Weekly Wrap
This week was one of the few before June where the House of Representatives and Senate were both in Harrisburg for session.
On Monday, the House Energy Committee held an informational meeting on the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority.
The House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee reported out: HB 1964 (Burgos, D-Philadelphia), which would pause the sale of future municipal water and sewer systems through a repeal of Act 12 of 2016 and provide for a year-long study to determine a long-term replacement; and HB 2333 (Madsen, D-Dauphin), which would set new rules for utility billing under Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code.
The House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee reported out the following bills:
- HB 289 (Briggs, D-Montgomery), which provide for radon testing for school buildings;
- HB 2161 (Salisbury, D-Allegheny), which would require electric utilities to replace trees they remove;
- HB 2229 (Mako, R-Lehigh), which would require the Department of Environmental Protection to forward notices of noncompliance issued by the Environmental Protections Agency for violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act and a notice of noncompliance for violation of the Solid Waste Management Act to the municipality where the violation occurred; and
- HB 2246 (Webster, D-Montgomery), which would require data center projects with substantial water needs to proactively inform the state prior to construction.
The House Labor and Industry Committee reported out HB 678 (McNeill, D-Lehigh). The bill would require labor brokers to register with the state before conducting business.
Three bills of note were reported from the Senate Education Committee:
- SB 128 (Mastriano, R-Franklin), which would require a school entity to post information on every textbook used, a course syllabus, and the state academic standards for each instructional course offered;
- SB 378 (Phillips-Hill, R-York), which would establish the Student Data Privacy and Protection Act; and
- SB 402 (Argall, R-Schuylkill), which would provide for the administration of emergency anti-seizure medication by a school nurse or nonmedical employee that receives training.
Two bills of note were reported from the House Transportation Committee: HB 1970 (Neilson, D-Philadelphia), which would allow for electronic driver’s licenses and ID cards; and HB 2210 (Guzman, D-Berks), which would allow for digital vehicle registration cards.
HB 1260 (Rusnock, D-Berks) passed finally in the House and will go to the senate for consideration. The bill would require new large-scale warehouse and distribution centers to be solar-ready and provides for local tax exemptions for solar-ready projects on existing warehouses and distribution centers.
On Tuesday, the House Communications and Technology Committee and House Health Committee held a joint informational meeting on artificial intelligence in health care. The House Energy Committee held a public hearing on HB 2076 (Venkat, D-Allegheny), which would establish a regulatory framework for next-generation geothermal energy development.
The House Education Committee reported out the following bills of note:
- HB 830 (O’Mara, D-Delaware), which would require all incidents of alleged bullying to be investigated by the school entity and establishes a procedure for investigations;
- HB 1752 (Curry, D-Delaware), which would provide for an independent study to determine whether the ACT and SAT may be administered in lieu of the current statewide, standardized Keystone Exams in literature, algebra I and biology for high school students consistent with Federal requirements;
- HB 2218 (Steele, D-Allegheny), which would establish the School Counseling Services Act; and
- HB 2285 (Borowski, D-Delaware), which would establish a staffing ratio of one certified school nurse for every 750 students.
Two bills of note passed finally in the House and will go to the Senate for consideration:
- HB 1834 (Matzie, D-Beaver), which would create the Data Center Act and require the Public Utility Commission to establish regulatory framework; and
- HB 2189 (Dawkins, D-Philadelphia), which would incrementally increase the statewide minimum wage to $15/hour beginning in 2029.
On the Senate floor, three bills of note passed finally and will head to the House:
- SB 614 (Brooks, R-Mercer), which would establish the Primary Care Workforce Initiative to provide grants to incentivize and fund clinical rotations for medical, dental, nursing, physician assistant, and related students at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs);
- SB 804 (Boscola, D-Northampton) which would prohibit the utilization of DEHP (Di – 2 Ethylhexyl phthalate) in IV bags or tubing; and
- SB 1211 (Robinson, R-Allegheny), which would expand coverage of biomarker testing to Medicaid Fee-for-Service.
On Wednesday, the House Tourism, Recreation, and Economic Development Committee held a public hearing on HB 2303 (Powell, D-Allegheny), which would give counties the authority to regulate short-term rentals.
The House Finance Committee held a public hearing on HB 1805 (Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks), which would freeze penalties and fees on past-due taxes during a taxpayer’s participation in a duly authorized payment plan; HB 2300 (Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks), which would allow the Department of Revenue to mandate the use of software that collects sales and use tax in real time; and HB 2305 (Waxman, D-Philadelphia), which would offer a temporary sales and use tax exemption for nonprofits.
The House Appropriations Committee reported out HB 2151 (Donahue, D-Lackawanna), which would require the Local Government Commission to develop a model zoning ordinance for the regulation of data centers.
The House Health Committee reported out two bills: HB 1077 (Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks), which would establish a commission to develop a statewide plan to provide follow-up vision exams and glasses to youth; and HB 2265 (Takac, D-Centre), which would require an on-site emergency physician in all hospital emergency departments.
Two bills of note passed finally in the House and will go to the Senate for consideration:
- HB 200 (O’Mara, D-Chester), which would establish the Family and Medical Leave Act; and
- HB 1191 (Matzie, D-Beaver) would make comprehensive changes the statutes providing for rail safety.
Lastly, two bills of note passed finally in both chambers and are awaiting the Governor’s signature before becoming law:
- SB 997 (Flynn, D-Lackawanna), which would include a member of the Pennsylvania Online Messengers Association on the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee; and
- SB 1218 (Picozzi, R-Philadelphia), which would amend the Liquor Code to create a Philadelphia 250 permit and special sporting event permits for public venue licensees.
The Week Ahead
There’s no session next week, however, there’s a few committee meetings on the calendar.
On Monday, the House Republic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on making child care affordable. Also, the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on the housing crisis and economic development.
Tuesday, the House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing on the private equity threat to firefighting.
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