This week the House and Senate are scheduled for budget votes weeks earlier than followers of the General Assembly would traditionally see. However, there is nothing traditional about this year’s budget process or the challenges the Commonwealth is currently facing.

Recognizing that state revenues are being drastically impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and shutdown response, legislative leaders are moving forward with a temporary budget. The plan is to fund the state for the next five months, and then come back to the table to finish a separate budget for the final seven months of the fiscal year. This plan came about once revenue experts determined it would be nearly impossible to predict the long-term impact by the June 30 budget deadline, and it is in the best interest of all residents to move forward with two budgets for the next fiscal year.

Budget bills are scheduled to start moving in both chambers on Tuesday.

The Weekly Schedule

More information regarding these votes can be found at PAHouseGOP.com by clicking on the “House Business” tab.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Committee Meetings/Hearings:

Aging and Older Adult Services, Noon, G-50 Irvis

• HB 400 (Rep. Kate Klunk, R-York): Would expand the crime of abuse of a care-dependent person to include posting pictures of care-dependent individuals by employees without permission and categorize the crime as a misdemeanor.

• HB 2437 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Would establish the Emergency Declaration Data Transparency Act.

• HB 2509 (Rep. Gary Day, R-Lehigh/Berks): Would establish the Long-Term Care Facility Personal Protective Equipment Reimbursement Grant Program.

• HR 884 (Rep. Parke Wentling, R-Mercer/Crawford/Erie/Lawrence): Would designate the week of May 10-16, 2020, as “National Skilled Nursing Care Week” in Pennsylvania.

State Government, Call of the Chair, 60 East Wing

• HB 2530 (Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter): Would amend the Religious Freedom Protection Act to ensure certain practices may not be infringed upon during an emergency declaration.

• HB 2539 (Rep. Torren Ecker, R-Adams/Cumberland): Would extend business closure waivers to health clubs, gyms and fitness centers in counites permitted to reopen in the yellow phase and that implement specific health and safety measures.

• HB 2540 (Rep. John Lawrence, R-Chester/Lancaster): Would establish a five-person State Epidemiology Advisory Council specific to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• HB 2541 (Rep. Frank Farry, R-Bucks): Would authorize the governing body of a county, in consultation with specified county offices and officials, to develop and implement a countywide reopening plan for businesses.

• HB 2543 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Would require COVID-19 testing for every recipient and employee in personal care homes, assisted living residences and long-term care nursing facilities.

• HB 2544 (Rep. Barry Jozwiak, R-Berks): Would extend Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) waiver provisions to all licensed racing entities.

• HR 726 (Rep. Bob Brooks, R-Westmoreland/Allegheny): Would recognize the week of Oct. 4-10, 2020, as “National Newspaper Week” in Pennsylvania.

• HR 727 (Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia): Would commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

• HR 729 (Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia): Would honor the life and achievements of Dr. Noel Ignatiev and expresses condolences on his passing.

• HR 850 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon): Would designate May 16, 2020, as “Jim Thorpe Day” in Pennsylvania.

SESSION:

On Tuesday, session will begin at 1 p.m.

Votes on Second Consideration:

• HB 110 (Rep. Frank Ryan, R-Lebanon): Would require the Independent Fiscal Office to prepare, upon request, a revenue estimate for a proposed bill or amendment expected to carry a fiscal impact that exceeds $10 million.

• SB 309 (Sen. Bob Mensch, R-Berks/Bucks/Montgomery): Would establish a freestanding act to provide for first-time home buyers savings accounts.

• SB 842 (Sen. Kristen Phillips-Hill, R-York): Would remove the requirement for last names to be displayed on health care employees' identification badges.

• HR 693 (Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York): Would recognize the month of March 2020 as "Save Your Vision Month" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 694 (Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York): Would recognize March 18, 2020, as "Kick Butts Day" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 707 (Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks): Would designate the month of March 2020 as "Ancient Order of Hibernians Month" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 738 (Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster): Would designate the month of May 2020 as "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 751 (Rep. Harry Readshaw, D-Allegheny): Would designate the month of May 2020 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 760 (Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike): Would designate the month of May 2020 as "Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

• HR 766 (Rep. Chris Quinn, R-Delaware): Would designate March 26, 2020, as "Epilepsy Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.

Votes on Third Consideration:

• HB 2387 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would provide for the General Appropriations Act for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2441 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would make nonpreferred appropriations to the Pennsylvania State University for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2442 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would make nonpreferred appropriations to the University of Pittsburgh for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2443 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would make nonpreferred appropriations to Temple University for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2444 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would make nonpreferred appropriations Lincoln University for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2445 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would make nonpreferred appropriations to the University of Pennsylvania for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

• HB 2467 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Professional Licensure Augmentation account.

• HB 2468 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Workmen’s Compensation Administration Fund.

• HB 2469 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Office of Small Business Advocate.

• HB 2470 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Office of the Consumer Advocate.

• HB 2471 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds to the Public School Employees' Retirement Board.

• HB 2472 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds to the State Employees’ Retirement Board.

• HB 2473 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

• HB 2474 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

• HB 2475 (Rep. Stan Saylor, R-York): Would appropriate funds for the restricted revenue accounts in the State Gaming Fund, Fantasy Contest Fund and Video Gaming Fund.

• HB 2487 (Rep. Frank Ryan, R-Lebanon): Would amend the Public Official Compensation Law to apply a freeze to cost-of-living adjustments through 2021.

• SB 1027 (Sen. John Gordner, R-Columbia/Luzerne/Montour/Northumberland/Snyder): Would amend the Administrative Code as it relates to the State Geospatial Coordinating Board.

Wednesday, May 26, 2020

Committee Meetings/Hearings:

Children and Youth, 9 a.m., 60 East Wing

• HB 1270 (Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne): Would add postpartum depression as a qualifying at-risk condition for early intervention services under the Early Intervention Services System Act.

• HB 1867 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming): Would amend crimes code to add offense of unregulated transfer of custody of an adopted child.

• HB 2503 (Rep. Brett Miller, R-Lancaster): Would allow certain employers to hire employees on a provisional basis, pending the completion of all submitted background checks.

Finance, 9:30 a.m., 205 Ryan Office Building

• HB 2369 (Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny): Would create the COVID-19 Grant and Loan Programs to support businesses that are financially impacted by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

• HB 2386 (Rep. Tom Mehaffie, R-Dauphin): Would establish the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency Business Interruption Grant Act.

• HB 2519 (Rep. Barb Gleim, R-Cumberland): Would temporarily suspend the tax on admission to places of amusement in Pennsylvania.

Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 10 a.m., G-50 Irvis

• Informational meeting on agricultural issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SESSION:

On Wednesday, session will begin at 11 a.m.

Votes on Second and Third Consideration are TBD

Live web streams of House session and the majority of committee meetings are available at PAHouseGOP.com.