This week was a session week for both the House and the Senate.
On Monday, House Insurance reported out HB 2138 (Steele, D-Allegheny). This bill would provide for insurance coverage for blood pressure monitors for home use by pregnant or postpartum insureds. HB 1867 (Venkat, D-Allegheny) was also reported out of committee. The bill would prohibit health insurers from paying reimbursement to in-network doctors exclusively by credit card.
The House Transportation Committee reported out two bills of note: HB 478 (Miller, D-Allegheny), which would require children safety restrains for children traveling in a truck, regardless of weight or classification; and SB 915 (Langerholc, R-Cambria), which would waive the replacement fee and automatically reissue military registration plates when they have become illegible.
On the House Floor, HB 1661 (Metzgar, R-Somerset) was given third consideration and sent to the Senate for concurrence. This bill would criminalize illicit possession of xylazine with an exemption for licit Veterinary use. HB 1608 (Cephas, D-Philadelphia), which would provide for insurance coverage for doula services; and HB 2097 (Mayes, D-Allegheny), which would provide Medical Assistance coverage for at home blood pressure monitors for use by pregnant or postpartum women, both passed the House finally.
On the Senate Floor, only two bills passed the Senate finally: SB 973 (Pennycuick, R-Berks), which would allow veterans of Korean Armed Forces specialized benefits; and SB 1139(Mastriano, R-Adams), which would require funeral personnel to notice a county of a servicepersons death.
On Tuesday, the House Education Committee reported out HB 851 (Parker, D-Philadelphia). This bill would create a Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Program to provide funding for menstrual hygiene products in schools. HB 1367 (Daley, D-Montgomery) was also reported out of committee. This bill requires mental health training for all high school personnel.
The House Labor and Industry Committee passed HB 2247 (Krueger, D-Delaware). This bill provides for workplace violence reporting guidelines and requirements in health facilities.
The Senate Banking Insurance Committee reported out two bills of note: HB 660(Schlossberg, D-Lehigh), which would allow for insurance coverage of pets; and SB 1084(Rothman, R-Cumberland), which updates and modernizes the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), specifically related to digital assets.
The House Professional Licensure Committee reported out SB 559 (Baker, R-Luzerne)and SB 560 (Baker, R-Luzerne. SB 559 updates the Medical Practice Act, while SB 560 updates the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act regarding governance of athletic trainers.
The Senate Education Committee reported SB 795 (J. Ward, R-Juniata) out of committee. This bill reintroduces the Lifeline Scholarship Program and Fund.
On the House Floor, HB 1615 (O’Mara, D-Delaware) passed the House finally and will go to the Senate for consideration. The bill provides for a minimum on energy and water efficiency standards in certain appliances sold in the Commonwealth. HB 2206 (Bellmon, D-Philadelphia), which would require electronic records of firearm sales in the Commonwealth, also received final passage and will go to the Senate.
On the Senate Floor, SB 1017 (Boscola, D-Lehigh) passed the Senate finally. This bill updates consumer protections in Chapter 14 of Title 66 (Public Utility Code), also known as Responsible Utility Consumer Protection. The Senate also further amended SB 37 (Brown, R-Lackawanna), which had been amended by the house. This bill would prohibit the use of hand-held interactive wireless communications devices while operating a motor vehicle on roadways. The House would concur in these amendments on Wednesday, and the bill will now head to the Governor’s desk.
On Wednesday, The House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing on Keystone Saves Retirement Accounts program. The House Judiciary Committee held an Informational meeting on Crime Deterrence and Community Safety. The Joint Local Government Commission held their monthly business meeting.
The Senate Labor and Industry Committee reported out two bills: HB 841 (Howard, D-Chester), which would only require DNA collection for juveniles tried as adults or adjudicated delinquent for serious sexual and violent offenses; and HB 1026, which would require people convicted of a ethnic intimidation to perform community service.
The House Rules Committee held an off the floor at the end of session. During this meeting, they adopted HR 412 (Bradford, D-Montgomery). This resolution amends the House Rules and creates a member incapacity inquiry committee, which determines if a House member is capable of holding their seat due to some form of permanent or temporary incapacity.
On the House Floor, HB 1632 (O’Mara, D-Delaware) passed the House finally. This bill would allow first responders to use their PTSI as a valid claim for worker’s compensation. The House also sent over HB 2225 (Pashinski, D-Luzerne) and SB 277 (Yaw, R-Bradford) over to the Senate. Both bills amend the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization Act to create a Rural Population Revitalization Commission within the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.
On the Senate Floor, SB 739 (Vogel, R-Beaver) passed the Senate finally. This bill would offer guidelines on providing telemedicine and require insurance company reimbursement of telemedicine services. They also sent SR 223 (Baker, R-Luzerne) over to the House for consideration. This resolution urges the Federal Communications Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to make a rule requiring automakers to maintain free, broadcast AM radio in all vehicles.
On Friday, Senator Katie Muth, Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, will host a policy hearing with co-hosts Senators Nikil Saval and Wayne Fontana highlighting the need for enhanced consumer protections and increased regulations for new home construction in Pennsylvania.
The Week Ahead
Neither the House nor Senate is in for session next week.
On Tuesday, the House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees will hold a public hearing on the emerging issue of healthcare deserts in the Commonwealth.
On Thursday, the Independent Regulatory Review Committee is holding a public hearing.
On Friday, the House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee will hold an informational meeting on PADLS Laboratory System and the Governor’s Proposed Western Pa. Laboratory.
A full list of committee meetings can be found here:
