house of representatives.jpg
The House of Representatives returns to session on Monday to a full slate of bills awaiting action. Among them are budget bills that will be positioned for quick action when a final budget is ready.
(File photo/PennLive.com)
The House returns to session on Monday to kick off the start of the 2016-17 budget-making process by positioning legislation that will serve as placeholders until a final budget is ready to be voted.
While that is nothing more than a procedural move, it is nonetheless important because it reduces the time involved in the final budget approval process.
House Republican spokesman said conversations have begun between House and Senate Republicans and Democrats and Gov. Tom Wolf's administration about next year's spending plan.
Wolf's budget proposal released in February calls for $33.2 billion in spending and a $2.7 billion tax-increase package.
But Republican lawmakers recognize some new revenue will likely be necessary but have expressed little appetite for increasing the state's personal income or sales tax rates. Those are the big-money generators that would be necessary to fund a $3.2 billion increase in spending above the $30 billion set in this year's budget that Wolf allowed the budget to become law without his signature.
"We are trying to come to an agreement obviously earlier than this year," said House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin. "Nobody wants to see a repeat of last year."
House Democrats are on board with that. Their spokesman Bill Patton said his caucus looks "forward to working productively with Republicans and the governor's office to move a budget in a timely manner that answers the need for school funding and closing the budget deficit."
Beyond launching the budget process, the House and its committees are expected to tackle a number of other topics this week ranging from sports betting to establishing a fund to ensure basic education funding continues to flow in the event of a delayed state budget.
The Senate will be returning to session the following week.
Among the various bills on tap for possible action by the full House are:
- "In God We Trust":
- School board training:
- Truancy law overhaul: