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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 25, 2018 04:23 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Andrew E. Dinniman |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Regulation Fiscal Note Requirement |
| I will soon reintroduce last session’s SB 731 that will require comprehensive financial reporting by the State Board of Education during the regulation process. This bill was unanimously voted out of both the Senate Education and Appropriations Committees last session. A comprehensive accounting of the financial burdens that a specific regulation could cause for the Commonwealth, its schools, the community and the taxpayers needs to be disclosed during the regulation review process. The current practice of vague statements of cost without real numbers does not provide the information needed for the General Assembly to make judgment or comment on a proposed regulation proceeding through the Independent Regulatory Review process. The General Assembly has a right to have certain information available during the review process of a regulation that affects education. My legislation amends the Public School Code to require that the four Chairs of the Education Committees receive a comprehensive, detailed financial break down of estimated cost for regulations related to the Department of Education at key times in the regulatory review process which the Chairs will then provide to their caucus for additional input and review. In the legislature, both sides of the aisle consistently talk about ending unfunded mandates on local school districts which often results in increased property taxes for our constituents. The vast majority of requirements on the school districts which aren’t funded do not come from legislative action and bills that the General Assembly pass, but from the State Board of Education through the regulation process and regulatory mandates and controls. If we are serious about limiting unfunded mandates, then complete and accurate fiscal disclosure with detailed fiscal notes is vital for the legislature when it reviews regulations that are drafted for approval by the State Board of Education and the Department during the regulatory process. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as SB1032