THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BRUBAKER, FOLMER, ALLOWAY, D. WHITE, EICHELBERGER AND MENSCH, FEBRUARY 4, 2011

REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, FEBRUARY 4, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled

"An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the

executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the

Executive Department thereof and the administrative

departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,

including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or

Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or

authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative

departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and

duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative

officers, and of the several administrative departments,

boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive

and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of

certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and

other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,

and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the

number and compensation of the deputies and all other

assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and

commissions shall be determined," providing for General

Assembly general appropriation procedure; and further

providing for revenue estimates.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known

as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a

section to read:

Section 613.1.  General Assembly General Appropriation

Procedure.--(a)  The following deadlines are imposed:

(1)  No later than six weeks after the date of submission of

the budget by the Governor to the General Assembly under section

619(b), a separate general appropriation bill shall be

introduced in each chamber of the General Assembly.

(2)  Each chamber of the General Assembly shall pass a

general appropriation bill no later than the first full week in

May, except in a fiscal year when the Governor is inaugurated,

in which case each chamber shall pass a general appropriation

bill no later than the second full week of May.

(3)  A final general appropriation bill shall be passed by

the General Assembly and presented to the Governor for signature

no later than June 30 of the same fiscal year in which the bill

was introduced.

(4)  If the Governor vetoes the general appropriation bill

passed under paragraph (3) and the veto is not overridden,

another general appropriation bill shall be passed by the

General Assembly and presented to the Governor for signature

within two weeks of the date of the veto.

(b)  Failure to meet any of the deadlines set forth in

subsection (a) shall:

(1)  result in forfeiture of pay by the members of the

chamber of the General Assembly that failed to meet the

deadline, along with forfeiture of the per diem allowances and

legislative expense reimbursements for lodging, meals and

mileage applicable to the members of that chamber; and

(2)  require the physical presence in the Main Capitol

Building of all members of the chamber that failed to meet the

deadline, until the objective of the unmet deadline has been

attained.

Section 2.  Section 618 of the act is amended by adding a

subsection to read:

Section 618.  Revenue Estimates.--* * *

(a.1)  The Department of Revenue, in conjunction with the

Secretary of the Budget, shall make revenue estimates and

periodic revisions available for use by the General Assembly in

preparing a budget until the final estimate is signed by the

Governor, which shall occur no later than the date on which the

Governor signs the general appropriation bill. The initial

estimate shall be available by the second week of February each

year and at least one revised estimate shall be available no

later than May 1.

* * *

Section 3.  This act shall take effect immediately.