The majority caucus in the Pennsylvania Senate is trying its hardest to bring bipartisanship agreement to numerous issues critical to the commonwealth’s future, said Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) on Monday during a joint business briefing held by the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
“We in the majority caucus have been very focused on trying to deliver common sense for the commonwealth, common-sense government in a time of very closely divided government — close divisions geographically, close divisions politically on many levels,” Pittman told audience members. “And that division has certainly made the last 10 months somewhat difficult.”
There is a new Democratic governor, for instance, who is still learning how to deal with a fractured legislature, he said.
“Despite some of the reports of dysfunction,” added Pittman, “I do think that we have made some good progress in this divided government.”
Some of that progress includes getting a budget put in place, albeit pieces of which need to be effectuated, said Pittman. But government services are being delivered and the government is functioning “despite the disagreements on several fronts,” he said.
Pittman also pointed out that the agreed upon budget is below inflation levels, below TABOR, below the governor’s number, and includes a “significant” rainy day fund.
“We have to have a long-term fiscal stability view of where we go,” he said. “Revenues have started to tail off and we have to be cognizant that while we have a significant rainy day fund and surplus, using one-time dollars for recurring expenditures becomes a real challenge.”
In citing another example, Pittman pointed to bipartisan work the PA Senate accomplished two weeks ago when it passed legislation to address hospital assessments, the rate mix case dynamic with nursing homes, and the crisis in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The House concurred with the Senate’s changes and Gov. Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 1351 into law.
This was both timely and critically important, according to Pittman, because “we were on the border of a crisis in those situations and we were able to avert it.”
Specifically, the new law provides support for EMS, hospital assessments, and nursing homes. For example, EMS reimbursement rates for services were increased and providers will be compensated for all loaded miles, changes that will drive $63.1 million of new revenue and new resources into the EMS network statewide beginning Jan. 1 through the end of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to Pittman’s office.
“It doesn’t solve the problem,” Pittman said during the business briefing, “but it’s a piece of the puzzle that’s going to make that problem much more manageable.”
The Senate majority also has worked in a bipartisan way on issues related to school safety and school mental health reforms. However, when related bills were passed on to the House for consideration, “the House chose to go in a different direction with them,” said Pittman, adding that some of the House changes are “unacceptable” and will have to be reconciled.
“I think we have tried very hard, at least in the Senate, to demonstrate an ability to move bipartisan issues forward,” Pittman said.
Regarding transportation infrastructure, as another example, the senator said a significant effort has been made on that front by moving $125 million out of the state police budget that comes out of the motor license fund and putting it into the general fund budget.
“That was critically important, particularly with federal dollars that have been put in front of us for infrastructure,” he said. “I think that we have hit a historic high on infrastructure lettings this year — $3 billion if I understand correctly — and that’s an important achievement we have to understand and reconcile.”
The PA Senate also has worked with building trades in a bipartisan way to advance permitting reform, “which I think is very fundamental,” said Pittman, adding that “we have to get to a point in which the commonwealth is inviting economic investment and opportunity.
“Beyond our tax structure, that has to do with having a bureaucracy that is willing to go through red tape and not wrap more red tape around potential investment,” he said.
Other issues the PA Senate majority has focused on in a bipartisan fashion include shutting down open-air drug markets in Philly, probation reforms, and school choice, an issue that the majority caucus has passed three times.
“We do believe parents have ultimate responsibility for their child’s education and we’ve worked across the aisle with the governor on it. It’s an initiative we’re proud of.”
He said it’s time for Shapiro to commit to school choice not just in words, but in action.