Apr. 14, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Budget Hearing Wrap]()
PUC Chairwoman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille, Vice Chairman Stephen DeFrank, and Commissioners John Coleman, Ralph Yanora, and Kathryn Zerfuss, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on improvements to railway safety, increasing energy rates, energy transport reliability, and the adverse impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
Apr. 14, 2023 /
![Budget Hearing Wrap with Governor’s Office of the Budget]()
Secretary Uri Monson, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the overall fiscal health of the Commonwealth. Republicans also asked about specific budget proposals that were and were not in the budget, including Lifeline Scholarships.
Apr. 13, 2023 /
![Pension Systems Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Pennsylvania School Employee Retirement System (PSERS) Chairman, Chris Santa Maria, Terri Sanchez, Executive Director, and Ben Cotton, Chief Investment Officer, and State Employee Retirement System (SERS) Executive Director, Joseph Torta, James Nolan, Chief Investment Officer, Sara McSurdy, Chief Financial Officer, and Joe Marcucci, Chief Counsel, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the fiscal health of the two systems. This included understanding the unfunded liabilities, investment costs, and future plans of the systems.
Apr. 13, 2023 /
![PA Department of Community and Economic Development Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Rick Siger, along with Mike Hanna Jr, Executive Deputy Secretary, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on how DCED intends to grow our economy through responsible initiatives training workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Apr. 12, 2023 /
![PA Office of State Inspector General Budget Hearing Wrap]()
State Inspector General, Lucas Miller, along with Clarke Madden, First Deputy State Inspector General, and Melissa Yerges, Deputy State Inspector General, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on how the agency is working to investigate waste, fraud, and abuse in state government.
Apr. 12, 2023 /
![PA Department of Revenue Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Pat Browne, along with Drew Svitko, Executive Director of PA Lottery, John Kaschak, Executive Deputy Secretary, Amy Gill, Deputy Secretary for Tax Policy, and Christin Heidingsfelder, Deputy Secretary for Administration, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused the majority of our questions on the operations of the DOR and the Pennsylvania Lottery, revenue collections and estimates for the current and upcoming fiscal years, and the various tax changes proposed by Governor Shapiro.
Apr. 12, 2023 /
![PA Dept of Labor and Industry Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Nancy Walker, along with Maria Macus, Deputy Secretary, Unemployment compensation, Dan Kuba, Deputy Secretary, Workforce Development, Scott Weiant, Deputy Secretary, Administration, Gerald Mullery, Deputy Secretary, Workers Compensation, and Ryan Hyde, Executive Director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on fixing the Unemployment Compensation system and working to reduce fraud and abuse of the system. Additionally, Republicans asked about plans for increased labor law compliance and the economic consequences to raising the minimum wage.
Apr. 11, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, along with Gloria Gilligan, Director, Office of the Budget, Kristin Ahrens, Deputy Secretary of Developmental Programs, Jennifer Smith, Deputy Secretary of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Jamie Buchenauer, Deputy Secretary of Long-term Living, Sally Kozak, Deputy Secretary of Medical Assistance Programs, Hoa Pham, Deputy Secretary of Income Maintenance, Shante’ Brown, Deputy Secretary of Child Development and Early Learning, Laval Miller-Wilson, Deputy Secretary of Child, Youth, and Families, and Stephanie Shell, Deputy Secretary of Administration, testified before the House Appropriations Committee.
Mar. 30, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Dr. Laurel Harry, along with Christian Stephens, Deputy Secretary for Office or Field Services, Christopher Oppman, Deputy Secretary for Administration, Kelly Evans, Deputy Secretary for Office of Reentry, and Tammy Ferguson, Deputy Secretary Eastern Region from the Department of Corrections and PA Parole Board Chairman, Theodore Johnson, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the expenses of state prisons, what can be done to reduce those costs, and the safety in our state prisons for corrections officers and inmates. Additionally, House Republicans asked what can be done by the department to help with the problems in the Delaware County prison.
Mar. 30, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Mike Carroll, along with Kurt Meyers, Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services, Meredith Biggica, Deputy Secretary for Multimodal, Chuck Zimmerman, Financial Management Director, Larry Shifflet, Deputy Secretary for Planning, and Nicole Tyler, Director of Equitable Transportation testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the state and federal funds PennDOT is spending to improve our roads and bridges. Republicans also asked about Mass Transit spending and ways we can modernize our approach to programs and funding. Additionally, Republicans asked what PennDOT is doing to improve the customer experience.
