Feb. 10, 2016
HARRISBURG – Legislation that would provide critical funding to Pennsylvania’s state prisons, child advocacy centers and hospital burn centers received bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana) said today.
“We are working to restore funding cuts resulting from some of Gov. Tom Wolf’s line-item vetoes of the 2015-16 budget he signed in December,” Reed said. “The governor’s intent is to use the funding as leverage in future budget negotiations, but we simply refuse to allow him to hold these people and entities hostage.”
House Bill 1801 (Vote: 116-65.) restores the funding cut by the governor to the Department of Corrections to ensure the prisons remain open and the men and women who work in them have the financial support necessary to manage the criminal population safely and efficiently. The bill would restore $939 million.
House Bill 1802 (Vote: 127-53) would continue to fund child advocacy centers around the state. Child advocacy centers provide assistance to young victims of physical and sexual abuse. The bill would restore $1 million.
House Bill 1803 (Vote: 117-61) would keep hospital burn centers, which provide crucial medical care to accident victims, in operation. The bill would restore $3.78 million.
The legislation will next be considered by the Senate.
Representative Dave Reed, Majority Leader
62ns Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives