March 24, 2026 · STATE GOVERNMENT · 2,291 words · 23 speakers · 152 segments
Thank you. Thank you.
Good morning, everyone. I'd like to call the House State Government Committee meeting to order. Sonia, would you please take the roll?
Chair Hill-Evans? Here.
Representatives Boyd? Designation.
Brennan? Here.
Davidson? Designation.
Green? Designation. Against? She's online with us. Designation.
Howard. Designation. Inglis. Designation.
Kenyatta. Designation. Probst. Designation.
Sanchez. Schusterman. Designation.
Waxman. Webster. Designation.
Chair Roy. Here.
Representatives Banta. Barger. By designation. Bonner.
Brown. Diamond.
By designation. Fink.
Kozak. Designation.
Shalaba. Designation.
Schaefer. Walsh.
Designation. Weaknecht.
Designation.
We have a quorum.
Thank you.
Having established the presence of a quorum, the committee is in order to proceed with business. The chair calls up Senate Bill 848, printers number 940. Hannah, could you please read a summary of the bill?
Senate Bill 848, sponsored by Senator Commito, would add the director of the PA Emergency Management Agency and the executive director of the PA Historical and Museum Commission to the State Planning Board. Because the number of board members would increase from 25 to 27, the legislation would provide that 14 members would constitute a quorum.
Thank you.
The chair recognizes Senator Kamita.
Thank you so much, Madam Chair. Good morning, everyone. it is an honor to be with you today and thank you for considering Senate bill 848 this bill began as a local government commission initiative last year it calls for adding two seats to the state planning board to include representatives from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. We're adding these seats because Pennsylvania communities are experiencing increased flooding and floodplain management, and that is handled by Pima. Secondly, the preservation of our historic structures plays a big role in economic development and strategic planning. With these two additions, the bill also increases the number of members constituting a quorum from 13 to 14. This legislation was unanimously approved by the full Senate. I appreciate your consideration, and I ask for a yes vote. Thank you. Is there
Discussion on the bill. Representative Fink.
Good morning. Thank you for joining us today. So can you tell me exactly what does the state planning board do? Like what sort of things they talk about? What exactly do they do? And who are members of the board already? And why do we need more of them?
I think that is information that I could get to you. I don't have the members. The state planning board is made up of professionals in a variety of professions related to planning. The planning is done to help municipalities make decisions municipalities planning code discussions and so on But all of that information you could find online or I would be happy to send it to you
So is this the same board that's requiring the municipalities to have a floodplain manager?
It would be, I believe, the municipality's planning code that would ultimately require a municipality to do something. Planning board is more of an advisory board.
Anyone else on the bill? Okay, those in favor of reporting the bill will vote yes. Those opposed, no. Sonia, please call for the vote.
Chair Hill-Evans? Yes.
Representative Boyd? Designation, yes.
Brennan?
Davidson? Designation, yes.
Green? Designation, yes. Genst? Designation, yes.
Howard? Designation yes.
Connor. Brown. Diamond. Yes, by designation. Fink. No. Kozak. Yes, by designation. Shalaba. Yes, by designation. Schaefer. Walsh. Yes, by designation.
Weaknacht? Yes, by designation.
The motion passes. And the bill will be reported. Senator Committa, thank you for joining us this morning. Next up, we have House Bill 336, printers number 291. Hannah, please read a summary of the bill.
House Bill 336, sponsored by Representative Monroe, would establish procedures to fold the official flag of the Commonwealth for presentation or display.
Will the committee report the bill? is Rep Monroe with us this morning okay is there discussion on House Bill 336 anyone okay those in favor of reporting the bill will vote yes those opposed vote no Sonia please call
for the vote I just need a moment having technical difficulties okay
Chair Hill Evans
Yes
Representatives Boyd
Designation yes
Brennan
Sorry
Davidson. Designation, yes.
Green. Designation, yes. Genst. Designation, yes. Howard. Designation, yes.
Inglis. Designation, yes. Kenyatta. Designation, yes.
Probst. Designation, yes. Sanchez.
Schusterman. Designation, yes. Waxman.
Webster. Designation, yes. Chair Roy. Yes.
Representatives Banta?
