SB 1162 allocates $81.3 million from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry for administering Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation Act and Occupational Disease Act during fiscal year 2026-2027. It also provides $550,000 to the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Department of Community and Economic Development for its operations during the same period. The bill covers both current-year expenses and payment of unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year ending June 2026. This is a funding measure with no policy changes beyond budget allocation.
SB 1164 allocates $7.8 million from a restricted revenue account in Pennsylvania's General Fund to the Office of Consumer Advocate within the Attorney General's office for fiscal year 2026-2027. This funding covers the office's operational costs during the 2026-2027 budget period, starting July 1, 2026. The bill is purely procedural, providing budgetary support without creating new policies or affecting specific consumer regulations.
SB 1196 requires Pennsylvania's Medicaid program and commercial health insurers to treat non-opioid pain medications equally to opioid medications. Specifically, it prohibits Medicaid from labeling non-opioid drugs as "nonpreferred" when opioids are preferred and bans insurers from imposing stricter coverage rules, higher costs, or more restrictive prior authorization for non-opioid drugs compared to opioids. The law applies to all FDA-approved pain medications once approved, ensuring patients have equal access to non-opioid options without facing worse insurance terms than opioid alternatives. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.
SB 1171 provides funding for Pennsylvania's four state-related universities (Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln) for fiscal year 2026-2027. It requires monthly payments based on estimated costs submitted by each university, mandates detailed expenditure reports to the Secretary of Education and Auditor General, and mandates audits to ensure funds are used only for permitted purposes. The bill specifically restricts University of Pittsburgh funds from supporting environmental law clinics and limits them to instruction, student services, and community outreach. It also establishes recordkeeping requirements and financial reporting standards aligned with state and federal guidelines.
SB 1172 provides $31.56 million for the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary activities and $1.793 million for its Center for Infectious Diseases for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The bill requires the university to maintain specific board composition (with four non-elected members appointed by legislative leaders) and report quarterly on fund usage. It mandates detailed financial reporting to the Department of Agriculture and Appropriations Committees, including how funds reduced costs for Pennsylvania resident students or provided services to Pennsylvania residents. These provisions ensure accountability for state-funded programs at the University of Pennsylvania.
SB 1167 allocates $2,037,000 from the Philadelphia Taxicab and Limousine Regulatory Fund to the Philadelphia Parking Authority for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The bill directly affects the Parking Authority, which will receive this funding, and the taxicab/limousine industry, which funds the regulatory account. This is a straightforward funding transfer with no policy changes, effective July 1, 2026.
SB 1170 is an appropriations bill that allocates $68.4 million from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and additional specific funds to support Pennsylvania's professional licensure boards for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It provides $9.8 million for the State Board of Medicine, $2.4 million for the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, $461,000 for the State Board of Podiatry, and $1.27 million for the State Athletic Commission. These funds are designated as separate appropriations for the operation of each board and commission, not as general state funding. The bill directly affects licensed professionals regulated by these boards, ensuring their oversight bodies have dedicated funding for administrative operations. The funding takes effect July 1, 2026.
SB 1163 provides $2,235,000 in funding from a restricted revenue account to the Office of Small Business Advocate within Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development. The bill allocates these funds specifically to cover the office's operational costs for the fiscal year 2026-2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027). This funding supports the office's existing role in assisting small businesses, though it does not create new programs or change current policies. The appropriation is a routine budgetary action, directly affecting the office's ability to function during the specified period.
SB 1158 prohibits the use of paraquat and its salts (including methyl viologen and paraquat bismethylsulfate) as pesticides in Pennsylvania. It amends the state's pesticide law to make it unlawful to use these chemicals, defined by their chemical identifier (CAS number 4685-14-7). This directly affects farmers, agricultural businesses, and pest control professionals who currently use paraquat for crop management or other purposes. The prohibition takes effect one year after enactment, replacing any conflicting regulations.
SB 1161 is Pennsylvania's 2026-2027 state budget bill. It allocates funding from the General Fund, special funds, and Federal sources to cover operating expenses for state agencies (including the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Departments), public schools, and the state public debt during the fiscal year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The bill also includes provisions to pay outstanding bills from the previous fiscal year (ending June 30, 2026). This is a procedural budget measure that directs funding flows, not a policy change.
SB 1166 allocates $43.176 million from the State Employees' Retirement Fund and $2.879 million from the SERS Defined Contribution Fund to cover the State Employees' Retirement Board's operational costs for fiscal year 2026-2027, including salaries, travel, and contractual services. It also pays bills incurred but unpaid as of June 30, 2026. The bill directly affects the Retirement Board's budget and staff operations, ensuring funding for both current activities and prior-year obligations. This is a procedural appropriations bill with no new policy changes.
This bill appropriates $98.1 million from Pennsylvania's state General Fund and $5.383 million in federal funds to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for its fiscal year 2026-2027 operations. The funds cover the PUC's salaries, administration, and enforcement activities, including the Bureau of Safety and Enforcement. Specifically, the federal funds are designated to enforce natural gas pipeline safety regulations under the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act. The bill prohibits reimbursing these funds to utilities, ensuring the money directly supports the PUC's regulatory functions.
