House GOP proposes committee chairs, Rozzi announces next listening session

Jan. 26—HARRISBURG — For a chamber mired in partisan gridlock and stuck in an extended recess, the Pennsylvania House isn't exactly quiet.

House Speaker Mark Rozzi announced Thursday the second stop on a statewide listening tour seeking public input into breaking the ongoing gridlock that's stymied any legislative progress in this new two-year session.

Also sharing the primary focus of the tour is a discussion about a proposed constitutional amendment. If ultimately approved by the state's electorate, it would open a two-year window for childhood sexual abuse survivors to file civil claims in court in cases where the statute of limitations expired.

The second session will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, in the Cardinal John P. Foley Campus Center of St. Joe's University in Philadelphia.

The first session was held Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Video from that event, live streams of upcoming sessions — another event is anticipated in Northeast Pennsylvania — and a link to register to speak at the public events can be found at www.pahouse.com/Rozzi/ListeningTourLive.

Both the House and Senate are in recess and are scheduled to return on Feb. 27, though the heads of either chamber could recall members sooner.

House Democrats and Republicans are at odds over operating rules along with the content of three proposed constitutional amendments and the process to advance ballot questions on those proposals to voters.

Lawmakers will almost assuredly miss the Friday deadline set by the Pennsylvania Department of State to legally advertise any such proposal ahead of the spring primary. If any proposal is to make a ballot, November's general election will now be the next available option.

With the House on recess, Rozzi convened a special six-member workgroup to work on a rules proposal. It's more likely four upcoming special elections will result in Democrats holding the voting majority and eventually resuming routine House activities next month.

In the meantime, Rozzi launched the listening tour.

Rep. Josh Kail, R-Beaver/Washington, who chairs the House Republican Policy Committee, criticized the three Democrats on Rozzi's special workgroup for not showing up to Wednesday's session. The three Republican members did attend.

A spokesperson for House Democrats said winter weather prevented the members from traveling to Pittsburgh and noted that a livestream was available for members and the public to observe the session.

Rozzi is standing firm on his pledge to consider no other legislation until the lower chamber in the General Assembly adopts a standalone bill proposing a constitutional amendment to aid abuse survivors. That's another point of contention for Kail and other Republicans who accuse Rozzi of holding the House at bay over a single legislative priority.

Also on Thursday, House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County sent a letter to Rozzi demanding the speaker lift ongoing restrictions that require an appointment to access the House floor amid the ongoing stalemate.

And, Republicans announced committee chair assignments despite there being no rules of procedure outlining the construct and terms for appointments.

Last session's rules state that the speaker appoints the chairs and vice-chairs, though the minority party was permitted to appoint its own minority chairs. The Committee on Committees appointed the remaining membership. There were 25 members in standing committees, with the majority party having had 15 members. The exception was Appropriations which had 37 members, 22 from the majority party.

Those terms could change under new rules this session.

According to a statement from the House Republican Caucus, the assignments are preliminary but were assigned in order to allow proactive work on legislative issues. The assignments are based on caucus seniority and members' individual areas of expertise, interests or background:

* Rep. Steve Mentzer, Lancaster — Aging and Older Adult Services

* Rep. Dan Moul, Adams — Agriculture and Rural Affairs

* Rep. Seth Grove, York — Appropriations

* Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, Northumberland/Montour — Children and Youth

* Rep. Joe Emrick, Northampton — Commerce

* Rep. Jim Marshall, Beaver — Consumer Affairs

* Rep. Jesse Topper, Bedford/Fulton — Education

* Rep. Martin Causer, Cameron/McKean/Potter — Environmental Resources and Energy

* Rep. Kate Klunk, York — Ethics

* Rep. Keith Greiner, Lancaster — Finance

* Rep. David Maloney, Berks — Game and Fisheries

* Rep. Russ Diamond, Lebanon — Gaming Oversight

* Rep. Kathy Rapp, Warren/Crawford/Forest — Health

* Rep. Doyle Heffley, Carbon — Human Services

* Rep. Tina Pickett, Bradford/Wyoming — Insurance

* Rep. Rob Kauffman, Franklin — Judiciary

* Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, Lehigh — Labor and Industry

* Rep. Mindy Fee, Lancaster — Liquor Control

* Rep. R. Lee James, Venango/Crawford — Local Government

* Rep. Aaron Kaufer, Luzerne — Government Oversight

* Rep. Carl Walker Metzger, Somerset — Professional Licensure

* Rep. Brad Roae, Crawford/Erie — State Government

* Rep. Donna Oberlander, Armstrong/Clarion — Tourism and Recreational Development

* Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, Centre/Mifflin — Transportation

* Rep. Rich Irvin, Franklin/Huntingdon — Urban Affairs

* Rep. Mark Gillen, Berks — Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness