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| News You Can Use |
| Legislative Headlines |
House Passes Revenue Plan to Help Close Out Budget
In seeking to close out the 2017-18 state budget process, the House this week voted on part of a revenue package to finish funding the 2016-17 fiscal year and maintain operations for the current fiscal year.
House Bill 542 would raise the bulk of revenue needed to close the budget gap by securitizing the Tobacco Settlement Fund, ensuring third-party online sellers remit the sales tax and applying the sales tax to fireworks. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Additional measures still need to be passed in the Senate on gaming reforms and reinvesting excessive balances from dormant state funds. The fiscal code bill needs to be finalize for the budget package.
House Republicans have been focused on standing up for taxpayers, first by successfully passing a spending plan that spent much less than the governor proposed, and now by approving a revenue plan without any broad-based taxes to further burden individuals, families and employers.
Governor Vetoes Welfare Reform Bill
Despite dozens of House members urging Gov. Tom Wolf to sign House Bill 59, the Human Services code part of the 2017-18 state budget package, he chose to veto it on Thursday.
The measure was designed to contain escalating costs for the state’s Medical Assistance (MA) program by starting a process to implement work or work-search requirements for able-bodied individuals receiving MA benefits.
Work requirements are already in place for food stamp and cash assistance programs. Under the bill, the work requirements would not have applied to those who have a qualifying disability, are pregnant or are elderly. The federal government would have had to approve such requirements.
Improving Education at All Levels
As part of the Public School Code portion of the 2017-18 budget package, the House passed several important initiatives designed to enhance curriculum and improve the educational process.
Changes to overall kindergarten through 12th-grade education include delaying the implementation of the Keystone Exam as a graduation requirement until the 2019-20 school year; prohibiting “lunch shaming” to ensure all students have access to school lunches; adding opioid abuse and prevention education to drug and alcohol abuse curriculum and enhancing agriculture education offerings; supporting the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC).
To help with public school administration, changes are also being sought to require training for new members of a school’s governing body and to allow a school to furlough teachers for economic reasons and basing those decisions on performance, rather than seniority.
The legislation now heads back to the Senate for concurrence.
Got Expired Drugs? Dispose of Them Safely on Oct. 28
To help keep prescription medications out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, the U.S. Department of Justice, working with local law enforcement, will hold a prescription take-back event in our area on Saturday, Oct. 28. This event allows residents to drop off unwanted or expired prescription medications free of charge for safe and convenient disposal.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents can drop their medications off here. More sites are being added daily.
Several communities in our area also have permanent collection sites. Click here for those.
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| Committee Updates |
Monday, Oct. 16
Labor and Industry:
Public hearing on HB 1641 – Employment First legislation.
Tuesday, Oct. 17
Judiciary:
Informational meeting regarding current trends in opioid abuse and other illegal drug use.
Tourism and Recreational Development:
HB 1793 (Charlton) – Pennsylvania Semiquincentennial Commission Act.
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| Rep. Delozier in the Community |
• I participated in the fifth annual “Walk a Mile for a Vet” in New Cumberland. More than $3,000 was raised this year for the homeless veterans house in Harrisburg. We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude, and this is just one way to help them.
• The annual Mechanicsburg Halloween Parade was held last week in downtown Mechanicsburg. It was great to see so many unique and amazing costumes.
• Last week, I hosted, along with MidPenn Legal Services and the Cumberland County Bar Association, the final of four free “Older and Wiser” informational seminars. The events featured topics geared toward older adults, their families and caregivers.
• The YWCA Greater Harrisburg held a first responders breakfast to celebrate the collaborative efforts of first responders within the tri-county community to serve victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The event benefited the YWCA’s emergency shelter and services for domestic violence victims.
• October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To commemorate the 120 victims killed as a result of domestic violence over the past year, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence held its annual ceremony at the Capitol. At the event, each victim’s name was read aloud, and I was honored to participate. Also, Thursday evening, I attended Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland & Perry Counties’ annual candlelight vigil to honor and remember the victims of domestic violence. We must raise awareness to put a stop to domestic violence.
• I spoke to the New Cumberland Olde Town Business Association about the current budget situation. While the House passed another revenue package this week, there is still work to be done. |
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| Office Locations |
| 2929 Gettysburg Road, Suite 6, Camp Hill PA 17011 | Phone: (717) 761-4665 |
| 141 East Wing, PO Box 202088, Harrisburg PA 17120-2088 | Phone: 717-783-5282 |
| Email: sdelozie@pahousegop.com |
| TTY: 855-282-0614 |
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