Jun. 19, 2019
HARRISBURG – In an effort to improve Pennsylvania’s budget process and its transparency, the House passed numerous budget reform bills this week, including Rep. Rosemary M. Brown’s (R-Monroe/Pike) legislation to combat budget overruns, House Bill 923.
“The taxpayers, regardless of their political party, deserve to have their dollars spent carefully and judiciously with justification and transparency,” Brown said.
If enacted,
House Bill 923 would improve the Legislature’s ability to evaluate the governor’s requests for supplemental appropriations by requiring the submission of a statement about why it is needed and recommendations for cost-savings or other reforms which address the cause of the need.
Brown added, “Government needs, to the best of its ability, to gather complete and accurate information, especially when additional dollars (supplementals) are requested by the administration. At its core, House Bill 923 reflects the checks and balances system of our democracy, ensuring we verify and check what each level of government is doing and why. I don’t know how as a legislator you can’t support such a request for information to better understand budgetary needs for the current situation and moving forward.”
Other budget reform bills passed by the House this week are as follows:
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House Bill 855: Would require the secretary of the budget to project revenue shortfalls for the fiscal year starting in December and to put amounts in budgetary reserve equal to any shortfall to balance the budget.
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House Bill 920: Would update budget procedures related to unspent appropriations and how these amounts are dealt with at the close of a fiscal year.
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House Bill 921: Would require the administration to issue quarterly reports on the amounts committed and awarded from special funds that provide grants and subsidies.
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House Bill 922: Would require the administration to supply additional information as part of governor’s proposed budget.
Representative Rosemary M. Brown
189th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Abby Krueger
717.260.6617
akrueger@pahousegop.com
RepBrown.com /
Facebook.com/RepRosemaryBrown