New Pa. House rules sought to strengthen bipartisanship, but insiders say they didn’t work – By Stephen Caruso (Spotlight Pa) / Dec 5, 2023
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HARRISBURG — During the chaotic start to this year’s legislative session, Pennsylvania House Democrats used their new majority to pass a high-profile set of changes to chamber rules that backers said would make the government more productive and bipartisan.
Under the new rules, members of the minority party have more committee representation, while committee chairs have a stronger check on their ability to unilaterally sink bipartisan legislation.
But as the two-year session reaches the halfway mark, good-government advocates and Republican members of the state House minority caucus say nothing has changed. The majority party, observers said, is not any less powerful, and an increase in minority party bills is driven by Democrats’ goodwill — and could reverse anytime.
“The rules have not made a difference,” said Carol Kuniholm, executive director of Fair Districts PA, a group that advocates for more transparency in government.
