Mike's Memo

Welcome to a new year of "Mike's Memo," an update on what's happening in the 48th Legislative District, the State Capitol, and the progress on my "Promise to Pennsylvania," a pledge to advance government reforms, enact meaningful lawsuit abuse reform, eliminate wasteful state spending, and cut taxes. If you haven't done so already, please take a few moments to visit my website at www.senatorfolmer.com to learn more about issues that may affect you and your family.

Week of January 14, 2008

Senate Session Days

Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution outlines the powers and terms of the Legislature:  "the General Assembly shall be a continuing body during the term for which its Representatives are elected."  Members of the Senate and House "shall be chosen at the general election every second year."  That means that every House seat and half of the Senate will be up for election in 2008.

Terms of office "shall begin on the first day of December next after their election."  The first day of session for both chambers is also set by the Constitution:  "It shall meet at twelve o'clock noon on the first Tuesday of January each year."  Here are the other scheduled Senate session days for the first six months of 2008:

January:  14, 15, 16, 28, 29, and 30

February:  4, 5, 6, 11, and 12

March:  10, 11, 12, 17, 18, and 31

April:  1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 28, 29, and 30

May:  5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21

June:  2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 30

State Budget

The state constitution (Article VII, Section 12) requires that "the Governor shall submit to the General Assembly . . . A balanced operating budget for the ensuing fiscal year setting forth in detail (i) proposed expenditures classified by department or agency and by program and (ii) estimated revenues from all sources."

The General Assembly is also charged with passing a balanced budget:  "Operating budget appropriations made by the General Assembly shall not exceed the actual and estimated revenues and surplus available in the same fiscal year."

The Governor will make his budget recommendations in an address to the full General Assembly in early February.  Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will hold hearings on the Governor's budget plan in February and March.  Click here to see the Senate Appropriations Committee's budget hearing schedules.

Senate Sessions on the Web

Whether it is a regularly scheduled session day or the Governor's budget address, you can catch all the action live on my website, www.senatorfolmer.com and click the Live Senate Feed icon. Please be sure to check the date and time of next session information on the page so you’re not looking at a blank screen on non-session days!

For more information on these issues, and information on other legislative and state topics, visit the Pennsylvania General Assembly website at www.legis.state.pa.us.  If you are unable to open the bill links, please feel free to go directly to the Pennsylvania General Assembly website.

As always, please feel free to contact me on any state-related matter that may be of concern to you. I can be reached through e-mail, mfolmer@pasen.gov, or at any one of my district offices.