March 25, 2026 · APPROPRIATIONS · 2,163 words · 3 speakers · 54 segments
I call this meeting of the House Appropriations Committee to order. Please proceed with the roll call.
Chairman Harris. Here. Abney. Bellman. Brennan. Designation. Curry. Donahue. Donahue. Fleming. Designation. Freel. Designation. Gallagher. Designation. Guzman. Kahn. Kincaid. Designation. Kosarovsky. Designation. Madsen. Designation. Maligari. Mays. Designation. Mullins. Salisbury. Sanchez. Waxman. Webster. Young. Chairman Struzzi. Here. Barton. Here. Brown. Devanzo. Here. Flood. Kale. Krupa. Kutz. Designation. Mako. Designation. Marcel. Mustelo. Nelson. Allsummer. Here. Reichard. Rigby. Here. Form is present. Thank you.
All right. Call me back to order. All right, we got a lot going on today, guys, so we're going to try to run this along. Before we begin, I am told it is our Republican Executive Director, Richie's last day again. I think this is it, though, isn't it, Jim?
It's it. This is it.
You sure?
You know, like, Richie liked to do the remix, so he liked to come back, you know. You never say never.
All right. So, Chair Reshoos, you want to make some comments? Yeah, I think Richie has been an asset for many, many years for not only our caucus, but for the entire House and the General Assembly. His wealth of knowledge, 37 total years experience serving this Commonwealth, can't be, I think, understated how important that is. And so, or overstated. Richie has dedicated his career to serving the people of Pennsylvania. And I think, you know, he's going to retire this time. I'm pretty sure it's for sure. But I do appreciate him coming back and serving this roughly year and a half on our Appropriations Committee and really doing a great job. And so with that, I would appreciate if everybody could just give Richie a round of applause. Thank you. Congratulations, Richard. Thank you for your service to the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We're also joined by members of Prince Hall Masons and our Sisters Order of the Eastern Stars. So we want to welcome Most Worshipful Grand Master Timothy J. Kager, as well as Most Worshipful Grand Worthy Matron Kelly Shepherd, who is also here with us. We want to welcome you all. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. Let's rock and roll on our agenda. We have House Bill 200, House Bill 1191, 1718, 1800, 1851, 2163. House bills 2400 2401 2402 2403 2404 2405 2406 2407 2408 2409 2410 2411 2412 2413 and Senate Bill 375 and Senate Bill 1218 Committee Executive Director, please provide a brief overview of the legislation.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have House Bill 200, which establishes the Family and Medical Leave Act. House Bill 1191 amends the Public Utilities Code regarding railroads providing for certain safety measures. House Bill 1718 amends the insurance law to require information sharing regarding flood risk and flood insurance with individuals purchasing or renewing a homeowner's insurance policy. House Bill 1800 defines marriage as a civil contract between two individuals. House Bill 1851 amends the vital statistic law to allow midwives to certify fetal death. House Bill 2163 amends the dental law to allow dentists with a restricted faculty license to practice at facilities owned and operated by the dental school and affiliated academic health care center or dental school owned faculty practice. House Bill 2400 provides for the general fund appropriations for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2401 provides for the Capital Budget Act of 2627. House Bill 2402 provides for the capital budget itemization for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2403 makes appropriations to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs for professional licensure boards for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2404 makes appropriations for the Workman's Compensation Act and the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2405 makes appropriations for the Office of Small Business Advocate. House Bill 2406 makes appropriation to the Office of Consumer Advocate and the Office of Attorney General. House Bill 2407 makes appropriations to provide for expenses for the Public School Employees Retirement Board for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2408 makes appropriations to provide for expenses of the State Employees Retirement Board for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2409 makes appropriations to the Philadelphia Parking Authority for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2410 makes appropriations from a restricted revenue account to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2411 makes appropriations from certain restricted revenue accounts to the Attorney General, the Department of Revenue, and the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2412 provides for the funding for state-related universities for the fiscal year 2627. House Bill 2413 makes appropriations to the trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 375 establishes new requirements regarding AED availability and training in schools. Senate Bill 1218 creates a Philadelphia 250 permit and special sporting events permits for public venue licenses. So ends the agenda, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you. We also have another special guest, the Executive Director might want to do that so she can go home. Go ahead.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My husband Tyrone Benjamin Chavis is here. He is visiting with Prince Hall Day at the Capitol. Thank you.
Welcome, welcome, welcome. We are a very family-friendly committee. Representative Kutz is here. Representative Kincaid is also here. All right, let's roll. Chair calls up House Bill 200. Before this committee, it's House Bill 200. Is there any discussion on the legislation?
On House Bill 200, all Republicans will be voting in the negative.
Thank you.
All the Democrats will vote in the affirmative, and therefore, House Bill 200. will pass this committee, be re-referred to the floor of the House.
The chair calls up House Bill 1191. Before the committee now is House Bill 1191. Is there any discussion on the bill?
On House Bill 1191, Republicans will also be voting in the negative. Democrats will vote in the affirmative. Therefore, House Bill 1191 will pass the committee, be re-referred back to the floor of the House.
Chair calls up House Bill 1851, House Bill 2163, and House Bill 1718 as a package of bills. Is there any discussion on the package of bills before us?
Mr Chairman on this package of bills Republicans will be voting in the affirmative Seeing as such Democrats will vote in the affirmative and therefore House Bill 1718 House Bill 1851 in House Bill 2163 will be re to the floor with a unanimous vote
Chair brings up House Bill 1800. Before the committee is House Bill 1800. Is there any discussion on the bill?
On House Bill 1800, we will need a roll call vote.
please proceed with the roll call chairman harris yes abney bellman brennan yes curry donahue fleming yes frio yes gallagher yes guzman kahn kincaid kosarovsky yes madsen Yes. Maligari? Mays? Yes. Mullins? Salisbury? Sanchez? Waxon? Webster? Young? Chairman Struzzi? No. Barton? Brown? Devanzo? Flood? Kale? Krupa? Kutz? Mako? Designation, no. Marcel? Mustelo. Nelson. Alsomer. Reichard. Rigby.
Seeing that the ayes have it, House Bill 1800 will pass this committee, be re-referred to the floor. Chair calls up. Senate Bill 375. Before the committee now is Senate Bill 375. Senate Bill 375 has an amendment. The chair calls up Amendment 02744. Before the committee now is Amendment 02744. Is there any discussion on the amendment?
On the amendment, all Republicans will be voting in the affirmative. All of the Democrats will also vote in the affirmative. And if seen as such, Amendment A-0-2-7-4-4 will pass.
Before the committee now is Senate Bill 375 as amended. Roll call. Can you please proceed with a roll call?
Chairman Harris? Yes. Abney? Bellman? Brennan? Yes.
All the Democrats will vote in the affirmative.
Chairman Struzzi? Yes. Barton? Brown. Devanzo. Flood. Kale. Krupa. Kutz. Mako. Designation, yes. Marcel. Mustelo. Nelson. Allsummer. Reichard. And Rigby.
Seeing that the odds have it, Senate Bill 375. We'll pass this committee as amended and be referred to the floor of the House. Chair calls up Senate Bill 1218. For this committee now is Senate Bill 1218. Any discussion on the bill?
No negative votes on this bill, Mr. Chairman. I see it in there. Democrats will also vote in the affirmative.
Senate Bill 1218 will pass this committee unanimously, be referred back to the floor of the House. Chair calls up. House Bill, all the next bills are originating in the committee. So the chair calls up House Bill 2400. Before the committee, it's House Bill 2400. Is there any discussion on the bill?
Yes. On House Bill 2400, which is the general appropriations bill, essentially the governor's spending proposal that he put forward in February, this is really, and I commend the chairman for bringing this bill forward here in March so that we can begin in earnest our budget discussions. But at this time, because this is the governor's spending proposal and it has just been introduced, all Republicans will be voting in the negative on House Bill 2400.
Thank you. As Chairman Schumer acknowledged, this is the governor's spending plan. This is the General Appropriations Act. It is our intentions to move this bill out of committee today get it onto the floor and move it off of the floor as soon as we can to move this budget process forward As I've said just yesterday, when we have a delay in our budget, nonprofits, school districts, school districts who already will have their budgets locked down before our June 30th deadline are affected. And so our goal is to move this process ahead so that we can get a negotiated product to the governor's desk before June 30th.
And with that, all of the Republicans will be a no.
That is correct. All of the Democrats will vote in affirmative. As such, House Bill 2400 will pass this committee. the chair is going to call up House Bill 2411. Before the committee now is House Bill 2411. Is there any discussion on House Bill 2411?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On House Bill 2411, which is essentially the gaming fund, we will be voting in the negative on that as it does contain revenues, expenditures for skill games, which we do not yet have in statute. So at this point in time, Republicans will be voting in the negative on House Bill 2411.
Hopefully in the future, you'll be a yes. You're going to be a yes, Jim.
It's going to be the start of the process. Get me there.
You're going to be a yes?
Get me there.
All right, we'll see. All of the Democrats will vote in the affirmative, and therefore House Bill 2411 will pass. Chair calls up House Bill 2412 before the committee announced House Bill 2412. Is there any discussion on that?
Yes. On the state-related, we do see an increase, I believe, for Temple. And so at this point, we need to really, since we just received these essentially yesterday, we need to really understand what those funds are for. So at this point, House Bill 2412, Republicans will be voting in the negative as well.
You don't like the state-related, Jim? Come on, Jim.
It's a discussion that we need to have.
You don't like the state-related?
I'm a Pitt alum.
I know, so I'm shocked. You're going to vote no for Pitt.
What did they say? Hail to Pitt?
Ain't that what y'all say? HTP. See? We'll get there.
Millersville guys wouldn't do that.
Right. Just saying.
Just saying. We are voting for IUP.
All right. All right. There we go. All right. Which one is it? The Democrats will vote in the affirmative, and therefore House Bill, 2412 will pass the committee. Yep. Yep. All right. All right. Chair calls up as a package of bills. House bill 2401, 2402, 2403, 2404, 2405, 2406, 2407, 2408, 2409, 2410. and 2413. So before this committee is a package of bills, which are House Bill 2401, 2402, 2403, 2404, 2405, 2406, 24-07, 24-08, 24-09, 24-10, and 24-13. Before us, is that package? Is there any discussion on the package?
Just in general, I want to make sure everyone knows this is really a step in the process, moving these bills forward so that we can, in earnest, have our budget discussion. So I think this is good to move these bills forward. These are essentially the housekeeping bills, including the capital itemization budget. So on that, all House Republicans will be voting in the affirmative to move these bills forward.
All of the Democrats will also vote in the affirmative. Package of bills will pass the committee. Is it a vote correction? Yes. On House Bill 1800, Representative Coutts would like to be voted in the affirmative. It will be spread on the record. Representative Kutz will be voted in the affirmative on House Bill 1800. You got it. Great. Seeing that there's no further business before this committee, this committee meeting now stands adjourned.