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| Weekly Roundup |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
No-Tax-Increase Budget Moves Ahead in House
This week, the House approved a $31.52 billion budget proposal that does not increase taxes or borrowing but does invest in education, public safety, human services and infrastructure.
House Bill 218 reflects a collective need to reinvent the way Pennsylvania budgets and governs, by moving ahead to streamline programs and services; eliminate duplicative state functions; reduce bureaucracy; and create an endowment fund that will generate money to pay future costs.
The budget will be balanced using several options, including expanded gaming and liquor privatization proposals, which have previously passed the House.
Additional details about the proposal are available here.
To read my statement on this week’s budget action, click here.
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Committee Endorses Liquor Bills to Encourage Choice, Convenience
This week, the House Liquor Control Committee passed two bills designed to further evolve distribution of wine and spirits.
House Bill 991 would allow for the creation of privately owned retail stores to sell bottles of wine and spirits in an effort to provide greater convenience and choice for consumers.
Another proposal, House Bill 438, would allow spirits to be sold in the same retail locations as wine. This would specifically apply to grocery and convenience stores with restaurant seating.
The measures are not only designed to improve consumer choice and convenience but also to help the state generate much-needed revenue.
Both bills now move to the full House for a final vote.
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Sheriff Lance Benedict Encourages Local Residents to Attend April 20 Concealed Carry Seminar
“A couple hours of your time now could save you years down the road”
To familiarize area residents about their responsibilities as gun owners, Rep. Tina Pickett and I will host a concealed carry seminar at the Hop Bottom Fire Hall on Thursday, April 20. The seminar will be held from 6-8 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Susquehanna County District Attorney Robert Klein and Sheriff Lance Benedict will share their expertise and answer questions from area residents about state firearms laws.
These seminars have been quite popular in our area, as they have not only familiarized our local gun owners with state firearms laws, but they have included information about the Castle Doctrine and how that law is applied in cases of self-defense. Since our area is so close to the New York border, many questions have been answered regarding residents’ ability to cross state lines with their firearms.
In addition to an overview of the state’s firearms laws, the seminar will include information on how to safely interact with police when carrying a firearm, as well as the legal aspects of Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine, which allows a homeowner to use deadly force if necessary when threatened by an armed intruder.
Registration is required for this event and can be made by clicking here or call my Montrose office at 570-278-3374. Seating is limited. Light refreshments will be served.
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House OKs Bill to Get Tougher on Criminals
To ensure criminals are appropriately sentenced, the House passed House Bill 741 to address constitutional issues with Pennsylvania’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws cited by the state Supreme Court in 2015.
House Bill 741 would allow for mandatory minimum sentences for drug traffickers, trafficking drugs to minors and for selling drugs in drug-free school zones. Other crimes affected include offenses committed with firearms, on public transportation, against the elderly or infants, or while impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Mandatory sentences have proven to be a necessary tool to ensure that people committing serious drug and gun crimes are held accountable for their actions.
The bill now goes to the state Senate.
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If You Owe Back Taxes, Amnesty Program Can Help
Pennsylvanians who owe state tax will soon have the option to pay those back taxes through a new tax amnesty program.
The program, which offers incentives to Pennsylvanians to settle their delinquent tax accounts, is expected to generate as much as $150 million in revenue for the Commonwealth. The program does not “forgive” taxes owed but instead waives penalties, collection and lien fees, and half of the interest owed.
All taxes owed to the Commonwealth administered by the Department of Revenue are eligible for the program. The delinquent taxes must have been owed as of Dec. 31, 2015. Any unpaid taxes, penalties and interest resulting from periods after Dec. 31, 2015, are not eligible for the program.
The amnesty period runs from April 21 to June 19, 2017. More information is available at revenue.pa.gov.
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Celebrating Agriculture at the Capitol
PA Farm Bureau members from the 111th District visited the Capitol this week and I joined them at a luncheon.
I met with several 4-H members from the 111th District this week in Harrisburg.
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| Office Locations |
| 16501 State Route 706, Suite 2, Montrose, PA 18801 | Phone: 570-278-3374 |
| 32 Commercial Street, Suite 300, Honesdale, PA 18431 | 570-253-5533 |
414 Irvis Office, PO Box 202111, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2111
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| Email Address: JFritz@pahousegop.com |
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