HARRISBURG – The Senate State Government and Education committees advanced multiple good government bills today – all aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and oversight across state and local entities, according to the bills sponsor, Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York).
“Whether it’s a delayed road project, hidden taxpayer spending, or a failure to follow constitutional procedures, hard-working, taxpaying citizens of Pennsylvania deserve a government that is open, responsible, and transparent,” Phillips-Hill said. “These bills are about restoring trust in public institutions and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent with care and accountability.”
Among the bills advanced:
Senate Bill 226, approved by the State Government Committee, would amend the Right-to-Know Law to include entities like the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), which have staff who are part of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System and receive direct reimbursement for Social Security costs from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s budget, but are not currently subject to open records requirements. Watch Phillips-Hill’s remarks here.
Senate Bill 227, passed by the Education Committee, would amend the Public School Code to reinforce transparency measures and bring consistency in how public education-related entities, like PSBA, are held accountable to the public. Phillips-Hill spoke on the measure here.
Senate Bill 305, also advanced by the State Government Committee, responds to the costly delays and overruns of the Mt. Rose Interchange project in York County by requiring PennDOT and other agencies to consider well documented histories of “change order scheming” when awarding contracts, not just the lowest bid. Remarks from Phillips-Hill are available here.
Senate Bill 306, approved by the State Government Committee, would require the Department of State to create an online tracking system for proposed constitutional amendments, following the previous administration’s failure to properly advertise a critical amendment for victims of sexual abuse. Phillips-Hill’s full comments are available here.
These measures are part of a broader effort to promote open government, safeguard public resources, and ensure public access to the decision-making processes that shape communities across Pennsylvania.
Each bill now moves to the full Senate for further consideration.