Weekly Wrap

On Friday afternoon, Governor Wolf announced eight additional counties will move to the yellow phase of reopening and 17 to the green phase, effective May 29. All remaining counties in the red phase are expected to move to yellow by June 5.

The counties moving to yellow on May 29 include Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.

The 17 counties moving to green, also on May 29, include Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren.

Counties that remain in red on May 29 and are expected to move to yellow by June 5 include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.

Before the House could begin their holiday weekend, social distancing of course, members were in Harrisburg this week for three session days.

Monday, the House Health Committee reported out two bills: H.B. 2179 (Warner, Fayette), which would require the Department of Human Services to create an Electronic Benefits Transfer Card Management Program; and S.B. 1110 (Ward, R-Westmoreland), which require the release of certain information during a proclamation of disaster emergency caused by a communicable disease. In addition, the House State Government Committee reported H.B. 2487 (Ryan, R-Lebanon) from their committee. The bill would apply a freeze to the cost-of-living adjustments for public officials.

On the House floor, H.R. 867 (Cutler, R-York) passed with a near party-line vote. The resolution would establish a special committee to monitor and track the response of the COVID-19 pandemic, identify issues, develop a recovery plan and submit a report.

Moving to Tuesday, the House Finance Committee reported a handful of bills out:

  • H.B. 110 (Ryan, R-Lebanon), which would require the Independent Fiscal Office to do a dynamic scoring on all changes in the law that would have a fiscal impact in excess of $10 million;
  • H.B. 1647 (Emrick, R-Berks), which would eliminate an individual’s property tax penalty if the bill is not received during the first year of ownership;
  • H.B. 2460 (Stephens, R-Montgomery), which would extend the discount period for school property taxpayers; and  
  • H.B. 2497 (Dunbar, R-Westmoreland), which excludes small business loans received from CARES Act funds from the personal income tax.

The House Human Services Committee reported out three bills:

  • 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.

In the House Commerce Committee, members reported out H.B. 2452 (Ciresi, D-Montgomery), which would establish a $50 million small business grant program for businesses whose gross annual receipts are less than $1.5 million or employ no more than 10 full-time employees. Furthermore, the House Urban Affairs Committee reported out S.B. 309 (Mensch, R-Montgomery), which would create the Pennsylvania First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account Act.

Things were busy on the House floor as the following bills passed finally and will head to the Senate for consideration:

  • H.B. 2502 (Mihalek, R-Allegheny), which would require the Department of State to issue a report on the implementation of the 2020 primary election;
  • H.B. 2505 (Ecker, R-Adams), which would require a 10-year record retention of records relating to the COVID-19 proclamation of disaster emergency;
  • H.B. 2506 (Everett, R-Lycoming), which would permit restaurants in the yellow or green phase of reopening to begin operation on the outside seating portion of the establishment under certain guidelines; and
  • H.B. 2513 (Everett, R-Lycoming), which would permit restaurants in the yellow or green phase of reopening to begin operation on the inside seating portion of the establishment under certain guidelines, including no more than 50 percent capacity.

Even though Wednesday was highlighted by floor action, one committee meeting to note is the House Finance Committee, who reported out H.B. 2484 (White, R-Philadelphia), which would provide assistance to nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following bills passed on the floor and will make their way to the Senate:

  • H.B. 2173 (Schroeder, R-Bucks), which would provide clarification language concerning the State System of Higher Education and explicitly state that student records are exempt from the Right to Know Law;
  • H.B. 2477 (Rowe, R-Snyder), which would expand limited liability for donated food that is past the labeled date code but still fit for human consumption; and
  • H.B. 2510 (Turzai, R-Allegheny), which would appropriate $500 million in federal CARES Act dollars for the establishment of the Regional Response Health Collaborative to protect residents in long-term care facilities. The bill would also provide the following emergency appropriations for human services:
    • $449 million for COVID medical assistance long-term care;
    • $259 million for COVID community ID waiver program;
    • $50 million for COVID Community HealthChoices;
    • $8 million for COVID medical assistance long-term care – managed care; and
    • $720,000 for COVID autism intervention services.

The Governor vetoed H.B. 2388 (Mihalek, R-Allegheny), which would have provided a waiver of the Governor’s Business Closure Order for vehicle dealers, lawn and garden centers, salons and barber shops, messenger services, animal grooming services, and manufacturing operations. The House attempted to override the veto, but failed by a vote of Y:115/N:87 (136 votes were needed).

Two other bills were vetoed by the Governor: H.B. 2412 (Polinchock, R-Bucks), which would have provided a waiver of the Governor’s Business Closure Order for real estate activities and legal services; and S.B. 327 (Argall, R-Schuylkill), which would have:

  • Established the COVID-19 Cost and Recovery Task Force;
  • Required notification when a statute or regulation is suspended, modified or waived under a declaration of disaster emergency;
  • Required the Treasury Department to identify and review all outstanding debt obligations of the Commonwealth;
  • Tolled proposed regulations, final-form regulations or final-omitted regulations during a disaster emergency; and
  • Established a COVID-19 County Emergency Mitigation Plan for businesses.

The Week Ahead

Things will start back up on Tuesday as the House returns to the Capitol after the Memorial Day weekend. 

The House Consumer Affairs Committee will consider:

  • H.B. 1718 (Davis, D-Allegheny), which would amend the definition of landlord ratepayer to include condominiums, cooperatives and planned communities;
  • H.B. 2293 (Quinn, R-Delaware), which would ensure public utilities who deliver natural gas liquids through populated areas make their emergency response plans available to local emergency management in their counties;
  • H.B. 2348 (Causer, R-McKean), which would create the unserved high-speed broadband funding program; and
  • H.B. 2438 (Owlett, R-Tioga), which would expand broadband infrastructure in rural parts states.

The House State Government Committee will consider:

  • H.B. 2539 (Ecker, R-Adams), which would allow gyms and fitness centers in the yellow phase to operate with up to 25 people;
  • H.B. 2540 (Lawrence, R-Bucks), which would establish the State Epidemiology Advisory Council;
  • H.B. 2541 (Farry, R-Bucks), which would provide for a countywide reopening plan for businesses;
  • H.B. 2543 (Stephens, R-Montgomery), which would ensure all employees and residents in long-term care facilities to be tested for COVID-19; and
  • H.B. 2544 (Jozwiak, R-Berks), which would provide a waiver of the Governor’s Business Closure Order for horse racing

Finishing up on Tuesday, the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee will consider: 

  • H.B. 400 (Klunk, R-York), which would establish the crime of abuse of a care-dependent person;
  • H.B. 2437 (Stephens, R-Montgomery), which would establish COVID-19 reporting requirements for long-term care facilities; and  
  • H.B. 2509 (Day, R-Lehigh), which would establish the long-term care facility personal protective equipment reimbursement grant program.

On Wednesday, the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will hold an informational meeting on agricultural issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the House Local Government Committee will consider H.B. 2536 (James, R-Venango), which would authorize emergency borrowing for local governments relating to tax anticipation notes. Lastly, the House Finance Committee will consider the following bills:

  • H.B. 2369 (Gaydos, R-Allegheny), which would establish grant and loan programs for businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • H.B. 2386 (Mehaffie, R-Dauphin), which would establish the COVID-19 disaster emergency business interruption grant program; and
  • H.B. 2519 (Gleim, R-Cumberland), which would temporarily suspend the tax on admission to places of amusement.

As of now, the only agenda item for Thursday is a House Education Committee will hold an informational meeting to discuss plans to safely reopen schools.

A full list of committee meetings can be found here.

In Other News

  • Governor Wolf announced that the real estate industry may conduct limited business transactions statewide.
  • The Governor modified the executive order on foreclosure and eviction suspensions.
  • The “cocktails-to-go” bill was signed into law.
  • The state will distribute $51 million in CARES Act funding to support child care providers.
  • $9.6 million in grants were awarded to help the charitable food system.
  • Pennsylvania food distributors will receive more than $50 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program.
  • Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate at 15.1 percent in April.
  • The state launched a program for people who exhaust their unemployment compensation benefits.
  • The Administration released summer camp and recreation guidance.