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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT:
Lauren Rooney |
State Rep. Josh Shapiro |
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Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform votes to end private vehicle leases and give public access to all House expenses
Rules change includes Shapiro amendment to make House payroll public
HARRISBURG, Feb. 22 -- The Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform, co-chaired by state Rep. Josh Shapiro, took a historic step today toward creating more transparency in state government by voting to recommend that all House expense reports be available electronically through the chief clerk upon request. This would include all leadership accounts, member accounts and anything funded by an appropriation approved by the legislature.
Included in the proposed rule change was an amendment offered by state Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, that would give the public access to House employee payroll information. Under Shapiro’s amendment, by Feb. 1 of each year, the chief clerk would compile a complete list of House employees, including their full name, job title, work address, name of immediate supervisor and salary.
“The Speaker’s Commission on Reform and the actions taken here today show that we can change business as usual in Harrisburg,” said Shapiro, co-chairman of the commission. “Giving the public access to how their money is spent will give them confidence in how the House operates.”
The commission also voted today to no longer reimburse House members or employees for private long-term vehicle leases.
Additional rules changes the commission has approved include:
- require that all voting sessions take place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., and that motions to continue session past 11 p.m. would have to be approved by a three-quarters majority vote;
- eliminate “ghost voting;”
- require a 24-hour waiting period before bills could be voted on;
- require a brief description of legislation to read prior to consideration of that legislation;
- post all House votes on the Internet.
The commission’s next scheduled meeting is:
WHAT: Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform
WHEN: Noon – 5 p.m., Monday, February 26
WHERE: Room 60 East Wing of the state Capitol in Harrisburg
The commission is expected to present all of its recommendations to the speaker by March 12. Recommendations will then be presented to the full House for approval.
The Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform is a 24-member bipartisan panel established by House Speaker Dennis O’Brien to reform the rules for operating the state House of Representatives. For more information on actions of the commission, to track votes, or to send a message to commission members, log on to the Speaker’s Commission on Legislative Reform Web site at www.speakerobrien.com/reform.
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