House blocks effort to force vote on gun legislation

Pelosi, a California Democrat, said it was a “disgrace” that Congress had not taken any action since the shooting deaths of 20 children in a CT school three years ago.

That could equate to increases of well over $1 billion on a full-year basis, and multiple sources have said everything is on the table, from hikes in the personal income tax and sales tax, to applying the sales tax to some currently-exempted good and services.

But Turzai remains optimistic, citing late passage of a final piece of a Rendell budget.

Gov. Tom Wolf says he remains committed to a deal he struck last month with House and Senate leaders.

Meanwhile, most state legislators continue to be paid.

“We’re having to wait to do the run-of-the-mill items of disagreement, we’re having to put those off until leadership resolves the big policy issues like whether or not you combine the tax bill with the omnibus and so on”, Rogers said.

Liquor reform: The state Senate has passed a bill that could, if enacted, allow adult Pennsylvanians buy wine to go at some supermarkets and restaurants for the first time ever.

The House is expected to approve the short-term bill on Friday. Beer distributorships are not included in the bill, and selling hard liquor would remain under the exclusive jurisdiction of the approximately 600 state-owned stores. Pat Browne (R., Lehigh), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The question here is whether this fragile reform can withstand another round of negotiations.

The Senate legislation would create a mandatory 401(k)-style benefit for state government and public school employees hired in the future. I hope once we reconvene, the House stays in session until the budget is finalized.

Throughout the summer, GOP House Majority Leader Dave Reed was the face of the chamber’s Republicans as he discussed their concerns and updated the press on budget negotiations.

More than 100 House Democrats signed a letter asking for funding for the research to be reinstated and more than 2,000 doctors organized by the group Doctors for America wrote to Congress making the same request. An education policy bill would impose more ethics and open records requirements on charter schools and permit new avenues for them to open, particularly in Philadelphia, while distributing about $6 billion to school districts under a one-year compromise formula.

If anyone had an answer to how that issue would be resolved, they weren’t saying on Thursday.

House Republicans responded with a $30.3 billion budget plan and a companion proposal to raise $600 million from a $1 per-pack tax increase on cigarettes and an expansion of casino gambling to Internet sites and off-track betting parlors. “They have always wanted to hold the line on spending”.