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Authors Posts by Jack Phillips

Jack Phillips

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Mr. Phillips is responsible to assist the association with health policy, which primarily includes member communication and advocacy with the Governor’s office, General Assembly, and state regulatory agencies. Mr. Phillips was most recently at the Pennsylvania Department of State as Director of Legislative Affairs.

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Today, House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody named the Democratic minority chairmen of the standing committees.

Rep. Matt Bradford of Montgomery County was chosen separately by a November vote of all the Democratic members to be chairman of the Appropriations Committee.

The House Democratic chairmen for the 2019–20 session are:

Aging and Older Adult Services:
Rep. Steve Samuelson, 135th Legislative District, Northampton County.

Agriculture and Rural Affairs:
Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, 121st Legislative District, Luzerne County.

Children and Youth:
Rep. Joseph Petrarca, 55th Legislative District, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties.

Commerce:
Rep. John Galloway, 140th Legislative District, Bucks County.

Consumer Affairs:
Rep. Rob Matzie, 16th Legislative District, Beaver and Allegheny counties.

Education:
Rep. James Roebuck, 188th Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Environmental Resources and Energy:
Rep. Greg Vitali, 166th Legislative District, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

Finance:
Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Game and Fisheries:
Rep. William Kortz, 38th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Gaming Oversight:
Rep. Scott Conklin, 77th Legislative District, Centre County.

Health:
Rep. Dan Frankel, 23rd Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Human Services:
Rep. Angel Cruz, 180th Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Insurance:
Rep. Tony DeLuca, 32nd Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Judiciary:
Rep. Tim Briggs, 149th Legislative District, Montgomery County.

Labor and Industry:
Rep. Patrick Harkins, 1st Legislative District, Erie County.

Liquor Control:
Rep. Dan Deasy, 27th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Local Government:
Rep. Bob Freeman, 136th Legislative District, Northampton County.

Professional Licensure:
Rep. Harry Readshaw, 36th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

State Government:
Rep. Kevin Boyle, 172nd Legislative District, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties.

Tourism and Recreational Development:
Rep. Mark Longietti, 7th Legislative District, Mercer County.

Transportation:
Rep. Mike Carroll, 118th Legislative District, Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

Urban Affairs:
Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, 127th Legislative District, Berks County.

Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness:
Rep. Christopher Sainato, 9th Legislative District, Lawrence County.

Questions, please contact RCPA Director of Government Affairs Jack Phillips.

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Yesterday, Speaker Mike Turzai (R – Allegheny County) announced the House majority chairs for the 2019–20 legislative session. The Republicans control the Pennsylvania House in the General Assembly and will be in charge of the legislative calendar. The following are the majority chairs:

Aging and Older Adult Services:
Rep. Thomas Murt, 152nd Legislative District, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Agriculture and Rural Affairs:
Rep. Martin Causer, 67th Legislative District, Cameron, Potter, and McKean counties.

Children and Youth:
Rep. Karen Boback, 117th Legislative District, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming counties.

Commerce:
Rep. Mark Keller, 86th Legislative District, Cumberland and Perry counties.

Consumer Affairs:
Rep. Brian Ellis, 11th Legislative District, Butler County.

Education:
Rep. Curt Sonney, 4th Legislative District, Erie County.

Environmental Resources and Energy:
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, 12th Legislative District, Butler County.

Ethics:
Rep. Frank Farry, 142nd Legislative District, Bucks County.

Finance:
Rep. Michael Peifer, 139th Legislative District, Pike and Wayne counties.

Game and Fisheries:
Rep. Keith Gillespie, 47th Legislative District, York County.

Gaming Oversight:
Rep. Jim Marshall, 14th Legislative District, Beaver and Butler counties.

Health:
Rep. Kathy Rapp, 65th Legislative District, Forest and Warren counties.

Human Services:
Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, 18th Legislative District, Bucks County.

Insurance:
Rep. Tina Pickett, 110th Legislative District, Bradford, Sullivan, and Susquehanna counties.

Judiciary:
Rep. Rob Kauffman, 89th Legislative District, Franklin County.

Labor and Industry:
Rep. Jim Cox, 129th Legislative District, Berks and Lancaster counties.

Liquor Control:
Rep. Jeff Pyle, 60th Legislative District, Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana counties.

Local Government:
Rep. Dan Moul, 91st Legislative District, Adams County.

Professional Licensure:
Rep. Dave Hickernell, 98th Legislative District, Lancaster and Dauphin counties.

State Government:
Rep. Garth Everett, 84th Legislative District, Lycoming and Union counties.

Tourism and Recreational Development:
Rep. David Millard, 109th Legislative District, Columbia County.

Transportation:
Rep. Tim Hennessey, 26th Legislative District, Chester and Montgomery counties.

Urban Affairs:
Rep. Sue Helm, 104th Legislative District, Dauphin and Lebanon counties.

Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness:
Rep. Stephen E. Barrar, 160th Legislative District, Chester and Delaware counties.

Questions, please contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

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In the last week, State Representative Seth Grove (R – York) drafted and is circulating a co-sponsorship memo that will possibly eliminate the behavioral health carve-out. Additionally, State Representative Aaron Kaufer (R – Luzerne) spoke with Jack Phillips, RCPA’s Director of Government Affairs, expressing his interest in drafting similar legislation. On the Senate side, Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R – York) has also drafted and is circulating a co-sponsorship memo that would eliminate the behavioral health carve-out.

