Only 24 days remain until the start of the Fall Legislative Session in Harrisburg. Without a lame duck session scheduled, legislators will have only a few days to finalize legislation before starting over in January in the new 2013-14 legislative session. ERG will provide updates in the coming weeks about the schedule and docket for the General Assembly’s fall session.
With all of the state House, and half of the Senate, up for re-election, legislators are scheduled to adjourn after the week of October 15, to return home and continue courting the electorate.
The summer has seen several changes in the list of candidates on the fall ballot:
- State Senator Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny), elected to the 40th Senate
district seat in an August 7 special election, was sworn in as State Senator on
Wednesday to fill the seat vacated with the resignation of Jane Orie. - Hal English, an attorney and Marine Corps veteran was chosen by the Republicans to run for the 30th District House seat previously held by then Rep. Vulakovich.
- Democrats have removed former Speaker Bill DeWeese from the Green County ballot, and named Greene County Commissioner Pam Snyder to replace him in the November general election.
- In the 133rd State House district, State Democrats named Daniel McNeill, a former Ironworkers union leader and township commissioner, as a candidate replacing Rep. Joe Brennan on the fall ballot. Brennan withdrew from the race after he was charged with assaulting his estranged wife and driving away drunk. Brennan will leave the Legislature when his term expires Nov. 30.
- In the 193rd State House district, Democratic candidate Mike Strausbaugh withdrew his candidacy, citing family issues. Anthony (Tony) McNevin was chosen to replace him on the ballot. McNevin, a Pittston native was educated at IUP and Catholic University of America, and according to a press release, has a 30 year career as “an executive of national and international associations in the health professions field.” McNevin will face Rep. Will Tallman (R-Adams).
- In the 97th State House district, Republicans selected Manheim Township Treasurer Steven Mentzer to run in the Nov. 6 general election. Mentzer, the president of the nonprofit Central America Relief Efforts, will seek to replace Rep. John Bear who recently resigned to become a lobbyist for Reading-based Stevens and Lee.