Hitting the Ground Running, House Committees Tackling the Issues: Property Tax Relief/Reform and Reducing Size of the Legislature on the Agenda Next Week The House returns to session on Monday, Sept. 23, to debate and vote on various issues of importance. Live web streams of House session and the majority of committee meetings are available at PAHouseGOP. Important information and events may also be viewed by visiting Facebook/PAHouseGOP. It’s not just about costs… On Tuesday, the House State Government Committee will debate and vote on two bills, both sponsored by Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Armstrong/Indiana), aimed at reducing the size of the General Assembly. House Bill 1234 would reduce the size of the state House of Representatives from 203 members to 153. House Bill 1716 would reduce the state Senate from 50 to 38. Both initiatives require an amendment to the state’s constitution. Article II, Section 16 of the Pennsylvania Constitution divides the Commonwealth into 50 senatorial districts and 203 representative districts. Article XI, Section 1 allows amendments to the constitution to be proposed in the Senate or the House of Representatives. Such an amendment must pass the General Assembly in two consecutive sessions and is then placed on the ballot as a referendum question to be approved or disapproved by the citizens of Pennsylvania. If a majority of voters vote in favor of the question, the constitution will be amended. Can you spell “Relief?” The property tax question… An issue for many Pennsylvanians, property tax relief has been elusive to nail down. Over the years, while there have been a wide variety of property tax proposals, members discovered there are many areas where property taxes are not a major issue, and an over-arching, one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Local tax bases vary widely throughout the state and shifting the current taxing structure to generate revenues to support the state’s education mandate has proven to be very challenging. Also, the diverse philosophical differences existing across the Commonwealth have contributed to a lack of support for comprehensive property tax reform measure. On Monday, the House Finance Committee will discuss and vote on a four-bill property tax relief/reform package: House Bill 1189 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York County) provides school districts with a menu of taxing options and affords those districts using these options the ability to tailor property tax relief specific to their district. Any tax shift occurring under this new authority is required to be used as a dollar-for-dollar reduction, or elimination, of property taxes. House Bill 125 (Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks County) amends the constitution by increasing the homestead exclusion to include 100 percent of the assessed value of the homestead property. House Bill 1677 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Delaware County) aligns statutory provisions with the constitutional amendment language contained in House Bill 125. Combined, House Bill 125 and House Bill 1677 provide school districts with the ability to eliminate property taxes. House Bill 1685 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin counties) will amend the Taxpayer Relief Act by allowing a school district to increase the Earned Income Tax (EIT) for property tax relief without the voter referendum requirement; although the school district can seek voter approval if desired. The Weekly Schedule Identified by bill number, the sponsors and summaries for bills scheduled to be considered in committee or on the House floor are posted below. More information regarding these bills can be found at PAHouseGOP by clicking on the “Research Bills” tab. Monday, September 23, 2013 Committee Meetings/Hearings FINANCE, 11 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building • HB 125 (Rep. David Maloney, R-Berks): Amends the Pennsylvania Constitution to allow local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of the homestead property receiving the exclusion. • HB 1189 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York): Amends the Local Tax Enabling Act to provide school districts with the option to eliminate property taxes. • HB 1677 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon): Amends state law regarding limitations on the homestead property exclusion. • HB 1685 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin): Amends the Taxpayer Relief Act to provide changes to the homestead exclusion and property tax reduction allocations. Session On Monday, the House will convene at 1 p.m. for legislative business. The members will vote the uncontested calendar and Rule 35 resolutions. Votes on Third Consideration • HB 198 (Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia): Establishes a Dyslexia Screening Pilot Program. • HB 278 (Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford/Tioga): Sets the Medical Assistance (MA) reimbursement payments to “critical access hospitals” at 101 percent of MA’s allowable costs for inpatient and outpatient services. • HB 473 (Rep. