Reshuffling in the House Energy and Commerce Committee is leaving two key subcommittee posts up for grabs. The chairmanship for the committee’s Oversight and Investigations subcommittee is open. Current Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) will not return to Congress after losing a primary battle.

Last Wednesday the 2012-13 Legislative Session came to a close. Several pieces of legislation were sent to the Governor for approval, including the 2012-2013 Capital Budget authorization, but a few bills that were anticipated to be finalized before the election will wait until 2013 for further consideration. The House and Senate will return to Harrisburg the week of November 13 for leadership elections and housekeeping matters.

On Wednesday, the House signed Senate Bill 341, sponsored by Sen. Greenleaf (R-Montgomery). The bill authorizes an Automotive Fuel Testing and Disclosure Program, providing for the annual testing of automotive fuel for octane rating on a random, unannounced basis. The bill also allows the Department of Agriculture to enter into agreements with city or counties and authorizes investigations by the department, and provides for violations and penalties. The bill was amended to make the program voluntary by PDA. The Governor has until November 3 to act on the legislation.

During a press conference last week Governor Corbett responded strongly to suggestions that personnel moves in the administration were a precursor to drilling for shale gas in state-owned forests and parks.

This month the Corbett administration has announced that funds generated by Act 13, the natural gas extraction law, were roughly $204 million. Corbett praised the results of the fee and noted that the majority of the funds will go directly to local government for a variety of approved uses.

The General Assembly returned to Harrisburg this week to begin preparing bills for votes in October. There is never a shortage of issues to be addressed, but there is a shortage of time. Only 6 session days are scheduled in the Senate, and 8 in the House prior to November election. Both House and Senate […]

In their first week back in Session from summer recess, both the House and Senate Agriculture committees met to move bills that are on the fall legislative agenda.

Sunoco announced Wednesday that its shuttered Marcus Hook refinery will be reborn as a facility to process Marcellus Shale natural-gas products, fueling new construction and new traffic through the Delaware River port.

The PUC has reported that Pennsylvania collected $197 million to date in impact fee revenue resulting from Act 13, and will take in nearly $206 million, when all 58 companies meet their payments.

The House Republican Policy Committee Chaired by Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana) Friday held a hearing in Latrobe where a bipartisan group of state legislators heard from representatives of Pennsylvania’s coal industry about the positive impacts the sector has on the Commonwealth’s economy and potential roadblocks preventing additional job creation.