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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 2, 2016 11:25 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Eddie Day Pashinski |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Pennsylvania Budget Impasse Act |
In the near future I plan to introduce legislation creating the Pennsylvania Budget Impasse Act. The law addresses the recent budget impasse our Commonwealth experienced by finding a responsible way to incentivize our leaders to work together. Citizens of the Commonwealth deserve better and it is fundamental to our duties as legislators to pass a budget through standard negotiation practices and pass that budget ON TIME. Across the state, one can hear conversations to the effect of “why don’t they just lock themselves in a room until the budget is done?” My bill seeks to do just that by forcing an ongoing, intensive dialog with no distractions until the budget is passed. Under my proposal, if a budget is not passed by June 30 of each fiscal year, the following legislative leaders and members of the Administration would be sequestered until a budget is passed: The Governor; The Secretary of the Budget; The Speaker of the House; The President Pro Tempore of the Senate; The Senate Majority and Minority Leader; The House Majority and Minority Leader; The Senate Majority and Minority Chairs of the Appropriations Committee; The House Majority and Minority Chairs of the Appropriations Committee. If a budget is not passed on time, these negotiators shall lodge together in a room provided in the Capitol Building and shall negotiate continuously until a budget is passed. At the end of seven days, if a budget has not been agreed upon by all parties, a report shall be made to the General Assembly outlining the progress that has been made. This process shall continue, on a weekly basis, until a budget agreement is made by all parties. I believe that Harrisburg has demonstrated its inability to achieve a reasonable and responsible budget in a timely manner. Countless school districts, Human Service Agencies, municipalities And organizations that rely on our Commonwealths’ funding process were unnecessarily put at great risk and experienced loss of services and resources to the point of financial disaster. This impasse not only wasted millions of dollars, it wasted an enormous amount of time and severely detoured the legislature’s responsibility to address the needs of the people. There was a time when every state legislator and state employee did not get paid when a budget impasse occurred beyond June 30th. That practice, although not perfect, forced serious negotiations and historically achieved a successful budget in a far timelier manner. Since the courts ruled against this practice, a new mechanism must be designed to prevent unnecessary and damaging delays in achieving ON TIME BUDGETS. This proposal will provide that new mechanism to accomplish on time budgets and I ask you to please consider co-sponsoring this effort. |