Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The latest news from an efforts by Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers to line up various pieces of major legislation for floor votes (all times local):
___
4:52 p.m.
Republican lawmakers are lining up a series of floor votes on major pieces of legislation that all appear headed for vetoes by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
Procedural moves Monday put budget legislation, an overhaul of public employee pension benefits and the privatization of the state-controlled wine and liquor store system in place for floor votes by Tuesday night.
The state government's new fiscal year begins Wednesday, and the Wolf administration will lose some authority to spend money without enacted budget legislation in place.
Wolf says the GOP budget is balanced on stopgaps that worsen the state's long-term structural deficit and it doesn't include nearly enough money for education programs. He also opposes a privatization of the state wine and liquor store system and the GOP's efforts to end the traditional pension benefit for state government and public school employees.
___
11:29 a.m.
A proposal to move Pennsylvania's newly hired public school employees and state workers into a 401(k)-style retirement plan is expected to get a vote in the state House as lawmakers near a budget deadline.
The Legislature planned to debate a variety of bills Monday, including a change to the rules about how prosecutors are prosecuted.
The pension bill is scheduled for House action after a state commission issues an actuarial report.
A plan to privatize liquor sales is pending in the Senate.
Republican majorities in the General Assembly are pushing for a budget that closes a yawning deficit without new taxes, and puts a bit more money into education.
Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, is warning he'll veto the budget if it gets to his desk in its current form.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
