House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

Posted:	January 11, 2016 12:01 PM
From:	Representative Stephen Bloom
To:	All House members
Subject:	Unblocking Vetoed P.E.R.C Funding

When he recently signed the vast majority of the 2015-16 general appropriations bill (HB 1460) into law as Act 10A of 2015, Gov. Tom Wolf inexplicably line-item-vetoed the entire annual appropriation designated for the operation of the Public Employee Retirement Commission (P.E.R.C.). As you know, under Pennsylvania statute, public pension reform legislation cannot be lawfully considered by the legislature unless accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation of same by P.E.R.C. known as a "P.E.R.C. Note." Without funding, P.E.R.C. will likely be hindered or prevented in its ability to timely perform such evaluations. Therefore, by his veto action, the governor has effectively imposed a unilateral moratorium on the debate and enactment of public pension reform legislation for the remaining six-months of the 2015-16 fiscal year. Given the urgent public pension crisis facing our Commonwealth, with unfunded liabilities now well in excess of $50 billion and rising, it is imperative that we take immediate measures to reverse the governor's defunding of P.E.R.C., in order that critical pension reform legislation may be duly brought forth in the legislative chambers. For this reason, in the near future, I will be introducing a freestanding appropriations bill to fund P.E.R.C. at the agreed upon level of $962,000 set forth in HB 1460. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.
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Introduced as HB1793