SENATE MOVES TWO FISCAL BILLS, CORE BUDGET CONTROVERSIES REMAIN

The Pennsylvania Senate has passed two fiscal code bills that lawmakers say will help the budget process move along. Senate Republicans said Wednesday that they placed some of the more controversial fiscal issues — including another try to pass a school voucher program — in Senate Bill 757. However, House Bill 13-Hundred contains items that were not as controversial. Those include 50-million dollars in hospital stabilization funds, Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes and emergency responders and 11-million in school safety grants. The House bill also authorizes funds to pay for new state troopers. It also allows 20-million dollars in oil and gas lease money to be transferred to the Clean Streams Fund.