By Jen Quinn, Legislative and Political Director, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
After a very slow start to the legislative session which began on January 3, a lot has happened over the past few weeks. Speaker Mark Rozzi stepped down after the House passed his constitutional amendment, which would expand the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sex abuse. This allowed 102 members to vote to elect Rep. Joanna McClinton as speaker. She is the first woman and second African American to lead the chamber. McClinton’s ascension also led to some reshuffling of House Democratic leadership, with Rep. Matt Bradford becoming majority leader and Rep. Jordan Harris becoming Appropriations Committee chair.
We also finally saw committee assignments, with environmental champion Rep. Grep Vitali becoming majority chair of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. This committee will be an important backstop for bad environmental legislation coming from the Senate. Keep in mind, the Senate is 28R-22D, and has not wasted any time in moving bad legislation.
We saw Sb 144 pass the Senate, which claims to ‘restrict the use of PFAS in firefighting foam’, but what it actually does is shift liability from the manufacturers of PFAS to the fire companies and municipalities that use PFAS, claiming that how it is used is problematic and not the PFAS foam itself.
We also saw Sb 143 pass the Senate. This bill was passed in response to California cities banning gas hookups in new construction and a lot of lobbying by the American Gas Association. No municipality is considering banning gas hookups in new construction, but the Senate found it necessary to preempt their ability to do so.
Hb 195, which eliminates the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) regulation was also introduced and referred to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Given the Democratic majority, we don’t anticipate this bill moving.
We also heard Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first budget address on Tuesday, March 7. It covered many issues, including mental health, child care, workforce development, and education. He was clear in his support for a hydrogen hub in Pennsylvania. He also mentioned methane and the need to plug orphaned and abandoned wells. He did not mention RGGI or a transition to clean energy.
His budget includes an almost 9% increase for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources which includes 21 new positions. His budget includes a 9% increase for the Department of Environmental Protection which should include over 40 new positions. The budget also prioritizes funding for air quality monitoring, dam safety inspections, and full funding for our water commissions, the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.
Both chambers have recessed and won’t return for legislative session until April 24. During this six week break, there will be confirmation hearings for agency secretaries as well as budget hearings.
We’re also expecting two special elections for state house seats on May 16 (primary day). House District 108 in central Pennsylvania is vacant because the Republican representative won a state senate seat. This seat should remain Republican. The 163rd district in southeastern Pennsylvania, is vacant due to the resignation of Rep. Mike Zabel. This Delaware County seat leans Democratic, but is competitive. This is a must-win seat to maintain the razor thin Democratic majority in the House.
This blog was included as part of the April 2023 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!