Weekly Roundup |
The latest news from the State Capitol |
Budget Hearings Continue to Form Basis for Upcoming Negotiations
The second full week of budget hearings wrapped up on Thursday, with members of the House Appropriations Committee asking agency and department officials a variety of questions about executive functions, programs and efficiencies. These questions, along with submitted written testimony, will serve as the foundation for budget negotiations this spring.
Appearing this week were the departments of Environmental Protection, Agriculture, Corrections, General Services, Health, Drug and Alcohol Programs, and Military and Veterans Affairs, along with the Liquor Control Board and the Office of Attorney General.
On the agenda for the third and final week of budget hearings are full days for the departments of Education and Human Services, along with the Pennsylvania State Police, Office of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and Gaming Control Board. The final day will feature Budget Secretary Randy Albright.
The hearings can be viewed live at www.PAHouseGOP.com, with archived videos posted within 24 hours of the hearing.
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Concealed Carry Seminar a Success
I want to thank everyone who attended my concealed carry seminar in Dillsburg. Nearly 200 people attended the seminar and learned more about their Second Amendment rights and how to be even more responsible gunowners.
If you couldn’t make it to the seminar, I have another planned for the eastern part of the 92nd District next month.
I will hold a second Concealed Carry Seminar at the James A. Danner VFW Post 537, 1095 Pines Road, Etters, on Wednesday, April 4, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. To register for the seminar, call my office at (717) 432-0792, or go online to RepKeefer.com and click on the concealed carry banner.
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Challenges Within the Dairy Industry
Members of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee this week met with state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and other leaders about the challenges facing the dairy industry and efforts to overcome them.
A focus of the discussion was an ongoing study, commissioned by the department and the Center for Dairy Excellence, which has indicated investing in additional dairy processing capacity in the Commonwealth could generate as much as $34.7 million annually in combined revenue generation and cost savings. Information about the study is available by clicking here.
Other suggestions for improvement included capitalizing on branding and marketing opportunities, improving regulatory processes and the business climate, broadening workforce development and education opportunities, and investing in broadband infrastructure.
More than a third of the state’s agriculture revenues come from the dairy industry; however, many of these mostly family-owned farms are struggling because of an oversupply of milk in the market and persistently low prices. Other challenges discussed in the meeting include regulatory issues and permit delays.
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Town Hall Meeting in Monroe Twp.
Mark your calendars now for my town hall meeting at the Monroe Township building, located at 1220 Boiling Springs Road, on Thursday, March 15, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Meetings like this allow me to hear your concerns and for you to learn about what’s happening in Harrisburg and in the 92nd District. I hope you can attend.
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