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Amends the Mechanic’s Lien Law to establish a “Notice of Commencement” process that would allow owners to identify the universe of subcontractors working on their project. • HB 523 (Rep. Matt Baker, R-Bradford/Tioga): Requires the non-custodial parent of children for whom Medical Assistance is sought to enroll the children in their health insurance plan. • HB 721 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin): Prohibits local governments that impose a business privilege tax from taxing business activities outside the geographic boundaries of the local government. • HB 1337 (Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne): Amends the Judicial Code to provide an additional dollar to the Access to Justice Account, the fund that provides money to the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. • HB 1559 (Rep. Frank Farina, D-Lackawanna/Wayne): Provides for suicide awareness, prevention training and resources in public school entities. Tuesday, September 24, 2013 Committee Meetings/Hearings STATE GOVERNMENT, 9 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building • HB 1234 (Rep. Sam Smith, R-Armstrong/Indiana/Jefferson): Reduces the size of the House of Representatives to 153 members. • HB 1716 (Rep. Sam Smith, R-Armstrong/Indiana/Jefferson): Reduces the size of the Senate of Pennsylvania to 38 members. CONSUMER AFFAIRS, 9:15 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol • HB 129 (Rep. Jim Cox, R-Berks): Extends the registry of a phone number on Pennsylvania’s “Do Not Call” list from five years to indefinitely, or until the number is no longer valid for the subscriber. • HB 202 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): ): Reduces standby fees for volunteer fire companies, nonprofit rescue squads and nonprofit ambulance services that own or rent structures equipped with automatic fire protection systems. • HB 228 (Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Allegheny): Increases to $500 the amount a person can sue for actual damages as a private action under the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. JUDICIARY, 10 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building • HB 20 (Rep. Justin Simmons, R-Lehigh/Northampton): Increases the grading of a parent concealing the death of his or her child from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony. • HB 494 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming): Establishes a duty to report the disappearance of a child. • HB 1045 (Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster): Creates the offense of False Reports of Child Abuse. • HB 1594 (Rep. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland/York): Increases penalties for luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure. Session On Tuesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business. Wednesday, September 25, 2013 Committee Meetings/Hearings HEALTH, 9 a.m., Room 205, Ryan Office Building • Public hearing on the following bills: • HB 1586 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming): Requires mammography facilities certified by the Food and Drug Administration to provide patients with information regarding their breast density. • SB 358 (Sen. Bob Mensch, R-Bucks/Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton): Requires mammography facilities certified by the Food and Drug Administration to provide patients with information regarding their breast density. COMMERCE, 9:30 a.m., Room 60, East Wing • HB 1574 (Rep. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Amends the Health Maintenance Organization Act to allow a health maintenance organization (HMO) to be organized as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). • HB 1575 (Rep. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Amends Title 15 (Corporations and Unincorporated Associations) to allow a health maintenance organization (HMO) to be organized as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). EDUCATION, 9:30 a.m., Room G-50, Irvis Office Building • Informational meeting with briefing by Acting Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Carolyn Dumaresq on Pennsylvania’s No Child Left Behind waiver. STATE GOVERNMENT, 10 a.m., Room B-31, Main Capitol • Informational meeting on the Right-to-Know Law and the following bills: • HB 60 (Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre/Mifflin): Exempts the names and addresses of jurors from access under the Right-to-Know Law. • HB 115 (Rep. RoseMarie Swanger, R-Lebanon): Permits agencies to deny Right-to-Know requests made by individuals incarcerated in a federal, state or county prison. • HB 441 (Rep. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny): Extends the Right-to-Know Law exceptions to the home addresses of any public school teacher or employee. • HB 480 (Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Cumberland/Franklin): Extends the Right-to-Know Law exceptions to personal identification information about Department of Corrections employees if the requestor is determined to be a felon. • HB 622 (Rep. David Hickernell, R-Dauphin/Lancaster): Requires that agencies must redact Social Security numbers from otherwise accessible records before they are released or posted on the Internet and requires agencies to redact any Social Security numbers from records already placed online within six months. • HB 788 (Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland): Requires local governments, county governments and school districts to prepare an annual report disclosing salary and wage costs, health care benefits, retirement benefits, and other insurance benefits by employee name and position to be published on a website, newspaper or newsletter. • HB 1087 (Rep. William Adolph, R-Delaware): Allows agencies and local governments to assess search and review fees for public records requested for a commercial purpose. • HB 1093 (Rep. Michael Hanna, R-Centre/Clinton): Exempts all home addresses from disclosure under the Right-to-Know Law. • HB 1476 (Rep. Justin Simmons, R-Lehigh/Northampton): Permits local and state agencies to charge additional search, review and duplication fees, as approved by the Office of Open Records, when responding to public record requests made for a commercial purpose. • HR 100 (Rep. Kate Harper, R-Montgomery): Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the fiscal impact on Commonwealth agencies and local government agencies for implementation of the Right-to-Know Law and make recommendations. Session On Wednesday the House will meet at 11 a.m. for legislative business. Thursday, September 26, 2013 Committee Meetings/Hearings LABOR AND INDUSTRY, 1 p.m., Williamsport City Hall, 245 W. 4th St., Williamsport • Public Hearing on Prevailing Wage Act reform.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 20:02:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015