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Stephen Caruso

19 Nov, 30 tweets, 5 min read

@PennCapitalStar

News: Pa. House Republicans are caucusing a budget deal today that includes $35 billion in combined state and federal spending, a 2.2 percent cut from last year. Via @PennCapitalStar

The budget will use a remaining $1 billion of stimulus funds to back fill employment costs for police, corrections officers, and Department of Health employees. Lawmakers and interest groups had previously eyed those funds for everything from school vouchers to rental aid.

The budget will also transfer $531 million out of numerous out-of-budget funds that support everything from recycling to medical marijuana to the state's judicial computer system.

A spokesperson for Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, did not say if he agreed to this budget blueprint, only saying that "The administration is working with the General Assembly to complete a balanced budget by the end of November..."

"...It is critical for us to finalize the budget by November to avoid furloughs and any stoppage of critical payments to providers and grantees."

A voting meeting on the budget has been delayed twice as House Republicans go through it in a private meeting. Next Q is if there'll be the votes in the House to pass it.

From a few conversations, there could be opposition from both Republicans who don't want to lose leverage with Wolf, and Dems who see no help for everyday people in this budget.

The budget was approved party line out of the House Appropriations Committee.

The House will return at 3:41 p,m., according to the PA system, continuing the Cutler-era trend of oddly specific times.

The House returned at 3:39, by my clock. 👀

House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, is about to give his farewell address. penncapital-star.com/government-pol…

Dermody thanked his family, staff, and colleagues. He turns to the present. "This has been a very difficult session, a very difficult few months," Dermody notes.

Dermody says he looks forward to seeing new Democratic leadership fighting for education funding.

He pauses before he mentions another priority, the minimum wage, noting how during the 2019 budget debate when former Speaker Mike Turzai banned Democrats from uttering the phrase during a floor debate as not germane.
whyy.org/articles/dont-…

"Frank was part of this place, and his absence will be noticed," says Rep. Dan Frankel, a longtime colleague of Dermody's from Allegheny County. He notes how Dermody was an early supporter of giving LGBT people protections under state law.

"Frank knows how to keep peace," Frankel says, "a bigger challenge then you'd expect."

House Speaker Bryan Cutler says that he and Dermody have been regularly getting dinner over their time opposite each other this year. Cutler says those dinners carried over to the floor. "While [arguments] were passionate, they were never personal."

Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton, was ruled out of order for not wearing a tie on the House floor, in violation of dress code. He quickly put one on to speak -- and notes how many of his GOP colleagues aren't wearing a mask, despite chamber rules.

By my count, about half of House Republicans on the floor aren't wearing masks.

There's some sarcastic applause when Rep. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, says he might be addressing the House for the last time.

The Pa. House is debating a resolution to order a risk limiting audit of the 2020 election. More TK from me on this, but TLDR, the Department of State has already ordered such an audit of the results.

Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, says this audit is only driven by constituent calls, not fears of fraud. Of course, if constiuents are citing misinformation is another question.

The Pennsylvania House State Government Committee has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow with Dominion on its voting machines.

"Nothing in this audit presumes to effect the results of the election," says Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon, who was at a press conference last week asking to delay certification of the election results.

Diamond, who once wore masks but has since become a vocal opponent, also takes a shot at people who wear a mask, saying he doesn't hear well when someone speaks with "something in front of their face."

News: The Pa. House approved an audit of the 2020 election, due in 2021, by a 112-90 vote. Three Democrats and every Republican supported the proposal.