Mar. 28, 2023 /
![Department of Health Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Dr. Debra L Bogen, Kristen Rodack, Executive Deputy Secretary, Danielle Pierre, Deputy Secretary of Administration, Andrea Race, Chief Financial Officer, of the Department of Health testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on regulatory reform, support for EMS responders, and support of efforts to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. Additionally, House Republicans questioned the rationale behind cutting support for individuals and families coping with ALS.
Mar. 28, 2023 /
![Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, Ellen DiDomenico, Deputy Secretary, and Jenn Newell, Bureau Director for Quality Assurance and Administration of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on coordinating the care of people facing addiction issues equally statewide. Additionally, House Republicans asked what DDAP can to do to reduce regulatory barriers to care and recruit and retain staff in the recovery field.
Mar. 27, 2023 /
![Department of Aging Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich along with Deputy Secretary Steven Horner, and PACE Program Director Tom Sneddon testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on how the department is going to control costs for seniors and the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania continues to face budgetary challenges given the significant growth in the elderly population and the contraction in the working -age population.
Mar. 27, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Colonel Christopher Harris, Major Joanne Reed, Major George Bivens, Major Wayne Kline, and Ms. Brooke Mead of the Pennsylvania State Police testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the staffing needs of the State Police, the functions of the State Police – such as background checks for gun purchases, aviation support, the Statewide Public Safety Radio System, and gaming enforcement. Additionally, House Republicans shared concerns with the creation of a new special fund, as proposed by the governor, to take all State Police funding offline, as well as the strain on the department in places like Philadelphia.
Mar. 23, 2023 /
![Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Rich Negrin, along with Jessica Shirley, Executive Deputy Secretary, Ian Harlow, Acting Deputy Sect of Administration, Ramez Ziadeh, Deputy Secretary for Field Operations, appeared before the House Appropriations Committee. Republican House members focused their questions on Governor Shapiro’s permitting reform proposal and how to ensure this process will produce results. Additionally, Republicans asked questions related to the Governor’s apparent change of policy on RGGI and its negative effects on Pennsylvania.
Mar. 23, 2023 /
![Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Cindy Dunn, along with Michael Walsh, Deputy Secretary for Administration, John Norbeck, Deputy Secretary for Parks and Forestry, and Lauren Imgrund, Deputy Secretary for Conservation and Technical Services. House Republicans focused on the fiscal health of DCNR and how to make the department sustainable. Additionally, Republicans asked questions covering the expansion of ATV trails in state parks, what the department is doing to address and prioritize its $1.4 billion maintenance backlog, drilling on state lands, the state of the timber industry, and how DCNR is partnering with private industry.
Mar. 23, 2023 /
![Department of Agriculture Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Acting Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding appeared before the House Appropriations Committee along with Greg Hostetter, Executive Deputy Secretary. House Republicans asked questions beginning with agriculture concerns in Western Pennsylvania relating to the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Other questions focused on proposed cuts to the department’s Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission, fair market conditions for Pennsylvania dairy farmers, and support of the entire industry beyond organics.
Mar. 22, 2023 /
![Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Budget Hearing Wrap]()
Dr. Daniel Greenstein, State System Chancellor testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused their questions on the turnaround in the PASSHE system’s financial footing. Other questions focused on how to keep the current tuition freeze in place, how the consolidation of certain universities is going, and how PASSHE schools are preparing students for jobs in today’s economy.
Mar. 22, 2023 /
![Community Colleges Budget Wrap]()
Elizabeth Bolden, President and CEO – PA Commission for Community Colleges, Dr. Victoria Bastecki-Perez, President – Montgomery County Community College, and Dr. Tuesday Stanley, President – Westmoreland County Community College, testified before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans asked questions focused on the programs Community Colleges are offering to meet the needs of the workforce and students who wish to further their education after two years. Other topics covered included the costs of maintenance, needed upgrades, and dual enrollment programs.
Mar. 21, 2023 /
![State-Related Universities Budget Hearing Wrap]()
On March 21st, 2023, President Brenda A. Allen, (Lincoln University), President Neeli Bendapudi, Ph.D., (Penn State University), Chancellor Dr. Patrick D. Gallagher, (University of Pittsburgh), and President Dr. Jason Wingard, (Temple University) appeared before the House Appropriations Committee. House Republicans focused on the cost of tuition, where tax dollars are spent, and how the Universities are meeting the needs of the workforce. Additional topics covered include the management of university hospitals, transparency, safety of students, and performance-based budgeting.