Apr. 08, 2024
WHAT: Republican House Appropriations Committee Chairman Seth Grove (R-York) will host a press conference to unveil “Back to Basics” government reform bills. This legislative package is based on observations and feedback from agencies during the 2024 budget hearings. Other confirmed speakers include state Reps. Dawn Keefer (R-York), Ann Flood (R-Northampton), and Kristin Marcell (R-Bucks).
The bills in the package would:
• Require the Department of Aging to display a non-compliant Area Agency on Aging (AAA) list and corrective action plans on its website. (Rep. Schmitt)
• Require the departments of Aging, Health, and Human Services to work closer together to ensure reports of elder abuse are investigated in a timely manner. (Rep. Flood-
House Bill 537)
• Require the Department of Corrections to undergo an audit by the Office of the State Inspector General for financial and operational efficiencies. (Rep. Mako)
• Require the auditor general to conduct a financial and performance audit of the Pennsylvania House Finance Agency. (Rep. Marcell)
• Require all agencies to notify and reflect federal and state audits in their budget materials to the General Assembly and the Governor’s Budget Office. (Rep. Cabell)
• Authorize the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to review all 800 Department of Environmental Protection permits for effectiveness and make recommendations on which permits could be eliminated or combined. (Rep. Struzzi)
• Require the Office of Administration to advertise open government positions on government websites for individuals seeking employment or welfare-to-work programs. (Rep. Grove)
• JobsPA will take the Commonwealth’s existing controlled structure of the Pennsylvania liquor system and would allow for the acquisition of the system’s assets to a private nonprofit quasi-public corporation. The nonprofit quasi-public corporation will become a strong private, public partnership with the Commonwealth and the net profits, after all other obligations are paid, will go directly to grants for economic development activity distributed by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA). (Rep. Mihalek)
• Require all promotion travel materials in Pennsylvania rest stops to promote Pennsylvania-based destinations. (Rep. Mihalek)
• Require all special funds to have a seven-year outlook in the governor’s budget proposal. (Rep. Grove)
• Allow easier access to the ballot and increase funding for elections by permitting candidates to pay a fee to appear on the ballot. (Rep. Grove)
• Require all state government agencies to audit health care dependents to ensure eligibility. (Rep. Nelson)
• Strengthen the current performance-based budgeting law to require agencies to adopt findings. (Rep. Ecker)
• Use a zero-based budgeting phased-in approach for government agencies. (Rep. Keefer-
House Bill 1133)
WHEN: Wednesday, April 10, at 9 a.m.
WHERE: Capitol Media Center, Room 1, East Wing, Harrisburg, PA 17126
LIVE WEBSTREAMING: Barring any technical difficulties, the press conference will be livestreamed on
PaHouseGOP.com.
Media contact: Charlie O’Neill, 267.303.7028, coneill@pahousegop.com