Public Hearing on Pennsylvania as an innovation leader

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Friday, September 15, 2023 | 9 a.m.

Pitt. Tech Council
Nova Place
100 S. Commons, Room 172
Pittsburgh, PA


Agenda

9:00        Opening Remarks
                Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair

               Current State of Industry
                Mark Muro, Senior Fellow & Robert Maxim, Senior Research Associate Brookings Metro – Maxim Testimony, Muro Testimony, Appendix, Appendix Summary
                Matt Smith, Chief Growth Officer, Allegheny Conference – Testimony
                Anselm Sauter, Vice President, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia – Testimony

               Life Science Advances
                Chris Molineaux, President & CEO, Life Sciences Pennsylvania – Testimony, Appendix
                Teresa Whalen, CEO, CytoAgents – Testimony
                Jeanne Cuccinelli, Executive Vice President, UPMC Enterprises
                Evan Facher, Vice Chancellor for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, University of Pittsburgh – Testimony

               Cutting-Edge Robotics
                Mike Embrescia, Chief Development Officer, Carnegie Robotics – Testimony
                Henny Admoni, Professor from the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, HARP LAB – Testimony
                James Atkin, Director of Public Affairs and Marketing, Gecko Robotics – Testimony               

               Artificial Intelligence Breakthrough
                Dominic Folino, President, Spectrum Strategies, PA Blockchain Coalition – Testimony, Appendix
                Dr. Rebecca Nugent, Head of Statistics & Data Science, Carnegie Mellon University
                Cara Jones, CEO, Marinus Analytics – Testimony

11:50     Closing Remarks
                Senator Laughlin
                Committee Members

Additional Testimony
Innovation Works

Public hearing on examining criminal justice statistics and trends in Pennsylvania

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 | 2:30 p.m.

Room 8E-B, East Wing


Schedule

Hearing on examining criminal justice statistics and trends in Pennsylvania

Agenda

2:30 Opening Remarks
        Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair

2:55 Crime Data, Recidivism Statistics and Trends
        Mark Bergstrom, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing – Testimony Handout

3:05 Perspectives from Prosecutors – Testimony
        Greg Rowe, Executive Director, Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association
        Dave Sunday, District Attorney, York County
        John Adams, District Attorney, Berks County
        Jodie Lobel, Chief of Staff, Office of the Attorney General – Testimony

3:45 Perspectives from Law Enforcement – Testimony
        Scott Bohen, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
        David Splain, Chief of Police, Nether Providence Township Police Department
        Michael Vogel, Chief of Police, Allegheny County Housing Authority
        Patrick Molloy, Chief of Police, Abington Township Police Department

4:00 Closing Remarks
        Senator Dan Laughlin
        Committee Members

 

Additional Testimonies and Handouts

PCCD – Testimony Handout
Hearing Packet

Public hearing on addressing the rural workforce challenges – Population Decline, Labor and Housing Shortage

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | 1 p.m.

PA College of Technology
1 College Avenue
Williamsport, PA 17701


AGENDA

Public hearing on addressing the rural workforce challenges – Population Decline, Labor and Housing Shortage

1:00 Opening Remarks
Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair
Senator Gene Yaw, Lycoming County

1:10 Vitality of Pennsylvania’s Rural Communities
Nancy Walker, Acting Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry – Testimony
Dan Kuba, Director, Bureau of Workforce Development Administration, L&I – Testimony
Kyle Kopko, Executive Director, Center for Rural Pennsylvania – Testimony

1:45 Workforce Demands and Opportunities
Dr. Michael Reed, President, Pennsylvania College of Technology – Testimony
Shannon Munro, VP for Workforce Development, PCT – Testimony
Erica Mulberger, Executive Director, Advance Central PA – Testimony

2:10 Rural Community Development
Jason Fink, Pres & CEO, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce – Testimony
Kristin Hamilton, Executive Director, Develop Tioga – Testimony

2:40 Housing Trends in Rural PA
Herman Logue, Business Development, Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. – Testimony
Nathan Yoder, Executive Vice President, Yoder Builders Inc. – Testimony
E. Patrick Little, Vice President, Fish Real Estate – Testimony

3:20 Closing Remarks
Senator Laughlin and Committee Members

3:30 College Tour

Public hearing on promoting housing affordability through land use reforms

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 | 1:30 p.m.

Room 8E-B, East Wing


Schedule

Public hearing on promoting housing affordability through land use reforms.

Agenda

1:30 Opening Remarks
        Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair
        Senator John DiSanto, Dauphin County

1:45 Housing Affordability in Pennsylvania and Best Practices in Other States
        Emily Hamilton, Senior Research Fellows, Mercatus Center George Mason University – Testimony
        Glenn Yoder, Legislative Committee Chair, PA Association of Realtors – Testimony

2:15 Accessory Dwelling Units, Multi-Unit Residences, Parking Mandates and Lot-Size Requirements
        Samar Jha, Government Affairs Director, AARP – Testimony
        Rich Carroll, President, Hallmark Homes Group – Testimony
        Steve Fleming, President, Biltbold Building Company – Testimony

3:00 Manufactured Housing
        Mary Gaiski, Executive Vice President, PA Manufactured Housing Association – Testimony
        Dale Yingst, President, Lebanon Valley Homes, Inc. – Testimony

3:30 Closing Remarks
        Senator Dan Laughlin
        Senator John DiSanto
        Committee Members

Senate Majority Policy Committee Hearing on the Sterling Act and its Impact on Suburban Communities

HARRISBURG – The Senate Majority Policy Committee will be holding a public hearing about the Sterling Act and its impact on suburban communities on Thursday, March 2, starting at 10 a.m., in the Middletown Township Municipal Building, located at 3 Municipal Way, Langhorne, PA 19047, according to Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49), chair of the committee. 

