House Republican Proposal Would Force Vote On Budget For Each State Agency Separately

Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny) introduced a 39-bill package Monday that would fund state agencies and programs through individual bills, rather than in one omnibus General Fund appropriations bill.

The separate bills related to environmental programs include--

-- Department of Agriculture: House Bill 2182

-- Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: House Bill 2198

-- Department of Environmental Protection: House Bill 2235

-- PA Infrastructure Investment Authority: House Bill 2231

-- Environmental Hearing Board: House Bill 2233

-- PA Emergency Management Agency: House Bill 2175

-- Fiscal Code Changes: House Bill 2180

-- Set Overall Spending Limits On Appropriations: House Resolution 820

“These bills would implement the changes I have proposed in House Bill 2070, which would end the practice of putting almost every state agency in one bill and instead allow for a separate vote on each appropriation,” Rep. Ortitay said. “I’m hopeful we can approve these bills in order to implement better oversight of state spending. In addition, it would allow legislators to voice their opposition to certain portions of the budget without voting down the entire spending plan.”

“House Resolution 820 would set the expenditure limitations. By setting the total amount of state spending for each agency, the expenditure limitations would guide the Legislature in enacting the actual appropriation for each agency,” said Rep. Ortitay.  “Amounts appropriated in the budget bills would not be able to exceed the levels sets in the expenditure limitation resolution.

“If the Legislature makes appropriations in excess of the amounts adopted in the expenditure limitation resolution, the governor would be required to veto amounts appropriated over what is provided in the expenditure limitation resolution,” explained Rep. Ortitay.

The text for the bills is not yet online. Click Here for the full announcement.