Pennsylvania's legislators return to the capitol Monday following a 10-week recess, with several unresolved issues awaiting action, including the future of skill games, regulation of data centers, rising utility costs and restrictions on cell phone use in schools.
Skill Games
Following a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in June that determined skill games are slot machines, the legislature was given 120 days to establish a law to keep the industry alive.
Advocates for skill games have encouraged Pennsylvanians to call their representatives to ask them to support bills that would regulate the machines.
HB2213 and SB1079 are bipartisan measures. Rep. Danilo Burgos (D-197) is prime sponsor of the house bill.
"This is about job security for community members across Pennsylvania," he said. "And helping keep doors open at VA clubs, at VFWs, and a slew of other community groups that benefit."
Republican Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) is prime sponsor of the Senate bill.
"It's going to be a tremendous hit to a significant number of Pennsylvanians if we don't address it," Yaw said. "I can't remember anything that I have been involved in in the Senate that would affect so many people negatively in one instant happening."
The Senate only has six session days to address it before the deadline, but Yaw says lawmakers could reach an agreement.
Last week, Rep. Brad Roae (R-6) proposed legislation to extend the deadline by six months.
The House unanimously passed the bill in June, and Fiedler is hopeful for a Senate vote soon.
Cell phone ban in schools
There are two bills that would ban cell phone use in schools waiting to be voted on.
HB1814 passed the house in June, while SB1014 was passed in the Senate in February.
Polls show the majority of Pennsylvania voters support leaving cell phones out of the classroom.
Shapiro called on the General Assembly to pass legislation during his February budget address, but a ban did not end up in the approved budget.
"Students need to spend less time focused on their phones and more time focused on learning, on talking to their friends face to face, and on developing the critical skills they'll need later in life," he said. "I know there are bills in both chambers to do this — come together and send a bill to my desk."
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