PA House Transportation — 2026-06-22

Thank you. Thank you. Good morning, everybody. I call the meeting of the House Transportation Meeting to order. Just for the members' information, this meeting is being broadcast and recorded. Evan, can you please take roll call?

Online designation. We have a quorum. Chair calls out Pass Bill 1941, printers number 2450, introduced by Representative Roman Kozak. Jake Gup, can you please give us a summary of the bill?

I ask all the members to support the bill, and I'd like to recognize the maker of the bill, Representative Roman Kozak.

So I couldn't agree with you more. And as a son of a fireman, I was raised by a fireman, and I've been listening to him for quite some time now, over 60 years. And so I've never not said no to him. So I'm sure if he stood in the middle of the street, I'd stop there as well. But thank you for doing this. We appreciate it.

Any other comments on House Bill 2479 or 1941? I'm on the wrong one. I've already paid in space. On House Bill 1941, seeing on any negative votes on House Bill 1941, seeing on 1941 will be reported as committed. Thank you. The chair now calls up House Bill 2479, printers number 3337, introduced by Representative Dan Gonehauer. Kyle, can you please give us a summary of the bill?

currently the only armed probation officers in the city of Philadelphia are allowed to have flashing red lights this legislation simply provides a limited and narrow expansion of probation officers in the 5th Legislative District of Allegheny County

House Bill 2582 by Representative Sean Dougherty. This bill authorizes the use of flashing red lights on state parole fugitive apprehension emergency vehicles. These vehicles must be used to respond to an emergency or an activity of law enforcement under the following criteria. The operator has completed an emergency vehicle operator training course approved by the Department of Corrections, and the vehicle is engaged in the apprehension of an absconder or escapee, responding to a confirmed escape, responding to an immediate threat to public safety, or assisting a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency in Pennsylvania, including task force operations. The vehicle must follow the written emergency vehicle policy governing the use, supervision, safety, and reporting of these vehicles developed and implemented by the Department of Corrections, and there is one amendment filed to the bill. The question is, will the committee report the bill?

Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Elaine, for that good explanation. Just to add a little bit to that, part of the problem is that the corrections officer's vehicle oftentimes is getting separated from the emergency vehicle. This will allow them to have the lights to keep them connected. People recognize that that vehicle needs to be in contact or at least close proximity of the ambulance by providing them the license siren that ensures that this separation is not going to be occurring during an emergency. Obviously, they can get entangled in other traffic. It's important that they can assist the ambulance by moving through by seeing an officer's vehicle. I'd ask the members to support this. At this point, I don't know. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

House Bill 2644 by Chairman Nielsen and Chairman Benninghoff. This is the Capitol Bridge Budget Bill. This bill provides legislative authorization for itemized capital bridge projects throughout Pennsylvania that may be funded through debt or current revenues. Legislative authorization is the necessary and required first step for a bridge project to be undertaken. This authorization does not appropriate funding, provide for actual spending, alter or create any budgets, or adjust or increase any taxes. This bill simply permits the expenditure of state capital funding within existing budgets for an itemized project once it is ready to proceed. Once legislative authorization is granted, a bridge project must then be programmed and approved by the State Transportation Commission and the local Metropolitan Planning Organization, MPO, or Rural Planning Organization, RPO, through the 12-year transportation planning program to be completed. The most recent Capital Bridge Budget Bill enacted by the General Assembly was Act 78 of 2022, and there are no amendments filed to the bill.