HB 2265 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for onsite emergency physicians.

This bill requires hospitals in Pennsylvania with emergency departments to have a board-certified or board-eligible emergency physician on site and on duty whenever the emergency department is open. The law defines these physicians as those licensed in Pennsylvania who hold board certification in emergency medicine or have completed accredited residency training and remain eligible for certification. Hospitals in rural areas with an average of 46 or fewer emergency department visits per day over two years may request an exception to allow physicians with different emergency medicine qualifications to staff the department. The Department of Health has the authority to grant these exceptions after reviewing a hospital's documented efforts to recruit and retain qualified emergency physicians and any additional conditions needed to protect patient safety.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 5, 2026 Last action Mar 25, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN2963 → Printer's No. PN3090 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand the definition of 'emergency physician' and modify requirements for hospital emergency department staffing. The changes allow hospitals to use physicians with varying levels of emergency medicine training while maintaining patient safety standards through additional recruitment and documentation requirements.

Scope change

The bill now applies to a broader range of emergency physicians, including those with qualifications determined by hospital medical staff rather than requiring specific board certification or eligibility status.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'emergency physician' that includes physicians with postgraduate training in emergency medicine OR those with qualifications determined appropriate by a hospital's medical staff and governing body.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for hospitals to document good faith efforts to recruit and retain emergency physicians, including written policies for patient transfers and other conditions necessary to protect patient safety.

Modified the requirement for onsite emergency physicians to allow for physicians with varying training levels while maintaining the requirement that they be onsite and on duty when the emergency department is open.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new exception provisions allowing hospitals to staff emergency departments with physicians regardless of their emergency medicine qualifications, provided they meet specific eligibility conditions and demonstrate good faith recruitment efforts.

Floor votes · House Mar 25, 2026

How they voted

26–0

Passed

Total votes 26

Mar 25, 2026

D Democratic14

14 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican12

12 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 25, 2026

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (26-0)

house

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported as amended

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Committee

Referred to Health

lower

1 primary · 7 co-sponsors