Author: Brigitte S.

Harrisburg — Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) released the following statement in reaction to today’s budget address by Gov. Tom Wolf:

“Unfortunately, Governor Wolf’s proposal abandons any notion of smart fiscal stewardship.  It overestimates revenues while underestimating expenditures, and it spends one-time Federal funds to pay for ongoing programs.  We can’t engage in reckless spending like the Federal government.  The make-believe numbers presented today are unreasonable and should not be relied upon by school districts or other programs that receive state government dollars.  We have to go back to the drawing board during the Budget process and develop a more sustainable plan.”

CONTACT: Justin Leventry jleventry@pasen.gov

Harrisburg — Legislation sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) to increase the number of health care providers in the Pennsylvania National Guard was approved today by the Senate.

The legislation improves the Medical Officer or Health Officer Incentive Program, which was created in 2014 through legislation Sen. Hutchinson authored (Act 78) to provide an education stipend to those who qualified through their time in the armed services.

“This incentive program began to provide a solution for what the Pennsylvania National Guard saw as a lack of health care providers within its ranks,” Hutchinson said. “Even though the program was successful in attracting providers into Guard service, some health professionals, such as dentists and physician assistants, were inadvertently left out of the program.”

Senate Bill 927 would establish a broader definition of health professional to capture those left out of the original program. It would also create education stipend tiers based on the participant’s education level, so that physicians and physician assistants would get a higher reimbursement to help pay down their higher tuition debt.

“The Medical and Health Officer Incentive program significantly increased our ability to recruit and retain military medical professionals in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Since the program was established in 2014, over 100 health care providers have joined the Guard with 80% participating in the program,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “This incentive program is critical to support the medical readiness of our Guard members and their ability to provide medical support to our communities.”

“Act 78 was a resounding success, bringing numerous health professionals into the Guard to fill a crucial need,” Hutchinson said. “This legislation will strengthen the program and allow for even more health professionals to take advantage of this opportunity.”

The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT: Justin Leventry jleventry@pasen.gov

Sen. Scott Hutchinson urges the Senate to approve a five-year moratorium on the closing of Polk State Center.

Harrisburg — The struggle to halt the closure of the Polk State Center continued today with Senate passage of legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) which would keep it open for a minimum of five years.  

Senate Bill 924 would also create the Task Force on the Closure of State Facilities to analyze and manage the shuttering of any state center, including Polk and the White Haven State Center in Luzerne County. 

Polk has been home for people with intellectual disabilities for more than a century, and today its residents are part of the local community and lead fulfilling lives there, Hutchinson said. 

“Since the announcement of this closure, we have had a worldwide pandemic. What that has meant is there has been zero to little thought about where these residents will go,” Hutchinson said. “We have families deathly afraid about the future living arrangements for their very fragile family members.” 

A similar measure was introduced in the previous legislative session. It was approved by the General Assembly but vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.  

“I hope the House of Representatives approves this bill and again sends it to the governor, and I pray he will give families and residents more time to plan for this life-changing action his administration is taking,” Hutchinson said.  

CONTACT: Justin Leventry jleventry@pasen.gov

Harrisburg – The Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) that will help move Pennsylvania out of a pandemic economy and create jobs for Pennsylvanians.

The bill is part of a Small Business Tax Reform Package to help employers recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and mandated shutdowns.

Senate Bill 349, sponsored by Sen. Hutchinson, brings Pennsylvania tax law governing expense deductions in line with federal law, eliminating the unequal treatment of small businesses in Pennsylvania.

The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 raised the federal limit for IRS Section 179 expense deductions from $500,000 to $1 million annually. However, Pennsylvania law limits the deduction to $25,000 for personal income tax purposes, which covers S Corporations, partnerships and individuals.

“The increase in the deduction found in Senate Bill 349 is not a tax credit, but simply allows a tax deduction earlier in the useful life of depreciable assets,” said Hutchinson, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. “This overdue change is an incentive to encourage businesses to buy equipment and to invest, which promotes job growth in Pennsylvania.”

The bill will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“Small businesses were battered first by COVID-19 and then by the Wolf administration’s mandated closures and heavy-handed response,” Hutchinson said. “Passage of the Small Business Tax Reform Package would represent a step forward in rebuilding our economy. When we remove barriers for small business employers, we’re targeting efforts to where the overwhelming number of jobs are created for Pennsylvanians.”  

CONTACT: Justin Leventry jleventry@pasen.gov