Today, the House of Representatives held its first-ever remote formal session to unanimously approve legislation authorizing necessary state borrowing during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Due to the current pandemic, remote voting rules were required to conduct formal business in the House of Representatives. As a member of the House COVID-19 Working Group, Representative Garlick worked with her colleagues to develop a plan for remote voting, ensuring that the principles of public health, access (and by extension, equity), and security be the foundation for House operations. Today’s formal session was a historic move by the House, which allows members of the chamber to continue serving their districts and ensuring the stability and sustainability of the Commonwealth during this public health crisis.
The legislation, An Act to Facilitate the Delay of the Income Tax Filing Deadline, is necessary to extend the income tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020. It authorizes the State Treasurer to borrow in anticipation of tax receipts by the end of Fiscal Year 2020 and to repay those sums by June 30, 2021. This action is necessary due to the delay in tax revenue as a result of the extended deadlines of income tax filings and payments, which were extended because of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Today’s bill will ensure that the fiscal health of the Commonwealth remains strong and that the State can continue to offer critical services to all residents.
This legislation now goes to the Senate.