The state House and Senate are in session this week. There are a number of items of interest to the business community scheduled to be considered in committee or before the full chamber.
Updates to the state’s unemployment compensation system will be considered in both the House and Senate this week. The House Labor and Industry Committee is expected to vote on H.B. 508, which would phaseout the federal unemployment compensation enhancements in lieu of a return-to-work bonus. This legislation aims to help address workforce shortages employers are reporting as they struggle to fill open positions during the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The full House is expected to vote on H.B. 406 – legislation that would reinstitute a work search requirement for individuals receiving state unemployment benefits. This requirement was lifted in the early days of the pandemic. Companion legislation – S.B. 689 – is scheduled to be considered by the Senate Labor and Industry Committee. In other pandemic related legislation, the committee will also vote on S.B. 567, legislation requiring the Commonwealth to adopt the federal definitions governing what businesses are deemed to be essential and life-sustaining when a formal disaster declaration is instituted.
The Senate is slated to vote on a package of regulatory reform bills that seek to improve and streamline the state’s regulatory climate. The PA Chamber has repeatedly heard from our members that the state’s regulatory environment is overly burdensome and can often serve as a barrier to growth. As part of our Bringing PA Back initiative, the PA Chamber has advocated for reforms that will eliminate unnecessary and outdated regulations and ease regulatory burdens on Commonwealth businesses.
The full list of committee meetings, which is subject to change, is available on the General Assembly website.