SENATE DEMOCRATIC WRAP-UP FOR THE WEEK OF
September 29, 2003

In their latest partisan antic, Senate Republicans railroaded legislation through that would provide stopgap funding for public schools. House Bill 217 would provide school districts with a partial payment of their regular state subsidy.

With cash-strapped schools on the verge of closing, Senate Democrats called the Republican stunt a “ploy” aimed at deflecting mounting public criticism for stalling Gov. Ed Rendell’s education reform proposals. Democrats said the GOP stopgap proposal would do little more than enable Republicans to continue dragging their feet on a final resolution to the state’s public education facet of this year’s state Budget. 

 A 27-20 party-line vote was recorded.  The bill now goes to the House.

The Senate unanimously adopted House Bill 77, which amends existing state municipal government law to provide a new home rule charter option when local voters initiate a consolidation or merger.