Before the State House adjourned until January 3, it took final action on two bills which would authorize issuance of $6.2 billion dollars in new state bonds to support energy and economic development projects.

Senate Bill 1310 (Sen. Gordner, R-Columbia) provides for the repayment of monies loaned from the federal government to pay unemployment compensation. This […]

Responding to industry concerns regarding draft regulations released in March, the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed revised air pollution regulations for industrial boilers and incinerators. The EPA said during a press conference on Friday that it believes the new draft regulations offer industry more flexibility.

This week, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted out an amended version of House Bill 1950, the House Marcellus Shale impact fee bill. The amendment, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) replaces the language that recently passed the House with the language approved by the Senate in Senate Bill 1100.

Press conferences and meetings to unveil Pennsylvania’s Congressional redistricting maps have been delayed once again. The House State Government Committee was scheduled to meet on Dec.5, then again on Dec. 7, and now says it will release the plan for Congressional districts on Dec. 15. The office of State Government Committee Chairman Daryl Metcalfe said the only information they have at the moment is that “the committee staff was told to withdrawal the bill.” They could provide no information on the reasoning behind the decision.

Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees completed a proposal for the next farm bill and presented it to the deficit reduction Supercommittee, but the deal was contingent on the committee reaching an agreement by Congress’s self-imposed deadline.

Without an agreed-to deficit reduction plan, the Ag Committees will again be responsible for writing the five […]

Governor Corbett had proposed early in his campaign that the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), now led by Secretary C. Alan Walker, should be the lead agency for state work with expanding and new business operations throughout the state. Legislation was introduced this week to begin putting his plan into motion.

House Bill […]

Last week, both the House and Senate passed their respective versions of a Marcellus Shale bill, but it remains clear that much discussion and negotiations will precede any final decision and passage of legislation for Governor Corbett’s signature.

Last week, the Senate finally dealt with amendments to SB 1100, sponsored by President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati […]