The 2007 Legislative Session is one month old today, and the Majority House Democrats are delivering on the promises the voters asked for on Election Day.

 

This week in Harrisburg, we led the charge and changed the way the House does business - delivering bipartisan reform, not the excuses of the past 12 years.

 

We created a new subcommittee of the House Education Committee to focus on Special Education issues - a topic that has had a major impact on school districts, taxpayers and parents in recent years, especially in rapidly growing areas of the state. We're confident that Subcommittee Chairperson (and former elementary school teacher) Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith will bring her experience, common sense and hard-working style to this committee and address the issues that matter.

 

We changed the rules to require that all House Members must be on the floor of the House to be able to cast votes.

 

Even though we are the Majority party, we increased the number of Minority Republican members to each House Committee to improve fairness and open debate.

 

We created a new Gaming Oversight Committee to keep a close watch on slot gaming issues in Pennsylvania, headed up by former Philadelphia Police Officer Rep. Harold James.

 

(And speaking of our job-creating, property-tax-cutting slot gaming industry, Click here to find out more about Chester Downs, our newest gaming facility, and hear from Reps. Ed Pashinski and Thaddeus Kirkland about what slot gaming is already doing for PA.)

 

Yes, the Majority House Democrats have hit the ground running. Stay tuned for more!

 

Declaring Pennsylvania's Energy Independence

 

No matter if there are six more weeks of winter or an early spring coming in 2007, we need to think about reducing our state's and our nation's dependence on foreign energy sources.

 

We want to commend Governor Ed Rendell for addressing efforts to make our energy cleaner and generated in Pennsylvania - which generates good-paying jobs, too! Click here to listen to Rep. Marc Gergely's take on the governor's plan, and we'll keep you up-to-date as the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, led by Majority Chairman Rep. Bud George, gets to work on these proposals. 

 

Forecasting the state budget
 

Next week is the Governor's Budget Address where he outlines his annual spending plan. Majority Appropriations Chairman Rep. Dwight Evans is already hitting the ground running to plan the House budget hearings that will give members and the public input on the final budget legislation. Click here to see what's on deck.