Barger? Yes, by designation.
Bonner?
Brown?
Diamond? Yes, by designation.
Fink?
Kozak? Yes, by designation.
Shalaba? Yes, by designation.
Schaefer? Walsh? Yes, by designation.
Weaknacht? Yes, by designation.
The motion passes. And the bill will be reported. Chair calls up House Bill 2003, printers number 2559. Hannah, please read a summary of the bill.
House Bill 2003, sponsored by Chairman Burns, would require that any U.S. or PA flag procured by the Department of General Services for public display be made in America with an identifying label stating, Made in America.
Will the committee report the bill? The chair recognizes. Chairman Burns, thank you for joining us this morning.
Thank you, and I'd like to thank the committee for considering House Bill 2003. Basically, this bill requires that all Pennsylvania and U.S. flags that are purchased by the Commonwealth be made in the United States. Now, I understand this bill isn't going to move capital markets, but what this bill is is common sense, And sometimes we have to put common sense into legislation. And that's what we'll do here today with your positive vote. So thank you.
Thank you. Is there discussion on the bill? Chair Roy.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to the prime sponsor of the bill. Do you know, currently, what is the current practice? Is DGS buying flags that are made in the United States or are they buying flags that are made in China or someplace?
So the flags that I get from DGS are made in America. However, it's not written in law that that is practiced. So when you get a new director in there who to say it could change or not This would just put it in law to ensure that that never happens in the future I glad to hear they made in America now But, yeah, thank you.
Any further discussion on House Bill 2003? Representative Fink.
I actually like this legislation. We don't honor our country and our state enough here in this place. I commend you for the legislation to be flying those flags that are made specifically in America. So thank you for doing that. One of the very few bills that I can say I'm wholeheartedly behind. We're not growing the bureaucracy. We're not just naming names of days. So thank you for putting forth this legislation and actually doing something good for Pennsylvania.
Representative Banta?
Oh, okay.
Is there anyone else? I would acknowledge that we've been joined by Representatives Webster and Kenyatta. Are there any negative votes on the legislation? Okay. Hearing none, thank you, Representative Burns. And the bill will be reported.
Thank you.
The chair calls up House Bill 2187, printers number 2850. Hannah, please read a summary of the bill.
House Bill 2187, sponsored by Chairwoman Hill Evans, would require a Commonwealth employee or contractor with access to federal tax information to resubmit a criminal background check every five years instead of 10 years to remain compliant with the updated IRS publication requirements.
And it's my understanding that this is a compliance bill, that the federal government has changed their standard from 10 years to five. And so in order to remain compliant, we will be changing ours from 10 years to five as well. Is there any further discussion on House Bill 2187? Okay, hearing none, are there any negative votes on the bill? Okay. Then the bill will be reported. Thank you. Chair calls up House Resolution 441, printers number 3015. Hannah, please read a summary of the resolution.
House Resolution 441, sponsored by Representative Sanchez, would recognize March 2, 2026 as Ottawa Victory Day in Pennsylvania and celebrate the 130th anniversary of the victory of Ottawa.
Okay, the chair recognizes Representative Sanchez.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just briefly to say thank you for calling this up, and I encourage my colleagues to place an affirmative vote and recognize what is really a legendary accomplishment by the Ethiopian people and something that was really amazing at the time and still amazing to this day. So thank you very much.
You are welcome. Is there any further discussion on House Resolution 441? Chair Roy?
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question for the prime sponsor. I'm just curious. The resolution makes March 2nd the day, but the co-sponsorship memo to do this was put out on March 4th. I'm just curious why it was done retroactively.
No specific reason. We did recognize it was retroactive, but folks were still asking from the Ethiopian community that we go forward with it.
And I think I'm probably going to vote for it anyway. I just really think all of us should – these resolutions are kind of a waste of time, but we could at least do them proactively, not retroactively. And that happens a lot in a lot of different committees. We name stuff after the fact, which just seems kind of silly. Thank you.
