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Senate Passes
Robbins' Legislation Supporting Local Governments
Bill Providing
Greater Voice for Local Governments Sent to House
HARRISBURG -- State
Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) announced that the Senate passed several key measures
supporting local governments this week.
Senate Bill
261, sponsored by Robbins, would provide local government officials a greater
voice within state government by elevating the Center for Local Government
Services within the Department of Community and Economic Development. As the
one-stop shop for local governments, the Center provides a full range of
technical and financial assistance to municipalities.
"It is through
the Center that the Department best relates to local officials," said Sen.
Robbins. "It is imperative that local officials have a direct link to the
Department dedicated to their needs. This bill would strengthen the Center and
ensure that it play a lead role in issues affecting municipalities."
"Meanwhile, the
Local Government Commission, which I chair, is the bipartisan arm of the General
Assembly that is responsive to the needs of municipalities and their residents,"
said Robbins. "As such, the Commission has a good working relationship with the
municipal associations which from time to time request the assistance of
legislators and their staff. Three bills that have recently passed the Senate
that are illustrative of this rapport are Senate Bill 809 and Senate Bill 810."
Senate Bill 809
would permit township auditors to be compensated for attending conferences,
institutes, and schools for eight hours instead of five hours per day. With the
more technical aspects now required of auditors to perform their
responsibilities, this bill would now permit auditors to attend all-day training
programs in an effort to do a better job for which they were elected. The bill
was introduced last year by Senator Robert Thompson (R-19), who passed away in
January.
Senate Bill
810, introduced by Senator Joe Conti (R-10) on behalf of the Department of
Community and Economic Development, would repeal a needless mandate for the
Department to collect and file municipal budget reports that local governments
are no longer required to forward to them. Senate Bill 810 would complete a
six-bill package, five of which have already been enacted, to reduce needless
paperwork and mandates.
"I am pleased
that these bills, which were developed in conjunction with the Local Government
Commission, passed the Senate unanimously," said Robbins. "I am looking forward
to their consideration in the House."
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