Pa. legislators face big, familiar agenda
Pa. legislators face big, familiar agenda
September 23, 2013 12:08 am
Share with others:
By Karen Langley / Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau
HARRISBURG — Summer recess is over, but Pennsylvania lawmakers return to the Capitol today to many of the same assignments they left behind in June.
The weeks before the end-of-June budget deadline were filled with much talk — and some movement — on proposals to allow private sales of wine and liquor in Pennsylvania and to establish new funding for the state’s roads, bridges and public transit.
Senate Republicans united their members in a preliminary vote on a privatization plan, a priority of House Republicans, while a House committee approved a transportation bill, a goal of Senate Republicans and Democrats in both chambers.
But neither moved closer to Gov. Tom Corbett’s desk — and the governor’s third major policy goal, pension overhaul, barely budged — before lawmakers recessed for the summer.
Now, aides to the Republican leaders in the House and Senate say work has continued through the summer on the big three issues. But the path forward remains to be seen.
“I think transportation and liquor are in a very similar position now as to where they were on June 30th,” said Erik Arneson, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Delaware.
“Which is to say that the Senate has poised itself for a vote on a strong liquor privatization plan, but — no secret — a number of our members have said publicly that their support of a liquor privatization plan is connected to whether or not a responsible transportation funding plan advances in the House.”
What amounts to a responsible transportation plan has been the subject of serious disagreement.
The Senate in June easily passed a bill that would raise approximately $2.5 billion in new annual revenue by the fifth year, in line with the recommendations of an advisory commission convened by Mr. Corbett and more than the governor himself proposed in February. In late June, the House Transportation Committee approved a smaller package.
House Republicans plan to meet privately in caucus this week to discuss transportation funding, Mr. Miskin said. House Majority Leader Mike Turzai is interested in an approach that would raise about $500 million a year to address weight-restricted bridges and the capital needs of public transportation systems, he said. In August, Transportation Secretary Barry Schoch authorized PennDOT to add or increase weight restrictions on approximately 1,000 bridges.
“Right now our concern is to get something out of the House dealing with Pennsylvania’s critical infrastructure needs,” Mr. Miskin said.
House Republicans faulted their Democratic counterparts in June for refusing to offer support for a floor vote on the GOP transportation bill, which Democrats said was too small. House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, said last week that he did not speak with Republican leaders about transportation over the summer.
“It can’t be tied to any other issues,” he said. “It can’t be dictated to us, as they tried to do in the past. It can’t be a piecemeal approach, and it has to be enough money that it does solve the problem.”
Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, said transportation funding remains a major issue in the Senate.
“We have an obligation to provide for a safe infrastructure — for roads and bridges and transit infrastructure,” Mr. Costa said. “That requires us to address this issue. And it would be scary if we don’t.”
But he acknowledged his chamber is now waiting for the House: “We’re sort of in a holding pattern as we go forward.”
If the House were to pass a transportation bill that prompted Senate leaders to move on liquor legislation, Senate Democrats would continue to oppose allowing private sales of wine and spirits, supporting instead a package of changes they say would modernize the state stores, Mr. Costa said.
Republicans in both chambers say they have focused also on pension overhaul. Rep. Glen Grell, R-Cumberland, a leader of a House Republican task force on pensions, said he has been working throughout the summer on a pension overhaul proposal and hopes to make an announcement next week. He said he is considering a proposal that would have the state borrow through a bond offering to pay some of the unfunded liability of the statewide pension systems.
“Nobody’s really thrilled about the idea of going out and borrowing money, but the point is we already owe $45 billion, so if we take a piece of that and put it on a disciplined payment schedule, that keeps faith with our employees,” Mr. Grell said. “And I think it would make those groups more receptive to being part of the solution as far as any kind of current-member effects to achieve comprehensive pension reform.”
The proposal he described would enroll new employees in a hybrid system combining aspects of defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans. It would make changes for current members only if those members agreed to the changes.
The governor’s health plan, which he unveiled one week ago, will be a focus this fall. Administration officials are scheduled to meet today with representatives of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at the agency’s headquarters in Baltimore, Ms. Lawson said. The governor has proposed several major changes to the state’s Medicaid program, but all are contingent on federal approval.
His plan asks state lawmakers to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program while also eliminating a six-month waiting period for new enrollees, make changes to a prescription-drug monitoring program and pass legislation making an expression of compassion or apology by a health care provider inadmissible as evidence of liability in a malpractice suit. The Senate unanimously passed such an “apology” bill in June.
The Senate also will consider in committee a series of bills based on recommendations of the Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection, which was formed after the criminal charges against former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. The House has passed several bills based on the recommendations.
Following the indictment of Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School founder Nick Trombetta, House Republicans also intend to look at legislation to change the regulation of the online schools, Mr. Miskin said.
Karen Langley: klangley@post-gazette.com or 1-717-787-2141.
First Published September 23, 2013 12:00 am
Read more….