With new year, a chance to alter Pa. governor’s powers, election process

Written By: Charlie Gerow

Ringing in the new year is a worldwide custom of joy and hope as we always believe that the next 365 days will be better than the previous. But rarely will the words “Happy New Year” ring brighter than on Jan. 1, 2021.

Getting past the challenges and trials of the past year is going to take some doing, but the indomitable spirit of Pennsylvania will carry the day as it always has.

One of the first official acts of the new year will be the start of the next session of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. It won’t be with all of the fanfare and pageantry that normally mark the beginning of the legislative term, but they will still get down to business.

There will be swearings-in, likely done in groups, a joint session and the adoption of new rules and the election of the two constitutional officers. There won’t likely be the festive floral arrangements that have rivaled the Philadelphia Flower Show in previous years. Box lunches will replace the lavish spreads of yesteryear.

Despite a much more subdued launch, there is a lot of work to be done by the new Legislature.

Republicans remain firmly in control of both sides of the building. Their 113-seat majority in the House marks an increase of several seats in a year many in the media and polling industry were saying would be a flip to Democrat control.

On the Senate side, Republicans also maintain a majority with one seat still hotly contested.

Both the House and the Senate will have new leadership. Included in the ranks of the newly minted leaders are two women, Sen. Kim Ward and Rep. Joanna McClinton, each of whom will be the first woman to lead their party as floor leader. A new President Pro Tempore, Sen. Jake Corman, and Speaker of the House, Rep. Bryan Cutler, will lead the two bodies.

Among the first issues that the General Assembly will face is dealing with the irregularities of the 2020 election and the problems associated with Act 77, adopted in 2019 to allow any voter to cast a ballot by mail.

Multiple legislators have made it clear they intend to use all of the statutory powers of the General Assembly to investigate and resolve issues regarding the casting and counting of votes, the misuse of the powers of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and the impact of the judiciary, The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in particular.

Many are asking for a return to the way Pennsylvanians cast ballots for more than 200 years. However, with Tom Wolf holding the veto pen, that idea will likely have to wait. In the meantime, there will be several serious proposals to rein in the abuses we saw in 2020.

There will be two major constitutional changes that are teed up and waiting for the General Assembly to act. One limits the governor’s emergency powers. Given all that we’ve seen with the consistent overreach of Tom Wolf throughout the pandemic, this likely will move quickly. The good news is that it doesn’t require the governor’s signature. Rather it goes directly to the people in the form of a referendum. It could be on the ballot as early as the next primary. I’m guessing that few will want to bet against overwhelming voter approval.

The same is true for an amendment changing the way statewide judges are elected. A system of judicial districts could be put into place by constitutional amendment this year.

The budget always tops the list of legislative priorities and 2021 will pose some additional challenges as a result of lockdowns and shutdowns of the state’s economy. Whether or not an additional bailout by the federal government is forthcoming will be a big piece of that puzzle, but there still will need to be some serious moves made by the legislature itself.

Auld Lang Syne may have a different chord this year, but there Is still a brightness on the horizon and the knowledge that ultimately our best days are ahead.

Happy New Year.