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Could ‘Priority Bills’ Speed Up the Legislative Process in Harrisburg?

Lawmakers explore new strategies to address Pennsylvania’s slow-moving legislative process

For years, Pennsylvania’s legislative process has been criticized for its sluggish pace. In 2023 alone, a staggering 2,634 bills were introduced to the state legislature, yet only 86 were enacted—just 3.26%. This abysmal success rate puts Pennsylvania among the worst in the nation. Could a shift toward “priority bills” help streamline the process?

In Harrisburg, the road from idea to law is long and winding, filled with countless hurdles that many bills, even those with bipartisan support, never overcome. One of the most notable examples of this slow-moving bureaucracy is a story shared by Rep. Jeanne McNeill, a Democrat representing Pennsylvania’s 133rd district.

Six years ago, McNeill was approached by a constituent who faced an unimaginable challenge: her son, who has special needs, was denied a public school education due to residency issues. The case dragged on for weeks, with the child unable to attend school. Motivated by the need to make a change, McNeill took action, drafting a bill that would prevent schools from disenrolling students based on residency until their actual residence was confirmed.

The bill was eventually signed into law, but the journey was far from smooth. “I didn’t give up. All we can do is keep trying,” McNeill reflected, frustrated by the time it took to turn the bill into legislation. While McNeill’s persistence paid off, her story highlights a broader issue facing Pennsylvania: the legislative process is too slow, and far too many bills languish in committees or are sidelined before ever reaching a vote.

Why is the Legislative Process So Slow?

The challenges of Pennsylvania’s legislative process stem from a variety of factors. One key issue is the lack of action on bills once they’ve been introduced. After a bill is introduced, it must be reviewed and amended by a committee. But if the committee chair, appointed by the majority-party leader, doesn’t support the bill, it may never even make it to a vote.

Pennsylvania State Capitol priority

Even if a bill successfully navigates the committee stage, it faces additional roadblocks. The Speaker of the House or Senate President Pro Tempore must schedule time for a full vote—an opportunity that often doesn’t arise. With bills having so many chances to fail, it’s no surprise that many never make it to the finish line.

This is a common experience for many legislative efforts, including bills that seem to have widespread support. For example, a proposal to add carbon monoxide detectors to daycares passed the Senate but was tabled in a House committee. Other “common sense” bills also struggle to make progress due to partisan gridlock or political maneuvering.

At the end of each two-year legislative session, all bills that have not yet been enacted automatically die, requiring lawmakers to reintroduce them in the next session. This means that efforts like McNeill’s must start over, often with little momentum or support from the previous session.

Could Priority Bills Be the Solution?

One potential solution to the slow legislative process is to focus on “priority bills”—those that receive special attention and are fast-tracked through the process. By designating certain bills as top priorities, lawmakers could ensure they don’t get lost in the shuffle. This would require a commitment from both legislative leaders and committee chairs to ensure these bills are debated and voted on promptly.

Priority bills could be reserved for issues that have broad, bipartisan support or address pressing needs within the state. These bills would receive expedited review and scheduling, making it easier for them to move through the legislative process without getting bogged down in committee delays or partisan gridlock.

By prioritizing these bills, Pennsylvania lawmakers could improve the state’s legislative success rate and address critical issues more efficiently. It would also send a clear message to constituents that lawmakers are focused on delivering results in a timely manner.

One example of how priority bills could make a difference is the case of McNeill’s bill to protect students’ right to education despite residency disputes. Had this bill been given priority status, it might have passed into law much sooner, saving families from unnecessary delays and heartache.

Challenges to Implementing Priority Bills

While the idea of prioritizing bills sounds appealing, it’s not without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is the political will required to implement such a system. For priority bills to succeed, the majority-party leaders and committee chairs must be willing to set aside partisan interests and focus on passing key legislation. In Pennsylvania’s current climate of partisan division, this can be a difficult task.

Another challenge is determining which bills should receive priority status. While bills with wide support might seem like natural candidates, disagreements over priorities can still arise. Lawmakers from different parties or regions of the state may have differing views on which issues should take precedence.

Despite these challenges, the concept of priority bills has the potential to improve the legislative process in Harrisburg. By focusing on the most important and urgent issues, Pennsylvania could accelerate its legislative progress, ensuring that key issues are addressed more quickly and effectively.

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