A joint legislative panel consisting of the House committees on Health, Human Services, and Aging & Older Adult Services met on April 17 to hear testimony from key stakeholders and groups on the proposed unification of the Health, Aging, Drug and Alcohol, and Human Services departments into a single Health and Human Services agency.

 

CCAP Human Services Committee chair and Dauphin County commissioner George Hartwick shared the counties' unique position as key partners with the state in the delivery of human services programs at the local level. While the Association remains neutral on the proposed consolidation, Hartwick identified components counties believe must be adopted as part of a unified model, as well as opportunities to enhance partnership and cooperation with the state. First and foremost, counties believe the goals of any change must be focused on the service recipient and that counties must remain in the forefront of delivery models that may result. Some of the recommendations Hartwick offered on behalf of CCAP included opportunities to improve data systems, the elimination of silos, maintaining a full continuum of services related to substance abuse issues and older adult programs, and involvement of counties in addressing concerns of federal regulatory and funding agencies.

 

Meanwhile, in the Senate, the joint Senate panel is scheduled to receive testimony regarding the proposed merger on May 1 in Pittsburgh, concluding a series of hearings that included one in Reading at which CCAP participated. Full comments provided by CCAP to the Senate and House committees are available at www.pacounties.org by clicking Government Relations, then Legislative Action Center and then Legislative Testimony.

 

Relatedly, on April 26 the House Human Services Committee advanced a proposal sponsored by committee chair Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) that would prohibit the administration from merging the agencies until studies are completed by the state's Legislative Budget and Finance Committee and the Joint State Government Commission. House Bill 1248 requires the two legislative agencies to analyze the financial and programmatic benefits and difficulties associated with a proposed unification model and to report back to the General Assembly within one year. The measure was reported out by a 14-13 vote, with Democratic members joined by Rep. Alex Charlton (R-Delaware) and Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne) voting in the negative.

The House Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing in Philadelphia earlier this month to take input on HB 1092 , sponsored by Rep. Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), which would create and implement county-based pretrial services and programs and explore options for reform of the bail system in the commonwealth.

 

CCAP Courts and Corrections Committee chair and Berks County Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt testified at the hearing, highlighting the importance of pretrial justice reform, particularly as it affects individuals in the criminal justice system with behavioral health issues. Re-entry efforts developed by the county are also critical, and concurrently slow the growth in prison expenditures and juvenile justice payments. He noted that CCAP has completed a study of best practices for addressing the needs of inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues, and is now in the process of helping counties implement best practices as outlined in its report. Any pretrial reforms, Barnhardt added, should assure that counties are not mandated to have specific programs, or that the standards for such programs are not overly prescriptive and do not affect local resources and philosophies.

 

Maureen Barden, consultant for the CCAP Pretrial Pilot Project, also shared her perspectives from her work with counties to establish pretrial services programs. She pointed out that commissioners and other county stakeholders have a continuing interest in pretrial reform and alternatives to pretrial detention, and noted the importance of collaboration between the commissioners and the judiciary, as well as the need for technical assistance and financial support, for new programs to succeed.

 

Full comments provided by CCAP to the House Democratic Policy Committee are available at www.pacounties.org by clicking Government Relations, then Legislative Action Center and then Legislative Testimony.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, noting the effect that opioid addiction and drug overdoses have had throughout the country. The Commission, to be chaired by New Jersey governor Chris Christie, is designed to identify federal dollars and other available resources to combat drug addiction, as well as to identify areas underserved by addiction treatment and to measure the effectiveness of state prescription drug monitoring programs. An interim report is expected within 90 days, with a final report expected by Oct. 1.

 

In related news, Pennsylvania announced on April 24 that the state has secured a federal grant totaling $26.5 million to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic. The grant, administered by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, was the fourth-largest grant awarded. It will initially be used to identify gaps in treatment services and locations where there are capacity shortages, and to enhance prevention efforts and raise awareness of the disease and ways to find help. Funding will also support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients.             

The State Civil Service Commission published proposed regulations to implement Act 69 and Act 167 of 2016 in the April 22 Pennsylvania Bulletin, starting a 30-day comment period.

 

Act 69 allows applicants to be notified of an open job or test by methods other than mail, such as e-mail, and also allows for "vacancy-based" hiring, which will permit the Civil Service Commission to post actual job vacancies, rather than a general list of job classifications. In addition, the law expands the "Rule of Three" by permitting the Commission to provide agencies with a list of more than three applicants, with the final number being determined by the Commission. Act 167 added language to provide that an appointing authority shall select the method of examination (written or oral) that will be used for establishment of employment or promotion lists.

 

The Commission is holding three public hearings on the proposal, with one held on April 25 in Pittsburgh, and two to follow in Philadelphia (May 12) and Harrisburg (May 17). Counties are encouraged to review the proposed regulations and consider submitting comments in writing or seek an opportunity to offer testimony if the regulations are not consistent with the intent of the law, or are burdensome or confusing to the regulated community.

 

Full details and contact information for submitting comments can be found at www.pabulletin.com by clicking Search, then Volume 47, then the April 22 issue and looking under the State Civil Service Commission heading.

Legislation to assure the longevity of the state's Recycling Fund was unanimously reported by the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee on April 25. Senate Bill 646, sponsored by former Delaware County council member Senator Tom Killion (R-Delaware), would eliminate the sunset date under Act 101 related to the $2 per ton fee that is collected on all waste disposed at landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. The fee provides grants through the state's Recycling Fund to local governments with recycling programs, and is currently set to expire on January 1, 2020.

 

Counties get assistance from the Fund for developing their decennial solid waste plans as mandated under the Act, for planning and implementation of programs, and for covering the cost of the county recycling coordinator. In addition, many counties provide supplemental recycling services to their constituents, including household hazardous waste pickup, recycling of electronics and tires, and recycling drop-off centers; those counties are also eligible for various grants offered under Act 101. Without these important services, detrimental environmental impacts such as more hazardous waste in landfills and more illegal dumping are likely to occur, undermining the 25-year success of Act 101.

 

The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

The Senate State Government recently reported three bills that will require additional public availability of records and public access to discussions related to state and local government collective bargaining agreements.

 

Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) offered SB 503 to remove the existing ability of a government agency to hold executive sessions for negotiations related to collective bargaining agreements, although executive sessions could still be used for information and strategy purposes related to such agreements. Similarly, SB 504, introduced by former Lancaster County commissioner Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster), would remove the exemption from the Right to Know Law for records pertaining to negotiations, offers of settlement and information exchanged by the parties (thus permitting public access to those records), while SB 168, sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano (R-Westmoreland) would require that any proposed agreement, including the terms and estimates of costs to the employer, must be posted on the web within 48 hours of receipt, at least two weeks before signing an agreement and for 30 days after.

 

The bills were reported on a party line vote, with Republican members voting in favor and Democratic members voting in the negative.