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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 22, 2021 01:24 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Brett R. Miller |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Fiscal Note Requirement for Public Debt Ballot Questions |
| In the near future, I will be reintroducing former HB 429 from the (2019-20 Session) which will require a fiscal note to be provide for all public debt questions put to the voters via ballot referendum. The Pennsylvania Constitution requires that questions be submitted to the voters for approval before two things may occur: 1. The incurring of public debt 2. An amendment of the state Constitution Since 1958, there have been more than 20 borrowing referendum questions placed on the ballot for review, yet presently, little-to-no- financial impact information has been provided to the public to allow them to make a fully informed decision not only in regard to what the borrowed money will be used for but also what the financial impact on the Commonwealth will be for such borrowing. When the Commonwealth proposes to incur public debt through a bond or borrowing measure, the financial repercussions of such a measure should be clearly provided to the voters. My legislation will amend the Pennsylvania Election Code to require all state-wide and local-level ballot referendum questions involving a bond or borrowing measure to have a fiscal note included within the question, outlining specific information as it relates to the request. The information for the fiscal note will be developed by the Office of the Budget for state-wide questions. For local-level questions, the local government unit that petitions for the ballot question will develop the fiscal note. Cosponsors from last session: BENNINGHOFF, BARRAR, HERSHEY, IRVIN, JAMES, KEEFER, LAWRENCE, LEWIS, MARKOSEK, MILLARD, B. MILLER, MURT, RYAN, WARNER AND WHEELAND. |
Introduced as HB1118