HARRISBURG — The state Supreme Court on Monday denied a bid by the administration of Gov. Josh Shapiro to prevent the state Senate from compelling Revenue Secretary Pat Browne to appear before the chamber to answer questions tied to a special tax zone he helped to create when he was a lawmaker.
Also Monday, the Republican-controlled Senate approved a resolution that sets up rules for how the questioning of Mr. Browne would proceed. The developments, taken together, mean Mr. Browne could appear before the Senate as early as later this week to be questioned about his refusal to disclose some tax information on the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone.
Mr. Browne previously was a Republican senator who represented Allentown. He is now part of the Democratic Shapiro administration.
He has said that divulging the information would break confidentiality provisions in state law; Senate Republicans led by Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-Lehigh, have said the information is needed to help evaluate how the so-called NIZ is performing.
The senators previously passed a separate resolution that states Mr. Browne could be found in contempt and sent to prison if he fails to divulge the requested information.
Approval of the Monday questioning-rules resolution came in a 27-21 party-line vote, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed.
Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana and the Senate majority leader, said Republicans have been “methodical” in seeking the information, which he says is necessary to evaluate the NIZ program. Sen. Jay Costa, D-Allegheny and the top Democrat in the chamber, objected to the process and said Republicans are asking Mr. Browne to violate a confidentiality rule senators themselves approved.
Meanwhile, with the 2023-24 legislative session speeding toward a conclusion, lawmakers pushed to get new laws across the finish line and laid groundwork for the next session.
Four more legislative days remain in each chamber after Monday in the 2023-24 session: Tuesday, Wednesday, and two days in mid-November, following the Nov. 5 election in which many lawmakers’ jobs are up for grabs.
Monday morning, a House committee advanced a bill that would require business entities that transmit virtual currency — including Bitcoin, Ethereum and other digital constructs — to get a license for doing that transmission. Proponents of the bill say it will be bring Pennsylvania into line with 26 other states that have taken a similar approach in dealing with evolving virtual currencies.
Meanwhile, Rep. Gina Curry, D-Delaware, spoke at a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda on getting better insurance coverage for women who need follow-up diagnostic mammograms after an initial test or screening turns up something of concern.
A bill that would bring about the improved coverage has been awaiting action in the House Insurance Committee since January. While the bill is not expected to pass the Legislature in the few session days that remain, Ms. Curry said in an interview she was trying to building bipartisan support — including in the Senate — to get the bill passed in the new session that begins in January.
“The roadblock is insurance,” Ms. Curry said. “We need women to be able to get their diagnostic treatment free of charge.”
First Published: October 21, 2024, 7:48 p.m.
Updated: October 22, 2024, 2:14 a.m.
