), which would provide a waiver to the Governor’s business closure order to for legal services, residential and commercial real estate activities; and
  • S.B. 327 (Argall, R-Schuylkill), which would:
    • Establish the COVID-19 Cost and Recovery Task Force;
    • Require notification when a statute or regulation is suspended, modified or waived under a declaration of disaster emergency;
    • Require the Treasury Department to identify and review all outstanding debt obligations of the Commonwealth;
    • Toll proposed regulations, final-form regulations or final-omitted regulations during a disaster emergency; and
    • Establish a COVID-19 County Emergency Mitigation Plan for businesses.

The Week Ahead

The House will be in session next week, focused on legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Monday, the House Health Committee will consider:

  • H.B. 2179 (Warner, R-Fayette), which would require the Department of Human Services to create an Electronic Benefits Transfer Card Management Program;
  • S.B. 842 (Phillips-Hill, R-York), which would omit health care workers’ last names from their identification badge; and
  • S.B. 1110 (Ward, R-Westmoreland), which would require the state to release certain information during a proclamation of disaster emergency involving a communicable disease.

The House State Government Committee will consider three bills of note:

  • H.B. 2489 (Maloney, R-Berks), which would provide a waiver to the Governor’s business closure order to all outdoor recreational activities;  
  • H.B. 2496 (Ecker, R-Adams), which would provide a waiver to the Governor’s business closure order to florists; and
  • H.B. 2517 (Staats, R-Bucks), which would provide a waiver to the Governor’s business closure order to residential cleaning services.

Tuesday, the House Commerce Committee will consider H.B. 2452 (Ciresi, D-Montgomery), which would establish a $50 million grant program for small businesses that make no more than $3 million in gross annual receipts or employ up to 30 full-time employees. In the House Urban Affairs Committee, two bills will be taken up: S.B. 30 (Killion, R-Delaware), which would establish the Pennsylvania Housing Tax Credit; and S.B. 309 (Mensch, R-Montgomery), which would establish the Pennsylvania First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account.

The House Human Services Committee will consider:

  • H.B. 1363 (Murt, R-Montgomery), which would establish a bill of rights for people with intellectual disabilities or autism;
  • H.B. 2187 (Galloway, D-Bucks), which would establish a statewide children’s mental health ombudsman; and
  • H.B. 2331 (Galloway, D-Bucks), which would establish a mental health care services clearinghouse.

Lastly, the agenda for House Finance Committee is jam-packed, as the committee will consider:

  • H.B. 1647 (Emrick, R-Northampton), which would eliminate the property tax penalty if the bill is not received during the first year of ownership;
  • H.B. 2422 (Sims, D-Philadelphia), which would increase the cap on the percentage of the value of assets held by or for an electing charity during a disaster emergency;
  • H.B. 2460 (Stephens, R-Montgomery), which would extend the discount period during which school property taxpayers may pay their property taxes at the discounted rate;
  • H.B. 2484 (White, R-Philadelphia), which would establish financial restrictions for nonprofit corporations and charitable trusts during a disaster emergency; and
  • H.B. 2497 (Dunbar, R-Westmoreland), which would exclude Paycheck Protection Program loans under the federal CARES Act from the personal income tax.

Two informational meetings will be held on Thursday: the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee will hold an informational meeting to discuss protocols in long-term care facilities; and the House Labor and Industry Committee will hold an informational meeting to receive an update from the Department of Labor and Industry on the status of the unemployment compensation system.

A full list of committee meetings can be found here.

In Other News

  • Governor Wolf outlined the consequences to counties that do not abide by the Governor’s orders relating to COVID-19.
  • The U.S. Department of Education approved the state’s application for $523.8 million in one-time federal emergency funds to help schools respond to COVID-19 impacts.
  • The Department of Health (DOH) began distributing the investigational antiviral medication, remdesivir, to treat patients in the hospital with COVID-19.
  • DOH announced that all nursing home residents and staff will be tested for COVID-19.
  • Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that his office is investigating nursing homes for criminal neglect.
  • The Department of Community, Economic and Recreational Development announced an additional $12 million in new funds awarded to businesses in 37 counties through the COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program.
  • The Department of Transportation announced that expiration dates for vehicle registrations and safety and emission inspections will be extended through June 30, 2020.