HARRISBURG – A bill placing limits on the use of “acting secretaries” in state government who serve without Senate confirmation for extended periods of time has passed the PA Senate State Government Committee. Currently PA law allows the governor to appoint an acting secretary to run an agency or department when a vacancy occurs. The provision, intended to serve as a short-term solution while a nominee awaits Senate confirmation, has increasingly been used to bypass the constitutionally required confirmation process. In practice, the “acting secretaries” carry out the full responsibilities of a cabinet secretary without legislative approval, sometimes for prolonged periods. Under the Wolf Administration, 11 acting secretaries were never sent to the state Senate for confirmation, while still serving with full power. Senate Bill 472 addresses the loophole by limiting how long a person can serve without Senate confirmation. The bill clarifies that these individuals will be designated as “Deputy – Head of Department” and may only serve in that role once per gubernatorial term and must appear before the General Assembly during budget hearings. It also ensures that those serving in the temporary role do not receive additional compensation or elevated benefits beyond those of their peers. The bill now moves to the full PA Senate.
