The state House and Senate are both in session this week. There are a number of items of interest to the business community scheduled to be considered in committee or before the full legislative chambers.
Today the House Education Committee will meet to vote on two workforce development bills related to Career and Technical Education. The PA Chamber supports efforts to address the state’s jobs skills gap and prepare the next generation of workers to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s evolving economy.
The House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee is scheduled to vote on a series of PA Chamber-supported regulatory reform bills on Tuesday, April 20 at 10 a.m. The House State Government Committee is scheduled to hold a voting meeting on Tuesday to discuss additional reforms to the Regulatory Review Act.
Also on Tuesday, the House Labor and Industry Committee will vote on H.B. 129 – legislation that will amend the state’s Unemployment Compensation Law to permanently provide for UC appeal hearings to take place remotely, unless there is good cause to hold such hearings in-person. Remote procedures were originally put into place during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many employers and claimants reporting this change has allowed for a more efficient appeals process.
Legislation creating a COVID-19 grant program for ultra-small businesses will be taken up by the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday. The proposal would create a $50 million grant program for small businesses, which make no more than $1.5 million in gross annual receipts or employ up to 10 full-time employees, that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate Communications & Technology Committee will convene on Tuesday to vote on S.B. 341 – legislation that would modernize and streamline regulations that apply to Pennsylvania’s landline telephone companies.
The House and Senate Finance Committees are each scheduled to consider bills that would amend the state Tax Code to create a Sales and Use Tax exemption for certain equipment purchased by colocation data centers. Under this legislation, computer data centers equipment that has been purchased for installation in data centers certified by the Department of Revenue would be exempt from local and state Sales and Use Taxes beginning January 1, 2022. The Senate Finance Committee will also vote on H.B. 766, which would change the due date of Pennsylvania corporate tax returns from 30 days after the due date of the federal return to the 15th day of the month following the due date of the federal return.
The Senate Appropriations Committee will conclude its budget hearings this week. The committee will meet with officials from the Department of Transportation on Wednesday, April 21 at 2 p.m. The final departmental budget hearing will feature the Governor’s Budget Office and will take place at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 22.
The full list of committee meetings, which is subject to change, is available on the General Assembly website.