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ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION ONLY
The Legislative Bulletin is currently published by electronic newsletter only.
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CCAP SEEKS STATE COLLABORATION WITH COUNTIES ON REOPENING PA
On May 4, CCAP executive director Lisa Schaefer appeared before a joint hearing of the Senate Local Government Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee to testify on plans to reopen Pennsylvania.
Schaefer's primary
message
to
committee members was to emphasize that while counties are providing steadfast front-line response to the COVID-19 pandemic, counties deserve to be partners consulted in the commonwealth's response and reopening plans. "We must stop creating
solutions
for
counties. We must start creating solutions
with
counties." Schaefer stressed, noting that all parties must come together in partnership to solve challenges related to balancing public health and economic security statewide.
Furthermore, Schaefer noted that counties continue to be strong partners with the state in providing resources and services to its residents and they deserve a seat at the table, as well as clear communication and cooperation during this challenging time. A key example where counties could provide valuable intergovernmental input is on the task force on COVID-19 recovery that created by the current version of
SB 327
. Finally, Schaefer highlighted the need for counties to have access to accurate and timely data and information that accounts for impacts extending beyond county borders in order to increase cooperative response efforts.
Mercer County commissioner Matt McConnell and Montgomery County commissioner Dr. Valerie Arkoosh also provided county perspectives before the committees. Others testifying included Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development Dennis Davin, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Randy Padfield, and representatives from the healthcare industry
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ELECTIONS HEARING FEATURES ELECTIONS DIRECTORS, CCAP
The Senate State Government Committee held a public hearing on April 30 to discuss the administration of the primary election amid the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in Pennsylvania. Chairman John DiSanto (R-Dauphin) highlighted the recent passage of
Act 12 of 2020, which postponed the Pennsylvania primary election to June 2, 2020 and amended the Election Code with other
emergency provisions for the primary election, including poll worker provisions, flexibility on consolidation of polling places, ballot printing and canvassing ballots.
As noted by all testifiers during the hearing, the primary election will look significantly different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased demands for mail-in ballots, caused poll workers to be less willing to serve and made polling places more challenging to find. At the same time, this is also the first election where
Act 77 of 2019
election reforms, including the use of mail-in ballots.
Counties were strongly represented in the hearing including several election directors (Jeff Greenburg, Mercer; Ed Allison, Lawrence; and Tim Benyo, Lehigh) as well as Tioga county commissioner Erick Coolidge and CCAP executive director Lisa Schaefer. Several points were highlighted, including
the diligence county election directors have exemplified through recent installation of new voting machines in the counties, reforms related to Act 77 and challenges of the COVID-19 environment. While acknowledging that the struggle to find polling places and poll workers and the demand for mail-in ballots that has surged well beyond initial estimates have created significant challenges, they are created by circumstances beyond control. Counties emphasized that they are working diligently to implement a primary election that maintains the balance of public health and safety with the need for a fair and secure election.
The complete CCAP testimony can be found on the CCAP website, www.pacounties.org, under the Legislative Testimony section of the Government Relations tab
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UNCERTAINTY ON A FIFTH FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF BILL
As discussions on ongoing federal aid continue, to date just seven of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have received direct coronavirus response relief funding from federal aid efforts in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The commonwealth received the remainder of the state's $4.9 billion allocation under the CARES Act but has yet to announce when and how it will disperse funding and whether counties will receive any state relief. CCAP has been advocating to state and federal lawmakers that counties are in critical need of relief funding to cover the immense and unexpected costs of their front-line COVID-19 response, and thus must be considered for a share of federal dollars to help offset those costs.
As this Bulletin is being finalized, little detail has surfaced on a potential fifth round of federal coronavirus relief; in fact, reports indicate disagreement over whether there should be another round of relief, and, if so, its scope. On May 1, a bipartisan Dear Colleague letter was sent to U.S. House leaders urging that funding be disbursed directly to localities to ensure allocations more closely reflect the critical responsibilities of county governments of all sizes. The letter was signed by more than 100 members of the House
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BILL TO ENSURE COUNTY ACCESS TO HEALTH DATA ADVANCES
Senate Bill 1110 (Sen. Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland) was reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 28 and approved by a 47-3 vote of the Senate on April 29. The bill would direct the Secretary of Health or local health authority to release data related to confirmed COVID-19 cases in a county to county 911 centers and other first responders during a proclamation of disaster emergency. Counties have been requesting this information to assist responders and help to efficiently allocate personal protective equipment (PPE) resources, but current state privacy laws have complicated the ability of state agencies to share the data. The bill has been referred to the House Health Committee.
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BILL EXTENDING CHILD ABUSE CLEARANCE DEADLINES HEADS TO GOVERNOR
On April 29, the Senate concurred on HB 360 (Rep. Topper, R-Bedford), which included amendments to extend the deadline for child abuse history clearance recertifications required under the Child Protective Services Law and Pennsylvania School Code. Specifically, those whose clearances would expire during the COVID-19 disaster emergency would have those deadlines extended until Dec. 31, 2020. The bill was presented to the governor on May 6, and he has 10 days to sign, veto or allow to become law without his signature.
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IFO REVIEWS STATE REVENUE COLLECTIONS, UPCOMING BUDGET
On April 23, the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) issued a report outlining the potential impacts of the tax and revenue proposals included in the Governor's FY 2020-2021 Executive Budget Proposal and the corresponding impact on General Fund revenues over a five-year period. With a proposal to adjust the corporate net income tax and new transfers from the personal income tax (PIT), sales and use tax and cigarette tax, the initial General Fund revenue impact summary of the Governor's proposal estimates a decrease of $145 million in FY 2020-2021. The report does not account for any revenue changes or predictions resulting from the recent COVID-19 pandemic and assumes low unemployment rates. The full report is available at www.ifo.state.pa.us.
Relatedly, the IFO recently released its April 2020 revenue update, which documents a collection of $2.18 billion in General Fund revenues for April, a decline of $2.23 billion compared to April 2019. The IFO attributes most of the decline to COVID-19 related business closures, delayed payment processing and the extension of some tax due dates. The IFO will release its preliminary revenue estimate for FY 2020-2021, as required by law, on May 20, when there will be more data available regarding the revenue situation and actual impacts of COVID-19 on the current fiscal year.
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2020 CCAP PRIORITIES STATUS UPDATE
In January 2020, CCAP members identified five priorities for 2020, including increased funding for mental health services, solutions to the emergency medical services crisis, county property tax reform, rural broadband expansion, and adult probation funding. An update on counties' progress on these priorities has been posted at www.pacounties.org, accessible by selecting Priorities under the Government Relations tab.
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CCAP RESOLUTIONS PROCESS
Throughout the month of June, CCAP policy committees will be holding their annual conference call meetings to consider resolutions amending the PA County Platform, in anticipation of a membership discussion and vote in conjunction with the CCAP Annual Conference in August. County officials are encouraged to begin reviewing the Platform now and to send any proposed resolutions to CCAP Government Relations staff at PACountiesGR@pacounties.org, or to discuss them with CCAP policy committee chairs.
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