On straight party line votes, the House Appropriations Committee this morning adopted seven amendments to special session House Bill 8. The transportation funding bill was then held over. Chairman Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) commented that the transportation problem will remain whether the General Assembly considers the legislation before the end of session and or in January. Minority Chairman William Adolph (R-Delaware) said committee Republicans met and discussed the proposed amendments and decided they would oppose them. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story.

Chairman Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) suspended today’s meeting on special session HB 8 in order to give the committee Republicans the opportunity to review and discuss eight amendments to the bill submitted by committee Democrats. The committee members posed questions to PennDOT Deputy Secretaries James Ritzman and Toby Fauver about the impact of the legislation. The meeting is to resume at the call of the chair to consider the amendments and the bill. Check the Capitol Toolbox later for the full story.