A Marcellus Shale drilling impact fee could be ready for a floor vote this week.  Really, this time – the Post-Gazette reports staff was working over the weekend to pass around the latest compromise.  Looks like the latest version supports a fee levied by the Public Utility Commission, and allows local governments to pass zoning rules that don’t aim to trump existing state regulation. 

The adjustments to the zoning provision were touted in a letter sent Saturday evening from House Speaker Sam Smith, R-Punxsutawney, and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods, to their caucus members. The approach will "ensure that the local governments retain their traditional powers to provide for local zoning and regulation while striking a balance to provide for the reasonable development of natural gas."

The letter also notes opposition to the zoning language in the previous bills, and says "the current framework stands to address most of these concerns." It adds: "Of course, those who simply want to stop all drilling will not be satisfied with any legislation."

The final language describing those zoning parameters could be key to garnering enough votes for approval, with nine Senate Republicans expressing concerns in recent weeks about placing restrictions on local governments.

Gov. Corbett outlines his spending plan tomorrow morning, about a year after he delivered on his promise of a timely budget that made some much-maligned cuts to education and other programs.  This year, reports the Associated Press, expect more of the same, and consider the pressures on Corbett, especially from his supporters in the business community pushing for tax cuts.

And, of course, we’re waiting on a verdict from the jury that sat for state Rep. Bill DeWeese’s public corruption trial.  The jury has been deliberating since Thursday, writes the Patriot-News.