Work zone camera reauthorization effort appears to be taking shape
The House and Senate took a series of actions and votes positioning legislation to renew Pennsylvania’s Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement System. The program, first established in 2018, contained a five-year sunset, which expires at year’s end. However, work continues to reauthorize this program, and it appears that the House and Senate have negotiated a tentative agreement to eliminate the sunset provision and allow the law to continue. While no final votes have occurred this past week to make this official, we expect the Senate to take action next week and tee up a bill for the House to send to Governor Shapiro at the end of the month. APC continues to work with the General Assembly to ensure the program continues and get needed reforms to the law. We will continue to report on the progress of this issue over the next few weeks.
Not moving after all…we think…
The House reconsidered a bill this week seen as a final longshot attempt to move the 2024 Primary Election date in Pennsylvania. The House passed a bill that would move the date from the current April 23 date to April 16. But, the prospects of this legislation appear to be grim after Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) issued a statement late Wednesday night saying that the House’s efforts were too little, too late and repeating his position that the matter was closed in the Senate unless the House reverts to a bill the Senate passed last month moving the date to March 19. Given Pittman’s statement, it’s hard to imagine the Senate taking up this issue next week when it returns to session. But never say never. To see our past reporting on this topic go here.
Future schedule
The Senate will return to active session next week, October 23, but the House will not return until October 30.
And in other news….
There seems to be a rumor swirling in Washington DC that applications are now being taken for Speaker of the House. Anyone interested? Just when you thought the PA House Chamber was chaotic with the Democrat’s slim 102-101 majority, the US House seems to be in even more chaos. Hopefully, the body will elect a speaker soon so legislation can be considered to deal with the crisis in Israel and avert another government shutdown in mid-November. We just want to remind readers that the federal Highway Trust Fund is not linked to the government shutdown as it’s funded separately than the overall federal budget.
