Pa. House leaves key bill in the lurch
The House of Representatives has canceled plans to return next week to vote on bills, sentencing several measures to certain legislative death for this session, including one meant to blunt impending sharp spikes in the state's pension payouts.
HARRISBURG - The House of Representatives has canceled plans to return next week to vote on bills, sentencing several measures to certain legislative death for this session, including one meant to blunt impending sharp spikes in the state's pension payouts.
In a memo to members, House Speaker Keith McCall (D.-Carbon) announced his decision to cancel the voting session, but did not explain his reasons. He could not be reached for comment Friday.
But his decision means that the House will not debate a bill that aims to delay and reduce a projected multibillion-dollar spike in Pennsylvania's pension systems for state employees and public school teachers, despite Gov. Rendell's urging to do so.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Rendell called the bill "too important to delay," and urged the House to return for at least one day to vote on the bill.
The pension bill, Rendell wrote in a letter to House leaders, will save the state $16 billion in payments over the next 25 years.
"The more quickly the legislature returns to enact legislation which will stabilize the pension obligations, the sooner the Commonwealth will realize cost savings," the governor wrote.
The current two-year session of the General Assembly expires Nov. 30. Any bills that haven't passed and been signed by the governor will have to be reintroduced and go through the legislative process from scratch when the new session begins in January.
Despite Rendell's prodding, as well as calls from a handful of House members to return, House Democratic leaders said Friday they have no plans to do so.