And normally I would agree with you, Chair. I don't think that they're a waste of time. I do think that they bring recognition to a lot of groups and a lot of issues that people might not ordinarily hear about. However, as I have said in the past, I do encourage all of those who are looking to have something named that they do do it ahead of time, given our limited days that we are scheduled here. I'm making the exception, but I do, I'm like you, I encourage that when you know that there is a date that's coming up, please, please, please try to get it to us in advance. That said, are there any other,
is there any other discussion on House Resolution 441? Hearing none, are there negative votes on the resolution? Sonia, please call for the vote. Chair Hill Evans? Yes.
Representatives Boyd? Designation, yes.
Rennon? Davidson? Designation, yes.
Green? Designation, yes. Genst? Designation, yes.
Howard? Designation, yes.
Inglis? Designation, yes.
Kenyatta? Probst? Designation, yes.
Sanchez Schusterman Designation yes Waxman Webster Yes
Chair Roy Yes
Representatives Banta Barger Yes by designation
Bonner
Brown Yes by designation
Diamond Yes, by designation.
Fink Kozak Yes by designation Shalaba Yes by designation Schaefer Yes.
Walsh? Yes, by designation.
Weaknacht? Yes, by designation.
The motion passes. Thank you, and the resolution will be reported. I do want to note that Representative Boyd has joined us online. Next is House Resolution 454 by Representative Malagari. Two resolutions under, these are going to be under any other business. The first item the chair calls up is House Resolution 454. Hannah, please read a summary of the resolution.
House Resolution 454, sponsored by Representative Malagari, would designate March 26, 2026 as Bangladesh Day in Pennsylvania.
Okay, will the committee report the resolution? Representative Malagari is not with us. Is there any discussion on this resolution? Hearing none, Sonia, please call for the vote. Chair Hill-Evans? Yes.
Representatives Boyd? Designation, yes.
Brennan?
Davidson? Designation, yes.
Green? Designation, yes. Jens? Designation, yes.
Howard? Designation, yes.
Inglis? Designation, yes.
Kenyatta.
Probst. Designation, yes.
Sanchez. Schusterman. Designation, yes. Waxman. Webster. Yes.
Chair Roy. Yes.
Representatives Banta. Barger. Yes, by designation.
Bonner.
Brown. Yes, by designation.
Diamond. Yes, by designation.
Fink.
Kozak. Yes, by designation.
Shalaba. Yes, by designation.
Schaefer. Walsh. Yes, by designation.
Weaknecht. Yes, by designation.
The motion passes. And the resolution will be reported. Thank you. The chair calls up House Resolution 456, Printers number 3038. Hannah, please read a summary of the resolution.
House Resolution 456, sponsored by Representative Davidson, would designate July 1, 2026 as Canada Day to celebrate the enduring relationship between the Commonwealth and Canada.
Okay, and I don't see Representative Davidson. I know he had another meeting. Will the committee report the resolution? Is there discussion on the resolution? Representative Fink.
I would just like to point out that three out of seven pieces of the legislation that we're voting on today in this committee are resolutions. So that stands true to the math that I did years ago when I was first elected. Forty percent of what we vote on in this building are resolutions. We are naming days. We can't get a budget on time, and it's probably going to be the same this year as we fight over the spending. And instead of sitting down and—
Excuse me. Please suspend. We are talking about House Resolution 456. Do you have any comments regarding Resolution 456?
Thank you, Madam Chair. I apologize. I'll be a no on this resolution as well as the rest of them. I just don't think that we should be wasting our time simply naming days. Thank you, Madam Chair.
You're welcome. Are there any other discussion on House Resolution 456? Seeing none, Sonia, please call for the vote. Chair Hill-Evans? Yes.
Representatives Boyd? Designation, yes.
Brennan Davidson designation yes green designation yes against designation yes
Howard designation yes English designation yes Kenyatta Probst
designation yes Sanchez Schusterman designation yes Waxman Webster Yes
Chair Roy Yes
Representatives Banta Barger Yes by designation
Bonner
Brown Yes by designation
Diamond Yes by designation
Fink
Kozak Yes by designation
Shalaba Yes by designation
Schaefer Walsh Yes by designation
Weeknacht Yes by designation
Motion passes Thank you and the resolution will be reported Seeing no further business before state government I move that the state government committee be adjourned Thank you all for attending
Thank you. Thank you.