Following is a listing of executive and legislative action for the week of May 27. The General Assembly was in recess, with members of the Pennsylvania Senate and state House of Representatives scheduled to return to session Monday.

Suicide Prevention

Gov. Tom Wolf on May 29 announced a first-of-its-kind statewide Suicide Prevention Task Force to develop a suicide prevention plan as well as a long-term strategy to reduce suicide.

The task force would also be empowered to raise awareness among Pennsylvanians in crisis so they know their lives are valuable and help is available.

Wolf was joined at the announcement by state Reps. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, and Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia.

“We have an obligation to provide resources and promote safe, supportive environments so people we serve know that there are places to turn if they are in crisis,” Wolf said. “Silence can perpetuate crisis and make people feel like they are struggling alone with no outlet or options for support, but things can and will get better, and help is always available.”

The Suicide Prevention Task Force is expected to hold its first meeting in the next few weeks, according to a Wolf administration statement.

The statement said it would merge siloed efforts into one statewide suicide prevention plan informed by the diverse perspectives and experiences of various state agencies, including in the Departments of Aging, Human Services, Drug and Alcohol Programs, Health, Military and Veterans Affairs, Education, Corrections, and Transportation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The heads of cabinet departments are set to appoint members to the task force, the statement said.

According to a 2018 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the country and is one of only three that are on the rise. In Pennsylvania, suicide rates have increased by 34% since 1999. The CDC report said problems with relationships, substance use, physical health conditions, a job or financial situation, and the legal system or another crisis most often contribute to suicide, and more than 50% of people who die by suicide do not have a known mental health condition.

Special Election

Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, on May 28 ordered a special election for Aug. 20 to fill the vacant seat in the 85th Legislative District, located in parts of Union and Snyder counties. The special election will fill the seat vacated by Rep. Fred Keller, who recently won election to the U.S. Congress.

Turzai filed the writ of election, the formal document setting the date of a special election, with the Department of State. A copy of the writ is also being filed with the board of elections in Union and Snyder counties.

Candidates for the office will be selected by a process designated by their respective political parties, and the winner of the special election will take office after the results are certified.

Veterans' Care

State Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, D-Delaware, on May 28 issued a statement urging colleagues in the state House of Representatives to pass a bill that would open an avenue to raise money for veterans' care.

The Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee this month approved House Bill 857, which would create a space on individual tax returns to allow for a donation of not less than $5 to Pennsylvania's Veterans' Trust Fund.

“Many of Pennsylvania's veterans who have sacrificed dearly for our safety and freedom come home and, for a variety of reasons, end up in need of help, which is often provided by statewide charitable organizations, veterans' service organizations and county veterans' affairs offices,” O'Mara said. “We should do all we can to ensure that veterans receive the services they need.”

The Veterans' Trust Fund provides grants to charitable and service organizations that help veterans.

The bill can now be voted on by the full House.

Game Commission

The Pennsylvania Game Commission should hold gas and oil companies accountable for lease royalty payments, according to a performance review issued by Auditor General Eugene DePasquale on May 30.

DePasquale added that the Game Commission should also take steps to strengthen its overall financial oversight. The audit covered the years from 2014 to 2017.

DePasquale also said the Game Commission must do a better job tracking the millions of dollars it earns from leasing land to gas and oil producers, noting that the agency does not monitor or verify leasing royalties to ensure it collects all the money it is owed.

“Essentially, the commission is relying on gas and oil companies to say how much money they owe,” DePasquale said. “I find the lack of fiscal controls to be particularly troubling at a time when oil and gas royalty revenues doubled, rising from $9.3 million in 2015 to $19.2 million in 2017.

“The commission never levied interest penalties on delinquent payments and did not enforce the submission of annual production reports, which could have provided an extra layer of accountability.”

DePasquale said the Game Commission's failure to log and promptly deposit royalty checks upon receipt created a risk of loss or potential theft of public funds.

The audit questioned the Game Commission's assertion that it cannot factor the Game Fund's balance—more than $72.8 million as of 2018—as part of developing its budget or making other financial decisions.

“The Game Commission must take a careful look at how it manages all of its finances,” DePasquale said. “Beyond the nearly $73 million balance in the Game Fund, we found there was an additional $6.5 million in various escrow accounts—which the commission's financial officer didn't even have knowledge of the specific accounts, balances, or purposes until my audit.”

Facebook Board

Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella, along with colleagues from Massachusetts and Vermont, on May 29 called on Facebook to separate the roles of chief executive officer and board chair.

Torsella and his colleagues, who control their states' investment of public funds, said they would support a shareholder resolution to reform the company's governance. Shareholders in a vote at the May 30 meeting turned down the proposal to separate the CEO and chairman roles.

Currently Mark Zuckerberg serves as the CEO and chairman of the Facebook board.

“Separating the positions of board chair and CEO is not only best governance practice—it's just common sense policy,” Torsella said. “Severe mismanagement of scandals and controversies by Facebook have put the company's reputation, shareholder value, and investor confidence at extreme risk. It's time that the board of directors act as a check on management—not a tool. That's why I'm proud to lead this coalition of institutional investors that will vote to approve the proposal for an independent board chair at Facebook.”

The proposal highlights that Google, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle and Twitter have separate CEO and board chairs. More than 89% of the companies within the S&P 500 have separated these roles, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania Treasury.