Aug. 03, 2016 Download
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are continuing a series of statewide hearings aimed at finding better ways to tackle Pennsylvania’s opioid addiction crisis. The second of eight hearings was held Tuesday in Pittsburgh and included testimony from regional representatives of human services, medical and law enforcement organizations about the growing drug epidemic and what new strategies are needed to address the situation. The General Assembly will be convening a special session on the opioid crisis this fall in Harrisburg. Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) is attending the hearings and said this joint effort is the first step in finding what solutions will be essential to successfully addressing the drug addiction problems now facing the state.
Jun. 23, 2016 Download
Legislative efforts to combat the Commonwealth’s growing problem with heroin and opioid addiction was the topic of discussion at a press conference held in the State Capitol on Thursday. House Leaders, joined by the Governor and other lawmakers, announced the completion of the recommendations set forth by the Task Force and Advisory Committee on Opioid Prescription Drug Proliferation, and outlined plans to move the issue forward by initiating a special legislative session to tackle the problems associated with prescription drug abuse.
Apr. 14, 2016 Download
The Pennsylvania House has passed new fiscal code legislation, restoring funding for more than 400 school districts whose appropriation was cut by the Governor, and bringing an end to the protracted 2015/16 budget cycle. House Bill 1589, which was approved by a veto-proof bipartisan vote of 149-45, will use the equitable funding formula which was unanimously approved by the Education Funding Commission to distribute money to schools in the Commonwealth.
Mar. 16, 2016 Download
Lawmakers took action Wednesday in the state capitol to provide essential funding for the remainder of the 2015/2016 state budget. The current year’s fiscal plan remains unresolved due to the Governor’s line-item vetoes of more than $6 billion for basic and higher education, as well as money for the Department of Corrections and agriculture programs. The House and Senate put forth the supplemental budget legislation to address funding holes created by the Governor’s vetoes and restore state funding for these programs. The funding bill approved today provides for a 200 million dollar increase for basic education, a 5 percent increase for higher education, and ensures that no schools will close in the Commonwealth. Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) said this balanced budget plan would provide much needed funding for education and hopes the governor will not continue to use his veto power to threaten to close Pennsylvania schools.
Feb. 22, 2016 Download
The House Majority Policy Committee today launched PennSAVE, a Republican-led effort to find ways to save taxpayer dollars by cutting government waste and inefficiencies. The PennSAVE acronym stands for: savings, accountability, value and efficiency. The special task force will be run by a subcommittee of the House Majority Policy Committee and will research several potential cost-saving measures across state government, including state agency and program consolidations; unaddressed audit findings; reform of government procurement policies and “corporate welfare” programs, as well as overall waste, fraud and abuse in the system. Comments are now available from Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) on this new cost saving initiative.
Feb. 10, 2016 Download
Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) offered his reaction to Gov. Tom Wolf’s spending proposal for fiscal year 2016-17, which was announced Tuesday in an address before a joint session of the General Assembly. The governor’s budget plan would increase taxes on working Pennsylvanians and employers by $3.6 billion and spending by 10 percent, or $3 billion, and calls for $33.3 billion in total spending. To support his proposed spending plan the governor has proposed 15 new tax increases, including a retroactive increase in the Personal Income Tax on Pennsylvania workers.