RCPA President/CEO Richard Edley and RCPA Director of Government Affairs Jack Phillips spoke with staffers from the House Human Services and Health Committees about this legislation. The House staff asked for RCPA’s feedback within the next few weeks, because staff will be working on the draft legislative language. During the discussion with House staff, RCPA requested stakeholder meetings and possibly a House hearing on the legislation. The House staff was open to RCPA’s recommendations, and they indicated a willingness for a robust discussion on this legislation.

Additionally, Richard and Jack met with Rep. Mike Sturla (D – Lancaster), Chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee, and his staff to discuss the impacts of eliminating the behavioral health carve-out.

RCPA supports the behavioral health carve-out and has drafted a position paper in favor of continuing the carve-out. RCPA staff will use the position paper when they discuss this issue with legislators and members of the administration on this issue. Questions, contact Jack Phillips.

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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives announced the dates for the 2019/20 House Appropriations Committee Budget hearings. All House Appropriations Budget hearings will be held in the Main Capitol Building, Room 140. Please mark your calendars with the upcoming important dates.

The hearing schedule is as follows:

 

Monday, February 11, 2019 

10:00 am – Independent Fiscal Office

1:00 pm – Department of Revenue (including Lottery)

3:00 pm – Department of Aging

 

Tuesday, February 12, 2019 

10:00 am – PSERS/SERS

1:00 pm – State System of Higher Education

3:00 pm – Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency

 

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

10:00 am – Treasury Department

1:00 pm – Auditor General

3:00 pm – Attorney General

 

Thursday, February 14, 2019 – Thursday

10:00 am – Department of Environmental Protection

1:00 pm – Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

3:00 pm – Department of Labor and Industry

 

No Hearings Week of February 18–22

 

Monday, February 25, 2019 

10:00 am – Pennsylvania State Police/Homeland Security

1:00 pm – Criminal Justice: Corrections, Board of Probation & Parole, Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission

3:00 pm – Department of Health/Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs

 

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 

10:00 am – Office of Administration–Office for Information Technology

1:00 pm – Department of Transportation

3:00 pm – Department of General Services

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 

10:00 am – Gaming Control Board

1:00 pm – Department of Community & Economic Development

3:00 pm – Liquor Control Board

 

Thursday, February 28, 2019

10:00 am – Department of Human Services

 

Monday, March 4, 2019 

10:00 am – Department of Education

 

Tuesday, March 5, 2019 

10:00 am – Department of Agriculture

1:00 pm – OPEN

 

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 

10:00 am – Budget Secretary – Office of the Governor/Executive Offices

1:00 pm – Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

 

Thursday, March 7, 2019 

10:00 am – Snow Make–up Date

 

Questions, please contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs.

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Please take two minutes today to ask your US Senators to complete the work begun by the House and vote to renew Money Follows the Person (MFP) program before this session ends!

On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to renew the MFP program for three months. The Senate is NOW considering whether to pass it and send it to the President for his signature. Time is of the essence because Congress is slated to go on recess for the holidays in less than two weeks.

THE ASK: Email your Senators to ask them to vote YES on the IMPROVE Act (HR 7217) through an expedited process known as “the hotline.” Our email tool will allow you to send an email directly to their health staff in Washington, DC, who advise them on their decision-making.

THE DETAILS: Money Follows the Person is an important program that has helped over 85,000 people with disabilities and chronic conditions voluntarily move from state-run institutions into the community. It expired in 2016, and with state programs now running out of funds this is already having consequences for people with disabilities. In its annual survey of state Medicaid directors, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that half planned to discontinue program services or administrative activities if Congress did not renew the MFP program’s funding.

By renewing MFP for three months, the IMPROVE Act gives the program a needed bridge into the new Congress in 2019, where we can advocate for a longer renewal. Read ANCOR’s letter of support for the program here, and learn more about the expedited “hotline” voting process here (page 3, “The Operation of Unanimous Consent” section).

Speak up today so that people with I/DD who want to live in the community can live with their family, friends, and peers – just like everyone else!

Contact Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs, with questions.

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Please mark your calendars with these upcoming important dates. The specific Senate and House budget hearing schedule should be released in early January.

  • Swearing-in Day will be on January 1, 2019
  • Governor Wolf will deliver his annual budget address on Tuesday, February 5, 2019
  • Senate budget hearings will be held from February 19, 2019 to March 7, 2019 (March 8 is a make-up day in case of snow)
  • House budget hearings will be held from February 11, 2019 through March 7, 2019

Questions, please contact Jack Phillips.

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Earlier this week, State Representative Seth Grove (R – York) drafted and has been circulating a co-sponsorship memo that will possibly eliminate the behavioral health carve out. Additionally, State Representative Aaron Kaufer (R – Luzerne) spoke with Jack Phillips, RCPA Director of Government Affairs, expressing his interest in drafting similar legislation.

Today, Richard Edley, RCPA President/CEO, and Jack Phillips spoke with staffers from the House Human Service and Health Committees about this legislation. The House staff asked for RCPA’s   feedback within the next few weeks, because staff will be working on the draft legislative language. During the discussion with House staff, RCPA requested stakeholder meetings and possibly a House hearing on the legislation. The House staff was open to RCPA’s recommendations, and they indicated a willingness for a robust discussion on this legislation.

The elimination of the behavioral health carve out will be discussed at the upcoming RCPA Open Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 12. The RCPA Open Board meeting will take place at RCPA, 777 E Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111. Questions, contact RCPA Director of Government Affairs Jack Phillips.

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The Senate and House Democrat Caucuses as well as the House Republican Caucus (currently, the Senate Republican Caucus does not have an announcement of new members) announced the new members of their respective caucuses for the upcoming 2019–20 General Assembly Session. All members will be sworn into office on January 1, 2019.

Questions, contact RCPA Director of Government Affairs Jack Phillips.

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