Dec 18, 2006 By Jennifer Harr 5 min read

State Sen. Rich Kasunic speaks candidly about open records and the need for change in Harrisburg. Citing flaws in the way the Legislature does business, Kasunic (D-Dunbar) said he feels that changes to make records and proposed bills as accessible as possible are imminent. He credited the public – and their reaction in the wake of the middle of the night pay raise – for the change.

“The most important thing we can do when we go back into session is address immediately the way we do business, our own housekeeping,” Kasunic said.

Kasunic spoke Friday on HSTV’s “Behind the Headlines.”

Kasunic said he anticipates there will be more balance in Harrisburg with the influx of Democrats elected in November.

Formerly, he said, Republicans controlled the agenda and dictated how things were run. That included what he called “stealth legislation” – late-night votes or legislators forced to vote on amended bills will little time to digest what had been changed.

He cited the lobbyist disclosure bill passed in October as evidence of what can go wrong in late night sessions. Senators passed the bill at midnight, but it included language of an earlier amended version.

Senate and House leaders discovered the mistake the next morning when the House was scheduled to pass the bill and send it to the governor.

Kasunic said three bills are in the Senate that should help stop that sort of confusion. One includes a provision that once any Senate bills are in their final form, there will be a 72-hour waiting period and complete disclosure of the contents before it’s voted upon.

Kasunic said the proposed legislation also requires a 24-hour wait before a completed bill comes out of committee.

“This gives everyone the ability to fully digest what’s going on” in the legislation, he said.

He also said the proposed legislation stops any bills from being passed without fiscal analysis so that taxpayers know exactly what the measure will cost them.

Kasunic said the Senate also could make a rule that bills cannot be voted on past a certain hour unless it is an emergency situation.

All of those things would give everyone in the Senate an equal opportunity to analyze what they are voting on, Kasunic said.

“We’re sometimes asked to digest a 50- or 100-page amendment (to a bill) in the matter of an hour,” he said.

Kasunic said he is “convinced” there will be a legislative push to open records in an effort to show taxpayers how they’re money is being spent is just a matter of time.

“The public has a thirst for more information. …We do the people’s business, and that’s what they want,” Kasunic said.

Election results across the state show that, as several veteran legislators lost re-election or retired, he said.

“We have erred in taking for granted knowing what the people want,” he said.

Although there may be some who resist, “There will be more openness in government and more accountability in government, and rightly so,” he said.

He said those who don’t believe change should come are “dinosaurs” that are “near extinction.”

As for those who criticize media for pushing legislators out of office, Kasunic suggested they look in the mirror and ask what they did or should have done to get re-elected.

Kasunic also commented on the re-election of Rep. H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg), noting that he was surprised that the veteran legislator lost in Greene County, where he expected voters to support DeWeese.

In reality, it was the votes in Fayette and Washington counties that helped DeWeese, nominee for speaker of the house, secure victory in November. Kasunic said that DeWeese worked hard for the victory, and also credited Fayette County Democrat Party Chairman Fred Lebder for helping DeWeese carry Fayette.

“The last few weeks (before the election), Fred Lebder rolled up his sleeves (to help DeWeese) and you have to give him credit,” Kasunic said.

He said Lebder understands politics and knows a host of people.

“He’s a brilliant politician. One of the best I’ve ever seen,” Kasunic said.

Kasunic also discussed privatizing the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but said he has concerns that using that money to bail out ailing mass transportation systems isn’t the right reason to do it.

He noted that there are bus drivers making six-figure salaries and transit systems don’t want to raise fees.

“Before we start selling off our assets – and I consider the turnpike an asset – to bail out the mass-transit agencies … I ask them to get their house in order,” he said.

Kasunic also commented that a raise in the gas tax was unlikely, even though the idea had been floated. He said with uncertain gas prices, the Legislature does not have the will to raise them even more.

“I don’t believe there’s an appetite for any tax increases,” he said.