PCPA continues to call on the Pennsylvania legislature to override Governor Edward G. Rendell’s veto of House Bill 1813 (inflationary index for mental health/mental retardation [MH/MR]). This was only the administration’s seventh veto of 2006. PCPA has participated in a legislative press conference led by families and consumers through The Arc of Pennsylvania and United Cerebral Palsy of Pennsylvania, written various press releases and authorized members to adapt those for local and regional public relations, and continued to urge members to contact House members. The association again asks members to maintain pressure with House members and begin to contact the Senate. There is little time remaining for the veto override to occur.
Last
Opportunity for Veto
The 2005/06 legislative session ends November 30. The House and Senate, at
this time, are only scheduled to be in session November 20 and 21. The Senate
has indicated it will not reconvene after November 21. Therefore, the House
must vote to override the veto of House Bill 1813 on November 20 and immediately
send it to the Senate.
House
Bill 1813 – Action Needed
House Bill 1813 is on the House calendar for consideration on November 20.
Continue calling representatives and ask them to:
- Contact their respective leadership to bring House Bill 1813 up for a vote on November 20.
- Support the veto override with their vote.
- Encourage their respective caucus to vote as a united front to override the veto. This is especially important for House Democrats as there are political pressures around this issue.
- Contact Melissa DiSanto Simmons with feedback – especially on House Democrats.
Should the House successfully vote (a two-thirds majority is needed) to override House Bill 1813, the Senate has vowed to take up the bill. Start calling senators now urging them to:
- Contact their respective leadership to bring House Bill 1813 up for a vote as soon as it would arrive from the House chamber.
- Support the veto override with their vote.
- Encourage their respective caucus to vote as a united front to override the veto. Again, this is especially important for Senate Democrats.
For a complete listing of Harrisburg office numbers and email addresses for all 50 senators, reference the October 5 Legislative Alert.
Further
Information
For further information regarding House Bill 1813 access the Legislative
Affairs section and archives
of PCPA’s web site. The legislative tracking device contains a great
deal of information under House Bill 1813, including PCPA’s November
14 memo to the House. Contact Ms. Simmons with questions or concerns as well
as feedback from legislative contacts.
