A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, passed the House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday.

Kelly introduced the Government Employee Accountability Act in the wake of the scandal that followed the General Services Administration’s lavish conference in Las Vegas.

An inspector general’s report on waste and abuse at the 2010 conference sparked hearings by several congressional committees after it was revealed that nearly $1 million taxpayer dollars were spent, in part, on clowns, mind readers, and expensive food and drink.

Kelly’s bill would allow agency heads to place senior executive service members on unpaid administrative leave if they are suspected of criminal activity or agency misconduct.

The congressman said he introduced the legislation after seeing the way agency heads were forced to continue paying senior GSA executive Jeff Neely, the man chiefly seen as responsible for planning the conference, while he was on administrative leave.

———

Legislation to reform the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program got a boost from an audit released Wednesday by the state auditor general, according to the bill’s author, House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-28th.

The audit found that from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2011, more than 500 projects were funded and about $1.5 billion in state dollars was paid to local economic development authorities.

According to the report, Turzai noted, the state was unable to verify whether the money helped generate jobs or other touted benefits.

“Not all debt is bad, but the time has come to end funding political pet projects through borrowed money,” he said. “These capital projects deserve public scrutiny and careful evaluation, and my legislation makes that happen.”

The capital program provides a list of private or public economic development or infrastructure projects, funded by borrowed money, from which the governor can select recipients of that borrowed money.

In March, the House of Representatives passed a Turzai-sponsored measure that would immediately reduce the capital program debt limit from $4 billion to $3.5 billion and implement a longer-term reduction to $1.5 billion.

The bill would weed out 8,000 unfinished projects authorized under nine capital project laws.

Other provisions would require a hearing before a project is approved and online posting by the state Office of the Budget of approved projects.

The bill is awaiting action in the Senate.

———

State Rep. Scott Hutchinson, R-64th, hailed passage of a bill by the House on Tuesday to extend for four years a grant program for volunteer and paid fire departments and emergency medical services departments.

Under the measure, funding for the Fire Company and Ambulance Service Grant program would increase from $25 million annually to $30 million. The funding comes from the state’s share of gaming proceeds.

Hutchinson, who is on the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, worked to extend the program to some paid municipal fire companies.

Grant funding can be used by recipients to buy or repair equipment, pay for training, or construct or renovate a fire or ambulance company facility.

The legislation now heads to the governor to be signed into law.

———

A deadline extension gives eligible residents until the end of the year to file for up to $975 from the state’s Property Tax and Rent Rebate program, according to state Sen. Bob Robbins, R-50th.

The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with permanent disabilities age 18 and older who meet the Social Security disability requirements.

The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.

The deadline to apply for a rebate was extended to Dec. 31.

Applicants can obtain Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and related information online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-222-9190.

Forms and assistance also are available at Department of Revenue district offices, Area Agencies on Aging officies, senior centers and state legislators’ offices.

Claimants who already applied for Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the status of claims online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-PATAXES.

@$ID/[No paragraph style]: