Summary of Legislative Activity | August 2023 – Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers

Summary Legislation

Senate Returns to Work on 2023/24 Budget

The Senate reconvened briefly on August 30, and took another, small step toward finishing passage of the 2023-24 budget package. First, the Senate Appropriations Committee met to consider several bills. The first, SB 757 , which amends the Fiscal Code, became the vehicle for restoring the PASS education scholarship initiative that Senate Republicans had added to the spending bill, HB 611, but Gov. Shapiro blueline vetoed the funding, after House Democrats refused to pass the bill if it were included. Amendment A01921 by Chairman Scott Martin was adopted on a party-line vote with Democrats voting in the negative. Another amendment offered by Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh), was tabled on a party-line vote with Democrats voting in the negative.

The bill was reported as amended on a party-line vote with Democrats voting in the negative.

The larger part of the implementing language was inserted into HB 1300. As it passed the House, Rep. Tom Mehaffie’s bill amended the Pennsylvania Long-term Care Council Act, further providing for Pennsylvania Long-term Care Council to indicate the council shall include one member who represents the Office of the Long-term Care Ombudsman. After a series of Democrat amendments were tabled on party-line votes, Amendment A01922 by Chairman Martin was adopted on a party-line vote with Democrats voting in the negative.

The Fiscal note, which describes the program directions funded by HB 611 can be found here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/SFN/2023/0/HB1300P1943.pdf

The bill was re-reported as amended on a party-line vote with Democrats voting in the negative, after Senate Dems objected to being largely left out of the negotiations on the budget package.

The bills were then reported to the Senate floor, and passed on party line votes. HB 1300 passed (29-18), and SB 757 passed, 28-19). The bills now move to the House for further consideration.

Anti-Separations Act Bill to Be Introduced

On August 31, Senator Chris Dush (Republican Chair of the State Government Committee) sent a memo to his fellow Senators asking that they cosponsor a bill that would "modernize" the Separations Act. "Modernize" is this context means that public bodies could simply choose to use a single prime bid system if they liked. The memo asking for co-sponsors includes a long list of organizations that reportedly support the legislation. Here is a link to the memo:

Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda - PA State Senate

Bills that amend the Separations Act are sometimes referred to the State Government committee. As chair of the committee, Dush could move the bill forward in the Senate. You are encouraged to contact your state senator and urge him/her to not cosponsor the bill or support it if it comes up for a vote. The actual wording of the bill is not yet public.

This Month in the PA Bulletin:

Governor’s Office: Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program

Gov. Josh Shapiro issued an executive order to establish the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program (CWTP) and instruct the Department of Labor and Industry, in conjunction with the Office of the Budget and the executive director of critical investments, to develop and implement policies and procedures to govern the CWTP. Additional information is available in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Pennsylvania Bulletin (pacodeandbulletin.gov)

Legislative Activity

The following bills and co-sponsorship memos for bills to be introduced of interest to PSPE were acted on by the General Assembly this past month.

Bidding / Contracting

NONE

Budget Related Bills

NONE

COVID-19 Related Legislation

NONE

Environmental Building Standards

NONE

Liability

NONE

Local/State Government/Regulations

NONE

Local/Property Tax Reform

NONE

Mandate Waivers

NONE

Mechanic's Lien

NONE

Permitting

HB 859 RE: Helping Municipalities Ensure a Strong Tax Base for Revitalization (by Rep. Dan Williams, et al)

Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally), in neighborhood blight reclamation and revitalization, further providing for municipal permit denial for failure to abate a serious violation of state law or a code on real property within the municipality that is owned by a limited liability corporation; requires a limited liability corporation to disclose in writing at the submission of an application any delinquencies in real property taxes or municipal charges or for failure to abate a serious violation of state law or a code on any real property within the municipality.

Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Local Government Committee, 8/1/2023

Prevailing Wage

NONE

Procurement

NONE

Professional Licensure

NONE

Regulatory Process

NONE

Separations Act

Cosponsor memo filed

SCO1176 (Dush) – Modernizing Pennsylvania's Separations Act

Gives state and local government entities the ability to use project delivery methods outside of the Separations Act.

Filed, 8/31/2023

School Construction

NONE

Transportation

NONE

Worker's Comp

NONE

Workforce Development

NONE

Upcoming Meetings of Interest

Some House Committee meetings and session can be viewed online at: http://www.pahousegop.com/
Senate Committee meetings and session can be streamed at: http://www.pasenategop.com/

Wednesday 9/6/23

House Local Government Committee
1:00 p.m., Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, 961 Marcon Blvd., Allentown

To Discuss: HB 782 (Schlossberg) - Amends the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, providing for developments of regional significance and impact; and, in zoning hearing board and other administrative proceedings, further providing for jurisdiction.