PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A proposed ban on gifts to lawmakers took a key step in Harrisburg, clearing a State House committee with a unanimous vote after legislators took steps to force action.
The bill would prohibit lawmakers, candidates and government employees from accepting any gift valued at more than $50, including sporting events, and would ban all cash gifts.
Philadelphia Democrat Jared Solomon introduced the bill early last year. It has a 50-50 bipartisan split with 38 co-sponsors, but was not brought up for a committee vote until a discharge petition this week from three Republicans, including York County’s Mike Jones, forced action.
Jones said while it’s not unprecedented, it “is extremely unique that you have Republican lawmakers forcing a discharge resolution on a Democrat bill.”
Montgomery County Democrat Joe Webster said the long list of other issues in Pennsylvania — whether it’s education, healthcare or affordability — “the things that we really need to fix for our constituents all run into the influence and power of money in Harrisburg.”
The bill has some exceptions. It cleared the State Government Committee with unanimous support and is heading to the full House for a vote, but with only six voting days remaining in the session, it remains to be seen if the House democratic majority will call it up for a vote despite strong bipartisan support.
“This is a great first step to making sure that state representatives, senators, that political elected officials are representing their constituents and not the influence and the interests of very powerful moneyed individuals,” Webster said.
