On Jan. 23, more than 200 PA Chamber members and newly elected state lawmakers were in attendance at the "Business Meets the New Legislators Breakfast," sponsored by ChamberPAC, the political arm of the PA Chamber.

The breakfast provided business leaders with an opportunity to get to know the newest members of the General Assembly - the largest contingent in decades. Nearly 50 of 63 invited lawmakers (a number that included 8 lawmakers elected in special elections last session) attended the event, which also presented freshman lawmakers with a unified voice with regard to the business community's legislative priorities.

The agenda included introductory remarks from PA Chamber Board Member and ChamberPAC Chairman C. Alan Walker; introduction of the new state policymakers, and an overview of the business agenda for the 2007-08 session from PA Chamber Board Chairman Kirk Liddell.

Local ABC-TV affiliate WHTM provided coverage of the event.

The PA Chamber plans to follow up on the breakfast networking event with a seminar designed to further raise the awareness of state lawmakers on the issues and concerns facing Pennsylvania's job creators, as well as on what is needed to create a more competitive business climate.

PA Chamber Board Chairman Kirk Liddell provided an overview of members' legislative priorities to newly elected lawmakers.

The 2007-08 class of freshman lawmakers is the largest in decades.

Gene Barr, PA Chamber vice president of political and regulatory affairs, and Kari Huntsinger, PA ChamberPAC manager, introduced lawmakers in attendance.