This evening, Senate and House Republicans and Gov. Corbett announced they reached agreement on a $28.3 billion state spending plan, slightly less than the Governor’s $28.4 billion proposed budget. The agreed-to budget represents a 2.3 percent increase in spending over the current year budget.
House Bill 1437 (Adolph-R- Delaware) was then amended with the new FY 2013-14 General Fund budget and reported out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The full Senate expects to take up the measure tomorrow first thing (11:00 a.m.). The House is expected to vote Sunday evening, just making the June 30 midnight deadline.
For its part, the House did not take up the transportation funding bill-- Senate Bill 1 (Rafferty-R- Montgomery)-- as expected, waiting, it was reported, for the Senate to take up the liquor privatization bill-- House Bill 790 (Turzai-R-Allegheny).
There was no action on the liquor privatization bill in the Senate today.
The Senate Appropriations Committee did report out legislation-- House Bill 1075 (Moul-R-Adams)-- directing the Governor to enter into an agreement to expand Medicaid (among other changes to the Welfare Code) which was a major priority of Senate and House Democrats.
House Republicans vow to prevent any floor vote on the bill if it returns to the House for concurrence.
Meanwhile, pension reform is still nowhere.
There is no word yet on budget-related changes to the Tax Code, Fiscal Code or Education Code.
Click Here for the agency-by-agency budget spreadsheet which compares current year funding, the Governor’s request and the agreed-to budget numbers. Some highlights include--
DEP
Conservation Districts- $2.5 million ($350,000 less than last year)
Sewage Facilities Planning Grants- $200,000 (zeroed out last year)
Overall- $2.8 million increase
DCNR
Heritage Parks - $2.2 million (zeroed out last few years)
Overall - $22.7 million cut (probably substituted more Oil & Gas Lease Fund monies
Agriculture
Conservation Districts- $869,000 ($150,000 less than last year)
Overall- $5.7 million cut ($3.4 million cut in General Govt. Operations)
Environmental Hearing Board- $2.1 million ($181,000 more than last year)
Commonwealth Financing Authority- $7.5 million less than last yearNewsClips:
House Fails To Take Up Transportation Bill