House Committee to Examine Bill to Protect Landowner Royalties in Shale Regions

Mar. 14, 2016 /

WHAT: Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny/Washington), chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, will hold an informational meeting on House Bill 1391, which would ensure that royalties paid to landowners who lease to natural gas drillers are protected from unjustified post-production cost deductions.

House, Senate Ag Committees to Hold Hearing on Agriculture Funding Cuts

Mar. 14, 2016 /

WHAT: The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence), will hold a joint public hearing to discuss the impact of agriculture funding cuts on Pennsylvania farmers and programs that support them.

Parker Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Unfair School Funding

Mar. 11, 2016 /

HARRISBURG –Rep. David Parker (R-Monroe) today testified before the House Appropriations Committee on the last day of the 2016-17 budget hearings. Parker detailed how the state’s unfair school funding formula is hurting students and punishing taxpayers in Monroe County. Parker’s spoken and submitted remarks before the committee are as follows:

Metcalfe Relaunches Effort to Protect All PA Workers with E-Verify

Mar. 10, 2016 /

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania House State Government Committee Majority Chairman, Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler), has reintroduced his legislation to require all Commonwealth employers and government entities to enroll in the federal government’s free E-Verify program to confirm the validity of Social Security numbers for prospective employees.

Everett Joins Call for Restoration of Agriculture Funding

Mar. 10, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) joined House colleagues, members of the Penn State Ag Council and representatives of 4-H and agribusinesses in calling for a full restoration of funding to Commonwealth agriculture programs cut by Gov. Tom Wolf.

Ortitay Bill Would Streamline Problem Gambling Assistance

Mar. 10, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) recently introduced legislation to streamline the Commonwealth’s problem gambling assistance programs. Specifically, House Bill 1887 would require the Department of Health establish and maintain one toll-free problem gambling assistance number, which all in-state casinos must make available to patrons.

Petri Bill Would Make it Easier to Adopt Pennsylvania Children

Mar. 10, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Thousands of children are currently awaiting adoption in Pennsylvania, yet state laws are making adoption so difficult that frustrated adoptive parents are going out of state or out of the country to adopt children. Today, the House Children and Youth Committee held a public hearing on legislation by Rep. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) that would make it easier for those seeking to adopt a child to do so in Pennsylvania.

Local Lawmakers Address Wolf’s Proposed Tax Increases and Connection to Property Tax Reform

Mar. 09, 2016 /

LANSFORD – Local legislators from the House Republican Caucus are rejecting Gov. Tom Wolf’s demand for massive tax increases, including an increase to the Personal Income Tax as part of his annual budget proposal. That 11 percent tax increase (retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016), along with several others, would amount to an annual tax hike of $2.7 billion. The legislators included Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon), Rep. David Parker (R-Monroe), Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-Berks/Carbon/Schuylkill) and Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill/Dauphin).

Local Lawmakers: Wolf Tax Hikes Unwanted

Mar. 09, 2016 /

COOPERSBURG - State legislators from Lehigh and Schuylkill counties today said they will continue to oppose the retroactive, broad-based tax increase being pushed by Gov. Tom Wolf.