Committee votes 25-1 to send bill to House requiring Pennsylvania milk in schools

The Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee voted 25 to 1 to report House Bill 179 to the full House, moving forward legislation that would give Pennsylvania school districts the opportunity to serve milk produced by Pennsylvania dairy farmers when that milk is purchased with taxpayer dollars.

Representative Lawrence, the bill sponsor at the committee hearing, said the measure "will provide school districts in Pennsylvania with the opportunity to serve Pennsylvania milk produced by Pennsylvania dairy farmers, that's purchased by Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars to serve to Pennsylvania school students." He told the committee the bill has been considered in prior sessions, "and it's moved through the House actually with strong bipartisan support," and said it is "a top priority of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau."

Committee members asked no substantive questions during the floor of the committee, and the chair took the roll call after the presentation. The chair announced a final vote count of 25 yes and 1 no. The committee’s formal action, as recorded in the meeting, was to report House Bill 179 out of committee for consideration on the House floor.

The hearing record does not specify the names of members who voted yes or no in the transcript provided. Committee staff took attendance during the meeting, and Destiny read summaries of earlier resolutions on the agenda before the bill presentation.

After the vote Representative Lawrence and members took part in a small, informal celebration in the meeting room; Lawrence invited members to try flavored milk he brought to the session. The committee did not adopt amendments or set an implementation date during the meeting. The next formal step for the bill is a House floor vote.