Big Issues, Little Time Left For PA Lawmakers
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG (CBS) -- With two weeks to go before scheduled summer recess, state lawmakers face an imposing agenda that includes a new budget and several major pieces of legislation, including liquor privatization and transportation funding.
The Senate has already passed a transportation funding measure and last week the House Transportation Committee opened hearings on the issue.
To underscore the need, PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch reiterated his warning that failure to enact new funding will mean restrictions on many more structurally deficient bridges.
"I think what you will see is we're going to weight restrict about 12-to-14-hundred bridges, beyond the 600 that are currently weight restricted. That's going to have a crippling effect on our economy."
The state Senate, meanwhile, could vote later this week on its own version of a liquor privatization bill.
Governor Corbett is pushing for action before recess on legislation to reform the pensions of state employees and teachers.
Although there seems to be little momentum on that issue at the moment.
