The boys are back in town -- some of them, anyway

Minus their Senate counterparts, members of the state House return to session Wednesday afternoon for the first day of their lame-duck session.

Session is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., with several committee meetings planned through the day. And don't be surprised to see Democratic leaders criticizing Senate Republicans at some point for not returning to work on health care legislation, as the governor asked them Monday. 

But the most pressing topic will remain leadership fights in the House Democratic and Republican caucuses. Democrats must decide whom they will back for Speaker of the House and if Majority Leader Bill DeWeese retains his position.

Republicans will likely react to news their former leader, state Rep. John Perzel (D-Philadelphia), reportedly hired someone to conduct opposition research on House GOP leaders Mike Turzai and Sam Smith.

The session itself is likely to draw rebuke for the Capitol's resident reformers. They have sought to abolish the session because they say it allows suddenly unaccountable legislators to cause mischief.