Pennsylvania lawmakers return to full docket

The Pennsylvania Senate will reconvene Monday after its summer recess with a full plate of issues to address.

In outlining his legislative to-do list, Gov. Tom Corbett has said passing a school vouchers bill is his No. 1 priority.

His spokesman, Kevin Harley, said it’s not safe to assume that anything is No. 2.

“This isn’t a horse race, OK? Or a car race, or a sporting event,” said Harley. “It’s not that one thing’s more important than the other, they’re all important.”

The long-discussed impact fee on natural gas drillers–which had the very vocal backing of top Republican senators–now has the endorsement of an advosory panel appointed by the governor.

Corbett has said he will present his own plan for a fee and stricter environmental regulations on the drilling industry in the next few weeks.

He also supports a House proposal to privatize the state’s liquor stores and wants legislators to act to fill the multibillion-dollar gap in funding for transportation infrastructure.

That’s just the top of the legislative iceberg, however, during a year that requires lawmakers to also pass a bill redrawing congressional districts.