LEG REG REVIEW is a periodic newsletter produced by PHILLIPS ASSOCIATES, a professional lobbying and consultant firm located near the State Capitol. It contains news on the legislative and regulatory scene in Pennsylvania that may be of interest to the Insurance and Business Communities. It is a free member benefit for those who are members of the Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters (PAHU). Subscription information may be obtained by contacting PHILLIPS ASSOCIATES at 717/728-1217 FAX 717/232-7005 or e-mail to xenobun@aol.com. Please email jtrout2792@aol.com supplying both your name and e-mail address if you wish to be removed from or added to this list.
SPECIAL EDITION
PRIMARY NOTES
Tomorrow Pennsylvania will be at center stage in the contest for President of the United States. This has been the media focus. Unfortunately, this overshadows many of the other races. Phillips Associates researched primary races to identify those with an insurance or financial planning background as well as identifying those on committees relevant to the Insurance Industry. Please consider this information as a planning tool in case an industry background is important as you cast your ballot.
SPECIAL ELECTION
The winner of this race will take former Senator Pileggi’s place in the PA Senate in this Delaware and Chester County district. Republican candidate Tom Killion currently represents Delaware County in the General Assembly and has an insurance producer’s license.
PA SENATE
- 1st district (Phila.): Democratic Incumbent Larry Farnese is a member of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee and is being challenged in the primary.
- 5th district (Phila.): Running to keep his Senate seat is Democrat John Sabatina. He is opposed in the Democratic primary by Rep. Kevin Boyle, a member of the House Insurance Committee. Boyle is also running for re-election to his House seat.
- 31st district (Cumberland/York) open seat Republican primary including sports analyst Jon Ritchie, House Insurance Committee member Mike Regan, and dentist Brice Arndt.
PA HOUSE
- 6th district (Erie, Crawford): Incumbent Republican Brad Roae faces a contested primary. He currently serves on the House Insurance Committee and is a former commercial underwriter for Erie Insurance.
- 23rd district (Allegheny): Incumbent Democrat Dan Frankel, minority caucus chair has an insurance producer license.
- 25th district (Allegheny): Incumbent Democrat Joe Markosek, minority chair, House Appropriations Committee has an insurance producer license.
- 125th district (Schuylkill): Incumbent Republican Mike Tobash is a Nationwide agent.
- 150th district (Montgomery): Michael N. Corr has a securities license. He is unopposed in the Republican primary to succeed retiring Rep. Mike Vereb. The Democratic primary is contested with Linda Weaver facing Steven Buda, a financial executive, who has worked with Cigna and Salomon Smith Barney..
- 164th district (Delaware): Incumbent Democrat Margo Davidson, a member of the House Insurance Committee, faces Sekela Coles in the primary. Coles has degrees in banking and finance and worked at Citigroup.
- 202nd district (Phila.): Challenging incumbent Democrat Mark Cohen is Jared Soloman. He is an attorney with experience in securities litigation.
Members of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee running for re-election are:
- 37th district (Allegheny): Republican Guy Reschenthaler
- 39th district (Westmoreland): Republican Kim Ward
- 41st district (Indiana): Don White, chair, Senate Banking & Insurance Committee
- 45th district (Allegheny/Westmoreland) Democrat Jim Brewster
- 47th district (Beaver) Republican Elder Vogel
- 49th district (Erie): Democrat Sean Wiley, minority chair, Senate Banking & Insurance Committee
Members of the House Insurance Committee running for re-election are:
- Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) 3rd district
- Rep. Kevin Boyle (D-Phila.) 172nd district – He is also running for Senate.
- Rep. Dom Costa (D-Allegheny) 21st district
- Rep. Margo Davidson (D-Delaware) 164th district – contested primary
- Rep. Tina Davis (D-Bucks) 141st district
- Rep. Gary Day (R-Berks/Lehigh)) 187th district
- Rep. Tony DeLuca (D-Allegheny), 32nd district — minority chair, House Insurance Committee
- Rep. Michael Driscoll (D-Phila.) 173rd district
- Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-Westmoreland/Allegheny) 54th district
- Rep. Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna) 113rd district
- Rep. Ed Gainey (D-Allegheny) 24th district – contested primary
- Rep. Bob Godshall (R-Montgomery) 53rd district
- Rep. Warren Kampf (R-Chester/Montgomery) 157th district
- Rep. Robert Matzie (D-Allegheny/Beaver) 16th district
- Rep. Steven Mentzer (R-Lancaster) 97th district
- Rep. Nick Miccarelli (R-Delaware) 162nd district
- Rep. Tom Murt (R-Montgomery) 152nd district
- Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) 121st district
- Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford), 110th district –majority chair, House Insurance Committee
- Rep. Marguerite Quinn (Bucks) 143rd district
- Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford/Erie) 6th district – contested primary mentioned above
- Rep. Justin Simmons (R-Lehigh) 131st district – contested primary
- Rep. Curt Sonney (R-Erie) 4th district
- Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) 151st district
- Rep. Mike Tobash (R-Schuylkill) 125th district – licensed insurance producer
PA HAS A BUDGET
Over the weekend, Governor Tom Wolf let the Fiscal Code bill, House Bill 1589, become law without his signature. This means that the State Budget for the current fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015 is finally enacted.
EDUCATION BENEFIT CONSOLIDATION SCHEDULED
On May 2, the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing on House Bill 348 (Kulakovich-D-Lackawanna). This would establish a Board which would consider options for consolidating school district benefit programs into one state-run program. The PA Association of Health Underwriters opposes the bill since enacted Senate Resolution 250 already mandated such a study which was completed in December 2015.