As screwed up as Pennsylvania is, i’ll take it’s stupidity over living in Cali! – PB/TK
Republicans howl as lawmakers jam through deals linked to gas tax, fee increase –
Brushing aside Republican criticism that the legislation broke state law, Assembly Democrats gave final approval Monday to a pair of measures that helped secure the passage of billions in gasoline tax and vehicle fee increases for road repairs.
Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 132, which contains almost $1 billion in district-specific road and rail projects in the Modesto and Riverside areas. They also signed off on Senate Bill 496, a measure that will reduce the legal liability of design professionals on construction lawsuits. That bill shot directly from the Senate floor to the Assembly floor, with no committee hearing – despite significant opposition.
Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of violating laws prohibiting earmarks, with some suggesting that the two bills represented illegal vote-trading to get the needed votes for SB 1.