State Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, and state Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, had different approaches to how they addressed the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce at the group’s recent legislative breakfast.

While Hamm went through a proverbial laundry list of concerns and worries confronting legislators in Harrisburg, Flick addressed one piece of legislation he has a particular passion about.

“We have a lot of challenges that we’re facing,” Hamm said.

He began by explaining that he opposed the most recent state budget because it “spends $1 billion more than it brings in in revenue.”

He warned the audience that legislation before the state House to expand buffers around gas drilling amounts to “a de facto moratorium.”

He noted the economic benefits of Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry, including more than 420,000 jobs created and supported by the industry in the state.

“They want to kill it,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Another piece of legislation Hamm said should worry the audience is a bill to allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits.

“We already struggle to keep business here,” Hamm said.

He said instead the state should address population decline by being friendlier to employers.

“We have to look at our tax code,” Hamm said. “It’s a mess. We’re taxing people right out of Pennsylvania.”

He noted Gov. Josh Shapiro’s campaign took about $5.5 million from public-sector unions, then negotiated behind closed doors contracts that give public-sector union members billions in pay increases. Hamm also noted the nearly $300,000 settlement for a sexual harassment allegation made against one of Shapiro’s top advisers.

“It took six months for him to finally resign,” Hamm said.

He said he’s currently working on legislation to secure death benefits for county coroners killed at the scene of their work, a bill to eliminate unnecessary duplication of applying for drilling permits when one gas company buys or acquires another and on a bill clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the state Department of Environmental Protection and state Fish and Boat Commission.

“They stumble over one another,” he said. “They fight.”

Flick discussed his work on legislation to set fairer practices for resolving custody disputes.

“I thought there was an abuse of discretion,” Flick said. “I thought there was an abuse of power.”

The bill has 28 co-sponsors — 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans. Flick said he’s met with Shapiro several times to advocate for the bill. He’s also reaching out to other states, including Arkansas and Missouri, to lobby for similar legislation there.

“The kids win, the dads win,” Flick said. “The courts win because it unclogs them, but the lawyers lose.”