State Capitol Roundup for May 16

Here's this week's State Capitol ROUNDUP, a weekly summary of important events in Harrisburg, courtesy of state Rep. Bob Mensch, R-147th District:

GOP Appropriations Chairman: 'Where's the Budget?'

Frustrated by the lack of progress on the 2008-09 state budget, Rep. Mario Civera (R-Delaware), Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, continued his calls this week for the budget process to move forward in an open environment. Civera is urging his Democrat counterpart to take action on the budget bill and allow legislators to vote for their spending priorities which are encompassed in more than 80 amendments to the spending plan. Democrats are delaying a budget vote in order to push for a closed door deal. A June 30 deadline looms in the not-so-distant future. House Republicans understand that the budget is closely related to action on numerous other initiatives and welcome the opportunity to engage in what is sure to be a spirited debate on those issues in the House chamber. For the latest news on the state budget, visit PAHouseGOP.com.

Long-Term Care Legislation Unanimously Supported by House

Proposals sponsored by Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R-Lebanon) and Karen Boback (R- Columbia/Luzerne/Wyoming) have won the unanimous support of the House as part of a larger package designed to protect seniors living in long-term care facilities. Gingrich's legislation, House Bill 2242, requires all long-term care facilities, including state-approved home and community-based care providers, to enable consumers to make informed decisions about the level of care offered by the facility. House Bill 2161, which was sponsored by Boback, requires facilities to notify the impacted resident, their designated personal contact and all affected local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) at least 30 days before the relocation of the resident. House Bills 2242 and 2161 now head to the Senate for consideration along with three other proposals that were components of the legislative package.

State Passes the Buck to Single Parents

Parents collecting as little as $167 per month in child support will have to give $25 back to the government each year under legislation that was signed by Gov. Ed Rendell this week. Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery), who aggressively fought against the measure, argued that the fee amounts to a new tax on children and their single parents. Harper had attempted to amend Senate Bill 1278 to require the state to pay the fee, but failed when 117 lawmakers changed their position on the issue. A 2005 federal law requires some child support reimbursement from states, but it is up to state lawmakers to determine how they will fund that reimbursement. The new law is effective retroactive to March 31. Affected parents should expect a letter from the Dept. of Public Welfare in the near future.