Kind Of Crap That Goes On in Harrisburg

"Pa. House Democrats walked out of a voting meeting of the House State Government Committee in protest of committee Chairman Metcalfe’s violation of House Rules cutting-off debate on a pension reform measure. House Rules stipulate that no measure can limit debate in committee meetings."

Legislators Protest Rules Violations (Uploaded: June 27, 2015)


Seems like Daryl D. Metcalfe (R-Butler County) doesn't want to play by the rules.

The issue concerns Pension Reform. "Senate Bill 1 would stop new enrollment in the state pension systems and provide all new state employees and public school employees with a 401k retirement benefit. Legislators upon election or re-election would also enroll in a 401k plan."

Apparently both Democrats & Republicans want to "move the state from its defined benefit plan to a 401-K pension system for future employees. The Democrats claim however there was not enough time to review all the changes made to the bill just minutes before a vote would be taken by Chairman Metcalfe who he himself sponsored those last minute amendments.



The main concern Democrats had was over what the fiscal impacts would be. Metcalfe admitted he had not received that information. Despite not having this financial impact information, vote was taken, passage approved and now sent to the floor of the house.

I agree. I could not in good conscious vote for or against a 400 page legislative bill before I had a chance to evaluate what was in it or what it might cost. I find it rather suspicious (even though both agree on the major points) as to why would Metcalfe want to slip his amendments into the bill minutes before a vote was taken and before other members had chance to review them. What's he trying to pull?

Well I suppose now that it made it to the floor we shall soon find out, eh?