The hearing will highlight the present-day impact of the Sterling Act on Philadelphia’s surrounding communities, with specific attention paid to the economic impact on individuals and municipalities and how the disparity of this tax practice has resulted in the loss of significant tax revenue to support local resident’s needs.

Testimony will be provided by a statewide local government organization, local residents, local municipal officials and tax professionals.

The hearing will be livestreamed here.

 

CONTACT:    Sheila Fitzgerald Sterrett        717-787-8927

Public Hearing on the Sterling Act and the impact of suburban communities

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Thursday, March 2, 2023 | 10 a.m.

Middletown Twp. Municipal Bld.
3 Municipal Way
Langhorne, PA 


Agenda

10:00 – Opening Remarks 
            Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair
            Senator Frank Farry, Bucks County

10:10 – History of the Sterling Act
            David A. Greene, Executive Director, Local Government Commission – Testimony
            Joseph Pizzo, Bensalem Township, Solicitor – Testimony

10:30 – Individual Taxpayer Impact and Solutions
            Wendi Thomas, Resident, Northampton Township – Testimony
            Matthew Melinson, CPA, State & Local Tax Grant Thornton LLP – Testimony

10:50 – Municipal Impacts and Solutions
            Joseph W Lazzaro, Senior Vice President of Law and Communications. Keystone Collections Group – Testimony
            Robert Pellegrino, Chair, Bucks County Tax Collection Committee – Testimony
            Joseph DiGirolamo, Mayor, Bensalem Township – Testimony

11:20 – Closing Remarks
            Senator Laughlin
            Committee Members

 

Additional Testimony

Rob Dubow – Testimony

Public hearing on Energy access and affordability

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Friday, January 20 | 10 a.m. 

Boilermakers Local 154, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County


Agenda 

10:00 – Opening Remarks
             Senator Dan Laughlin, Majority Policy Chair

10:10 – Exploring Pennsylvania’s Energy Portfolio & Market
             Lauren Connelly, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce – Testimony
             Jeff Kotula, Washington County Chamber of Commerce – Testimony

10:40 – Energy Production & Transportation to End Users
             Dave Callahan, Marcellus Shale Coalition – Testimony
             Leslie Elder, Summit Ridge Energy – Testimony
             Shawn Steffee, Boilermakers Local 154 – Testimony

11:10 – Impact of Governmental Barriers on Cost to End Users
            Chuck DiBello, Allegheny Health Network – Testimony
            John Krolicki, UPMC – Testimony
            Jennifer Coyne, The Barnes Global Advisors – Testimony

11:50 – Closing Remarks
             Senator Laughlin
             Committee Members

Roundtable on Blight/Revitalization Issues

Senate Majority Policy Committee

Roundtable

Blight/Revitalization Issues 

September 13, 2017 | 10:00 AM

Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Hamot Campus
118 East 2nd Street | Erie, PA 16507

 

10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

Senator David G. Argall, Chairman, Senate Majority Policy Committee
Senator Dan Laughlin

10:10 a.m. Roundtable Discussion

Sonya Arrington, Erie City Council
Jeremy Bloeser, Executive Director, Bayfront Eastside Task Force (BEST)
David Brennan, Erie City Council
John Buchna, Executive Director, Erie Downtown Partnership/Main Street Program
Heather Caspar, Executive Director, Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network
Dave Deter, Executive Director, Erie Redevelopment Authority
Edward DiMattio, Erie County Council District 6
Mark Dombrowski, VP, Government Relations, Erie Insurance
Sean Fedorko, Radius Co-Work
Anna Frantz, Executive Director, Our West Bayfront
Charles “Boo” Hagerty, Chief Development Officer, Hamot Health Foundation
Dr. Walter Iwanenko, VP of Academic Affairs, Gannon University
Vicki Leap, Chief of Staff, Representative Parke Wentling
Christina Marsh, Senior Vice President, Erie Insurance
Raymond Moluski, UPMC
Tim Necastro, President & CEO, Erie Insurance
Rick Novotny, Executive Director, Erie County Redevelopment Authority
Benjamin Pratt, Vice President, Growth Partnership, Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership
Erika Ramalho, Government Relations, Gannon University
Jake Rouch, Vice President, Economic Development, Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership
Amy Schmidt, Chief of Staff, Representative Ryan Bizzarro
Sheila Sterrett, Senator Pat Toomey’s office
Dr. Keith Taylor, President, Gannon University
Katrina Vincent, Director of Real Estate, Corry Redevelopment Authority
Chip Wachter, Kidder Wachter Architecture & Design
Tim Wachter, Knox Law Firm
Brett Wiler, Director of Research, Grants, and Business Outreach, Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership
Kathy Wyrosdick, Director of Planning, Erie County
Beth Zewe, Edinboro University

11:50 a.m. Public Comment/Questions

12:00 p.m. Adjourn