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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Tom
Andrews 717-783-4267 |
Majority Leader Bill
DeWeese |
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State House approves sweeping reforms to make government more open and accountable
HARRISBURG, March 13 -- House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese and Whip Keith McCall said today's passage of revamped House rules based on public input and the work of the bipartisan Speaker's Reform Commission is the most significant change to Pennsylvania government in more than a decade.
"Ever since the people voted Democrats into the majority, the call has been crystal clear: making substantive change was the rule, not the exception," said DeWeese, D-Greene/Fayette/Washington. "This plan for reform is truly the will of the people and today is the first day of a more accountable, more transparent and hopefully more effective General Assembly."
"You can't build a house without a solid foundation, and these new rules give the people's House the foundation we need as we really get to work on the issues the voters sent us to Harrisburg to address," said McCall, D-Carbon. "With these rules adopted, now we can dive into new legislation to cut property taxes for homeowners, improve access to health care, make sure our roads are safe and our transit systems are running efficiently, and partner with the governor to advance a common-sense budget."
The lawmakers said some of the highlights of H.R. 108 include, but are not limited to:
n Preventing votes after 11 p.m. unless in case of emergency and requiring approval of 75 percent of the House to suspend;
n Requiring members to be in the House chamber to vote and repealing “Harrisburg legislative leave”;
n Requiring a 24-hour waiting period on any vote on concurrence on a bill that has come from the Senate;
n Requiring a 24-hour waiting period before a final vote on any bills amended on third consideration;
n Making House expense reports and complete House payroll information available;
n Eliminating private vehicle leasing (existing leases will continue for the term of the lease);
n Requiring members to file for per diems and other reimbursement of expenses within 90 days of incurring the expense;
n Posting House votes, committee votes and hearing testimony online;
n Preventing the Rules Committee from amending bills returned from the Senate on concurrence;
n Banning members from forming nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to receive state funds at the direction of the member;
n Prohibiting public service announcements and constituent outreach telemarketing in the 60 days preceding primary and general elections in even-numbered years.
"We want to commend the 24-members of the bipartisan Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform and co-Chairman Representative Josh Shapiro for yeoman's service to the House and more importantly, the people," DeWeese said. "These new rules will serve us well as we serve the people."
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