Questions remain about the new Pa. House speaker not speaking

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Pennsylvania has a spokesman. He just doesn’t speak.

State Assemblyman Mark Rozzi makes history. He said he will be the first independent speaker in Pennsylvania history not committed to either Democrats or Republicans.

He was elected as a Democrat from Berks County. Whether he will change his party registration is one of many questions for the new speaker.

Rozzi was due to make a brief appearance at the house on Friday morning and abc27’s Dennis Owens was there to try and get answers. It was a very brief exchange, and Rozzi didn’t respond to Owen’s questions.

Rozzi showed up on the floor of the house to officially end another day’s session – just a formality really – and he was in and out within minutes.

It is still unclear which party will control the committees and which party will control the legislature calendar.

Rozzi promised to reach out to the media “soon,” but didn’t define soon.

The former Speaker, Lancaster Republican Bryan Cutler, who engineered the unusual speaker array, is optimistic even if it’s gotten off to a slow start.

“I think it’s very exciting given the political dynamics here in the Commonwealth. It’s such a tight division here in our chamber. I think an independent speaker is the way to go because it’s really going to help us come together and work together,” Cutler said.

Cutler said one of Rozzi’s top priorities will be to get a change that allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to sue their abusers after the statute of limitations has expired. He said Republicans also want changes to voter identification and the power of the legislature to stop the governor’s regulations with a majority.

They have to pass those bills by early February for them to make it into the May primary.

Cutler and the Republicans also said Rozzi will be an independent “Captain I” — as in, not a Democrat. Democrats say he told them he would remain a Democrat.