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FALL SESSION BEGINS SEPT. 19
The General Assembly returns to Harrisburg on Sept. 19, with 14 session days planned in the House and 10 in the Senate before the 2015-2016 session closes on Nov. 30.
Among the issues that may receive consideration in this limited time frame are measures to address the opioid epidemic. In late June, more than 100 House members encouraged Gov. Wolf to call a special session on the issue; under the state Constitution,
when the General Assembly is convened in a special session, its members can only consider legislation on those subjects designated in a proclamation made by the Governor.
Since then, the House
Republican and Democratic Policy committees, in conjunction with the bipartisan Pennsylvania Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education (PA-HOPE) Caucus, completed a series of joint hearings across the commonwealth to hear from representatives of law enforcement, health care professionals, the court system, counties, human services providers and state agencies about the experiences and challenges that have increased in recent years in dealing with the rampant opioid problem. Although media reports indicate that a formal special session is not likely this fall, it is expected that the General Assembly will still move forward with several related bills in its regular session. The House Children and Youth Committee is also scheduled to hold a hearing Sept. 28 on the impact of the opioid epidemic on infants and children.
Among the upcoming late-session bills affecting counties, the House Urban Affairs Committee has scheduled consideration of SB 1282, which would prohibit counties from collecting recording fees against individual parcels when recording condominium association amendments. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) would unfairly result in taxpayers who do not reside in such associations, picking up the recorders' office costs on behalf of the condominium associations that would no longer pay their fair share. In addition, it creates a disincentive for counties to index amendments to each property, to the detriment of property owners, who would no longer have a consolidated and complete property record, as well as property buyers, who will need extra time and costs to assure a complete title search. Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell testified regarding CCAP's opposition to the bill at a House Urban Affairs Committee hearing in late July, and his testimony is available at www.pacounties.org by clicking Legislative Action Center, then Legislative Testimony.
Any bills not sent to the Governor's desk during the remaining session time prior to the November 30 sine die adjournment will have to be reintroduced and begin the legislative process anew when the legislature reconvenes for the 2017-2018 session in January. Talking points and other materials on legislation that remains on the active calendar can be found on CCAP's Legislative Action Center.
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FINAL WIOA RULES TAKES EFFECT
On Aug. 30, the final rule under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 took effect, implementing the reauthorization of the federal workforce development and job training programs for the next six years. The rule, released by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education, provides for the coordination, collaboration, and increased training and educational opportunities for federal, state and local partners related to employment services. The rule highlights both counties' and local elected officials' involvement in the implementation of WIOA through the coordination and administration of state and local workforce development boards.
The final regulation, among other things, provides guidance for state and local workforce development systems on State Plan requirements,
updates the regulations that establish criteria for determining the suitability of tests used for gauging state performance on WIOA's measurable skill gains indicator WIOA, requires all programs to report employment and earning outcomes, and implements a new accountability indicator to gauge how effectively businesses are served by the workforce system.
Additionally, the final rule affects certain programs in which counties have been involved such as WIOA adult, dislocated workers, and youth, YouthBuild, and the Jobs for Veterans State Grant.
WIOA also requires every state to develop and submit a four-year strategy to ensure alignment and coordination with workforce development programs. CCAP, alongside the PA Workforce Development Association, provided written comments on Pennsylvania's WIOA Combined State Plan for 2016-2020, addressing workforce strategy programs including training benchmarks, priority of service, performance measures, and recognition of the roles of state and local areas/regions in the plan. Pennsylvania's Combined State Plan was successfully submitted and "substantially approved" in June by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. CCAP and PWDA continue to work together to develop resources and training opportunities for counties regarding their WIOA responsibilities.
The final rule and additional resources related to WIOA can be found at the U.S. Department of Labor's
website.
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HOUSE PANEL HOLDS HEARING ON EMPLOYMENT FIRST
Members of the House Labor and Industry Committee met on Sept. 13 to discuss HB 2130, sponsored by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), which provides for competitive employment in an integrated setting in state, county and local agencies for individuals with disabilities. The legislation would also establish the Employment First Program, designed to employ and provide employment services and opportunities to individuals with disabilities and those receiving publicly funded services. The bill also provides for a coordinating council and oversight commission to review existing regulations and policies, develop recommendations to state agency officials, and establish goals and objectives to implement the program.
In March 2016, Gov. Wolf also directed the establishment of an "Employment First" policy to increase competitive integrated employment for Pennsylvanians with a disability, under Executive Order: 2016-03.
Among the testifiers, who included Employment First advocates and the secretaries of the state departments of Human Services, Labor and Industry, and Education, Chester County Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental Disability Administrator Gary Entrekin shared the county's efforts to support individuals with disabilities through a variety of programs and initiatives. The county's "County Cup" food kiosk venture has been recognized nationally, and the county also provides work experience opportunities in departments such as Human Services and Veterans Affairs. Entrekin noted that while progress has been made in helping individuals with disabilities gain employment, there is a need to be more progressive and a need for cultural change to be part of the process, and he concurred that HB 2130 supports these continued efforts that promote employing individuals with disabilities.
Entrekin's full testimony is available by going to CCAP's Legislative Action Center and clicking Legislative Testimony.
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TEXT MESSAGE VOTER REGISTRATION SERVICE AVAILABLE
The Pennsylvania Department of State (DOS) has added another tool to assist citizens in registering to vote, using a new voter registration text messaging system called 2Vote. By texting the word "PA" to 2VOTE (28683) on a smartphone, individuals receive a link that provides direct access to the online voter registration application, voter registration status, polling place locator and link to contacts for county offices and the DOS. The text message link also provides users with dates and deadlines significant to the November 8 general election. Further, as a part of its membership in the national record-matching consortium Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), the state is mailing postcards to more than two million Pennsylvanians who are eligible to vote but are not registered, providing them information about registering to vote and the upcoming deadline.
The online registration site can be found directly at register.votesPA.com. Applications for a new registration, or a change of name, address or party affiliation must be submitted online by midnight on Oct. 11, and traditional paper registration applications must also be postmarked no later than that date.
In addition, the DOS is urging voters planning to vote by absentee ballot to mail their request no later than Oct. 21. Although the deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, Nov. 1, the voted ballots must be received by the county election office no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, and the early requests are advised due to the 3-day time frame and cutbacks in service by the U.S. Postal Service.
Pennsylvania voters will be electing the U.S. President and Vice President, one U.S. Senator and 18 U.S. House members, as well as the statewide offices of attorney general, auditor general and treasurer. Odd-numbered state Senate districts and all state House seats will also be on the ballot .
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OFFICE OF OPEN RECORDS ADOPTS NEW RTKL FEE STRUCTURE
The state's Office of Open Records has announced a new fee structure for commonwealth agencies and local agencies under the Right-to-Know Law (RTKL). State law requires the Office to review the fee structure every other year. Comments on the draft update were accepted from Aug. 1 through Aug. 19, and nine substantive comments from individual requestors, attorneys, state-wide media and local government employees were received. Based on those comments, changes to the draft update included reducing the allowable charge for color copies from a maximum of 50 cents per page to 35 cents per page, changing the allowable charge for a CD or DVD from up to $3 per disc to up to actual cost, not to exceed $3 per disc. A footnote was also added to clarify that a requester may use a personal camera (such as a cell phone camera) to copy a public record.
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