Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 2, 2020 11:18 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Wendi Thomas |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Budget Impasse Legislation (Former HB 904) |
| In 2015 Pennsylvania witnessed a budget impasse that resulted in schools, social service agencies, and colleges and universities being dangerously underfunded for an unprecedented period of time. In 2017 the state budget impasse continued for three months without a revenue plan to fund the budget until final completion in October of that year. The United States federal goverment shutdown of 2018–2019 afflicted nearly a million U.S. families and reminded many Pennsylvanian’s of the possibility of this happening again in Pennsylvania. We within the Legislature must act to ensure that essential services remain active regardless of what stalemates are occurring over the budget. To remove the uncertainty and financial distress that comes with a budget impasse, I plan to introduce legislation that will require the Commonwealth to maintain state appropriations at 80% of the prior year level if a general fund budget is not enacted by June 30 of any year. This legislation will ensure that regardless if Pennsylvania fails to pass a budget on time again, its constituents will still have access to services that are essential to their livelihood. I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as HB1326