Auditor General’s York City Pension Audit Highlights Need for Municipal Pension Reform, Lawmakers Say

Mar. 23, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – As Auditor General Eugene DePasquale returned to his home city and joined York City Mayor Kim Bracey to release the findings of his latest municipal pension audit, Reps. Keith J. Greiner (R-Lancaster) and Seth Grove (R-York) today highlighted the need for the General Assembly to act on municipal pension reform. Last week, Greiner and Grove introduced legislation that would put the state’s municipal pension systems on an affordable and sustainable path forward.

House Health and Judiciary Committees to Hold Hearing on Medical Cannabis

Mar. 23, 2015 /

WHAT: Reps. Matt Baker (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter), chairman of the House Health Committee, and Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, will hold a combined hearing on the practical implications of legalizing medical cannabis in Pennsylvania and its impact on health care professionals.

Wolf’s Budget: Sure the Spending Sounds Good, But at What Cost?

Mar. 20, 2015 /

On March 3, Gov. Tom Wolf outlined his budget priorities for the coming fiscal year. The spending plan would increase spending from $29 billion to $33.8 billion, an increase of 16 percent or $4.7 billion in a single year and $12.7 billion over the next two years. It has become increasingly clear since his budget address the governor’s unprecedented spending increase is built on a foundation of higher taxes and is harmful to middle-class families and small business owners.

Barrar and Committee Busy Serving Veterans and Emergency Service Professionals

Mar. 20, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware), majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, this week held two hearings. The first was an informational hearing that explored how organizations in the Commonwealth serve veterans. The second was a public hearing on his plan to consider the best way to overhaul Pennsylvania’s 911 Emergency Telephone Act.

Lawmakers Announce Grant Funding for York County Heritage Trust

Mar. 19, 2015 /

YORK – The members of the York County House Delegation - Reps. Seth Grove (R-York), Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), Mike Regan (R-Dillsburg), Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion), Kevin Schreiber (D-York), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), and Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York Township), today announced funding through the Pennsylvania Cultural and Historical Support Grant Program for the York County Heritage Trust, in the amount of $21,451.90.

Greiner and Grove Introduce Municipal Pension Reform Bill

Mar. 19, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – As local elected officials across the Commonwealth continue to join with Auditor General Eugene DePasquale in calling on Harrisburg to enact reforms that would put Pennsylvania’s distressed municipal pension systems on a sustainable path forward, Reps. Keith J. Greiner (R-Lancaster) and Seth Grove (R-York) today introduced a bill that would do just that.

Turzai, Reed Question Governor’s Authority on School District Demands

Mar. 18, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny County) and House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana County) today questioned Gov. Tom Wolf’s authority to mandate the state’s 500 school districts expend time and resources on a plan to spend what is, thus far, an unfunded budget proposal.

Taylor to Join Toomey in Calling for New Drug Reporting Legislation

Mar. 18, 2015 /

WHAT: Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) will joined U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey to call on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation called the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) Reauthorization Act, which would help states develop more robust prescription drug monitoring programs.

Aument, Bloom Introduce Bills to Protect Excellent Teachers

Mar. 17, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – State Sen. Ryan P. Aument (R-Lancaster) and Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland) today introduced legislation in the House and Senate to keep Pennsylvania’s best teachers in the classroom and boost student achievement by ending the practice of seniority-based layoffs.

Day Questions State Education Secretary on Budget Plan

Mar. 16, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – During today’s House Appropriations Committee hearing with the state Department of Education, Rep. Gary Day (R-Lehigh/Berks), a member of the committee, spoke with Acting Secretary Pedro Rivera about what the governor refers to as his “School Property Tax Reduction Plan.”

Greiner Announces New House Appropriations Committee Website Detailing Effect of Governor’s Property Tax Shift Plan

Mar. 16, 2015 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Keith J. Greiner (R-Upper Leacock), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, today announced the launch of a new website, TaxpayersThatPay.com, which details the net impact of Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed tax increases on Pennsylvania’s taxpayers. TaxpayersthatPay.com shows how much more in new personal income and sales taxes that taxpayers in each school district would pay and compares that amount to the funds proposed to go back to taxpayers under Wolf’s property tax shift plan.

Payne Bill Establishes Penalties for Viewing Porn on State Computers

Mar. 16, 2015 /

HARRISBURG — In response to revelations announced by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General last session, Rep. John Payne (R-Dauphin) today introduced legislation that would establish penalties for state employees who use Commonwealth-owned computers, networks or cellular phones to view and/or exchange pornography.