Sep. 26, 2017 /
![State Legislators to Participate in Hearing on Job Creation, Higher Education]()
WHAT: State legislators will travel to Lehman to participate in a hearing on how to improve Pennsylvania’s economy by helping small businesses succeed, attracting new jobs, and educating a skilled workforce for the jobs for today and tomorrow. Led by House Majority Policy Committee chairman Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) and Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), the hearing will feature representatives from higher education and the local economic development community.
Sep. 26, 2017 /
![Mehaffie-Solomon Bill Would Assist Parents with Daycare Decisions]()
HARRISBURG – State Reps. Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia) today introduced bipartisan legislation which would help parents and caregivers with the difficult decision of which daycare to send their children.
Sep. 26, 2017 /
![Kauffman to Hold Meeting on Legal Case Impacting Workers’ Compensation System]()
WHAT: The House Labor and Industry Committee, led by Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin), will hold an informational meeting on the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case Protz v. WCAB, which is expected to have significant impacts on Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation system. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the case and the expected outcomes of the decision.
Sep. 26, 2017 /
![Adoptee Rights Law to Take Effect in November, Says Toohil]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne) would like to remind her constituents that a new law will soon take effect that reinstates Pennsylvania-born adult adoptees’ rights to access their original birth certificates. Act 127 of 2016 becomes official on Nov.3, one year after it was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.
Sep. 26, 2017 /
![Ward, Irvin Honor Fallen Trooper Landon Weaver]()
HARRISBURG – The state House of Representatives this week unanimously passed legislation to honor the life of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Landon Weaver, who was killed in the line of duty late last year, announced Reps. Judy Ward (R-Blair) and Rich Irvin (R-Huntingdon/Centre/Mifflin), co-sponsors of the bill.
Sep. 25, 2017 /
![Mehaffie, Solomon Bill to Help Parents with Daycare Decisions]()
WHAT: Reps. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia) will announce the introduction of legislation to bring greater clarity to the process of choosing a daycare facility using the existing Keystone STARS performance standards.
Sep. 25, 2017 /
![House Committee Approves James’ Unemployment Compensation Reform Bill]()
HARRISBURG – Today the House Labor and Industry Committee unanimously supported an unemployment compensation reform bill introduced by Rep. Lee James (R-Venango/Butler). The bill would increase the amount of time to appeal an unemployment compensation decision from 15 to 21 days.
Sep. 21, 2017 /
![Ryan Comments on Standard & Poor’s Downgrade]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon) today responded to this week’s announcement by Standard & Poor’s that the firm had downgraded Pennsylvania’s credit rating due to the state’s as yet unresolved 2017-18 budget.
Sep. 20, 2017 /
![Mustio Calls for Keeping Legalizing VGTs and Amnesty in Final Budget Mix]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Mark Mustio (R-Allegheny) issued the following statement in response to Tuesday’s Senate Law and Justice Committee hearing regarding legalizing Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) in Pennsylvania:
Sep. 20, 2017 /
![Causer Bill to Allow Sale of Kane Armory]()
HARRISBURG – At the request of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) has introduced legislation to authorize the sale of the Kane Armory property.
Sep. 20, 2017 /
![Revenues are Being Collected and Pennsylvania Has Never Defaulted on a Bond Payment, House Leaders Say in Response to Credit Downgrade]()
HARRISBURG – Responding to the credit downgrade from Standard & Poor’s today, House Republican leaders reminded investors and Pennsylvanians that the Commonwealth has never missed a payment and tax revenues are continuously being collected. The leaders also suggested the downgrade could help bring lawmakers together in the effort to address major cost-drivers in the state budget.
Sep. 19, 2017 /
![Chairmen Eichelberger and Hickernell Respond to PDE’s Proposed ESSA State Plan]()
HARRISBURG – Sen. John Eichelberger (R-30th) and Rep. Dave Hickernell (Lancaster/Dauphin), Majority Chairmen of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Senate and House Education Committees (respectively), are deeply disappointed that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) largely ignored legislative comments and input on the promulgation of a Consolidated State Plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Sep. 19, 2017 /
![Corr Bill Aims to Prevent Welfare Fraud By Stopping Payments to Dead People]()
HARRISBURG – State taxpayer money shouldn’t be wasted by handing out welfare payments to dead people. That’s the sentiment behind a bill introduced by state Rep. Michael Corr (R-Montgomery).
Sep. 18, 2017 /
![Speaker Announces Special Election for 133rd Legislative District]()
HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) today ordered a special election be held on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to fill the vacant seat in the 133rd Legislative District in Lehigh County.
Sep. 18, 2017 /
![Legislators to Hear from Local Panel on Job Creation, Government Overregulation]()
WHAT: State legislators from across Pennsylvania will participate in a legislative hearing to accept testimony from local job creators that have been impeded by Pennsylvania’s state agencies, complex regulations and cumbersome processes. Led by Chair of the House Majority Policy Committee Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) and Rep. Marcia Hahn (R-Bushkill Township), the hearing will also include testimony from members of the local economic development community who are helping small businesses get up and running, and are working to attract new jobs to the region.
Sep. 14, 2017 /
![Jozwiak Backs Bill Approved by House to Balance State Budget Without Borrowing or Raising Taxes]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Barry Jozwiak (R-Berks) Wednesday night in the state Capitol voted for a bill approved by the House that would balance the current state budget and plug a deficit from the previous state budget without borrowing money or raising state taxes.
Sep. 14, 2017 /
![Lancaster County House GOP Delegation Votes to Put People First in PA Budget]()
HARRISBURG – Last night, the House passed a responsible plan to pay for Gov. Tom Wolf’s spending deficit and to fund the 2017-18 budget without any tax increases or borrowing.
Sep. 14, 2017 /
![Dush, Taxpayers’ Caucus Deliver Deficit Spending Solution with No Tax Increases or Borrowing]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson/Indiana) issued the following statement after the state House approved a plan Wednesday evening to fund the 2017-18 state budget that is not dependent on tax increases or borrowing. House Bill 453 now needs Senate approval before it can be sent to Gov. Tom Wolf for his signature into law.
Sep. 14, 2017 /
![Knowles Votes ‘Yes’ on State Budget Revenue Plan]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill) joined the majority of his House colleagues in supporting a state budget revenue package on Wednesday evening. A fiscally responsible proposal, dubbed the “Putting People First” plan, includes revenues to fund the governor’s $1.5 billion deficit from 2016-17, as well as the anticipated revenues needed for the current budget of approximately $600 million. Knowles made the following statement:
Sep. 14, 2017 /
![Watson Agrees that Child Welfare System Must Be Improved]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th), chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, today thanked Auditor General Eugene DePasquale for being a partner in helping to further protect children in Pennsylvania.