Pennsylvania Bills

passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 1, 2026

SB 362: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, further providing for false statements, investigations and penalty.

SB 362 creates new criminal penalties for using counterfeit payment cards that mimic public assistance benefits (like food stamps or cash aid). It classifies offenses as second-degree felonies for $1,000+ in fraud (third-degree for less), requires offenders to pay full restitution, and permanently bans convicted individuals from receiving cash assistance. The bill directly affects people who commit fraud using fake cards tied to assistance programs and strengthens state enforcement against such fraud. Key provisions include clear penalty tiers based on the amount defrauded and a four-year statute of limitations for prosecution.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

passed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HR 208: A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a performance audit and issue a report on the services, processes and wait times in the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services within the Department of Labor and Industry.

House Resolution 208 directs Pennsylvania's Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study wait times, service processes, and operational challenges at two state offices: the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services within the Department of Labor and Industry. The committee must examine current wait times for services, assess how delays affect individuals seeking support, and explore solutions like contracting with nonprofit organizations to improve efficiency. The study requires a report to the General Assembly within 180 days, focusing on concrete findings about service delivery rather than mandating policy changes. This resolution does not alter existing services but aims to inform potential improvements for Pennsylvanians with vision impairments who rely on these programs.

Justin Fleming (D) · 23 co-sponsors

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 1849: An Act providing for sport activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harm suffered by designation.

HB 1849 requires public colleges and school districts to explicitly designate all sports activities as "male," "female," or "coed." It directly affects students, athletes, and school administrators by mandating this classification for all team sports. The bill creates legal claims for individuals who suffer harm due to a school's designation of a sport as male, female, or coed. This changes how schools categorize sports and provides a new legal pathway for those impacted by the designation.

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 158: An Act providing for sport activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harms suffered by designation.

HB 158, the "Fairness in Women's Sports Act," requires public schools and colleges in Pennsylvania to explicitly designate athletic teams as male, female, or coed based on biological sex. It prohibits teams designated for females from allowing male students to participate and allows students who face denied opportunities or harm due to violations to sue for damages. Schools can also sue entities that punish them for following the law. The bill applies directly to all public school districts, colleges, and athletic programs covered under Pennsylvania's Public School Code.

Barb Gleim (R) · 51 co-sponsors

passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 1, 2026

SB 9: An Act providing for sport activities in public institutions of higher education and public school entities to be expressly designated male, female or coed; and creating causes of action for harm suffered by designation.

SB 9 requires public schools and colleges in Pennsylvania to explicitly label athletic teams as "male," "female," or "coed" based on students' sex assigned at birth. It prohibits male students from participating on teams designated for females, directly affecting student-athletes and school athletic programs. The bill creates legal causes of action allowing students to sue institutions for denying athletic opportunities or causing harm due to violations, and protects schools from penalties for maintaining sex-segregated teams. It also permits schools to sue entities that unfairly target them for enforcing these designations, with all claims needing to be filed within two years of the harm.

Topics ✗ Education

Judy Ward (R) · 18 co-sponsors

passed both · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 1667: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in sales and use tax, further providing for exclusions from tax; in corporate net income tax, further providing for definitions, for determination of net loss deduction, for imposition of tax, for reports and payment of tax, for timely mailing treated as timely filing and payment and for additional withholding requirements, repealing provisions relating to consolidated reports, further providing for extension of time to file reports, for changes made by Federal Government, for limitations on assessments, for definitions, for manufacturing innovation and reinvestment deduction, for enforcement, rules and regulations and inquisitorial powers of the department, for retention of records and for penalties; in gross receipts tax, further providing for imposition of tax and providing for definitions; in tax credit and tax benefit administration, providing for application of tax credits or tax benefits to a unitary business; providing for educational tax credits and for education options tax credits; in manufacturing and investment tax credit, further providing for business firms and for tax credit certificates; providing for return on equity and for service and facilities; repealing provisions relating to Computer Data Center Equipment Incentive Program; providing for additional property tax rebate; in general provisions, providing for data centers; and, in general provisions, further providing for estimated tax, for underpayment of estimated tax and for restatement of tax liability under treaties and providing for data centers.

HB 1667 amends Pennsylvania's 1971 Tax Reform Code to update tax credit provisions for manufacturing and investment activities. It specifically revises definitions, eligibility rules for business firms, and the process for using tax credit certificates. This bill directly affects businesses in manufacturing and investment sectors seeking these tax incentives. The changes focus on clarifying and adjusting how these credits are calculated and applied under existing law.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 151: An Act amending the act of November 23, 2010 (P.L.1264, No.119), known as the Children in Foster Care Act, further providing for definitions; providing for RSDI benefits; and imposing duties on the Joint State Government Commission and the Department of Human Services.

The context provided does not include the specific provisions, definitions, or benefit changes proposed in HB 151. While the bill title indicates it amends the Children in Foster Care Act regarding definitions and benefits, the details of these amendments are not described in the available information. Without knowing the exact changes to definitions or the nature of the benefits being provided, a factual summary of the bill's policy impact cannot be created. The referral to the Children & Youth committee indicates it relates to foster care policy, but concrete provisions remain unspecified in the provided context.

Rick Krajewski (D) · 33 co-sponsors

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 2006: An Act providing for safety regarding artificial intelligence in companionship applications; and imposing a penalty.

HB 2006 requires developers of artificial intelligence applications designed for companionship (such as chatbots for elderly care or mental health support) to implement specific safety standards. It directly affects technology companies creating these AI tools by mandating safeguards against harmful outputs or privacy breaches. The bill establishes a penalty system, including fines, for developers who fail to meet the required safety measures. This legislation aims to protect users interacting with AI companions through concrete regulatory requirements, not speculative outcomes.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2026

HB 2685: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in tax credit and tax benefit administration, further providing for definitions and providing for tax credits relating to economic development.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's tax code to create a new economic development tax credit designed to support business growth and infrastructure improvements within the state. To receive this credit, entities must hire only Pennsylvania residents, use 100% materials sourced from within the state or the United States, and comply with prevailing wage laws. The Department of Community and Economic Development is tasked with auditing recipients annually to ensure they meet these requirements, and any entity found non-compliant must repay the full amount of the tax credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2026

HB 2684: An Act providing for commuter impact zones; establishing the Commuter Impact Zone Grant Program, Commuter Impact Mitigation Grant Program and Commuter Impact Fund; and imposing duties on the Department of Transportation.

This bill establishes a new framework in Pennsylvania to identify and support communities heavily affected by regional commuter traffic. It creates a system where the Department of Transportation designates specific municipalities as "commuter impact zones" based on criteria such as high out-of-county employment rates, heavy highway congestion, and environmental strain. Once designated, these municipalities become eligible for funding through two new grant programs: one for infrastructure repairs like road maintenance and stormwater management, and another for residential noise reduction, air quality improvements, and small business stabilization. The legislation also sets up a dedicated fund to finance these initiatives and requires the state department to develop specific rules for awarding grants, with individual awards capped at $5 million per year.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2026

HB 2683: An Act designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8612, carrying U.S. Route 22 in Cresson Township, Cambria County, as the PFC Stanley J. Lassak Memorial Bridge.

This bill designates a specific bridge carrying U.S. Route 22 in Cresson Township, Cambria County, as the PFC Stanley J. Lassak Memorial Bridge to honor a local veteran. The legislation officially names the structure after PFC Stanley J. Lassak, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was killed in a car accident in 1993. It requires the Department of Transportation to install and maintain signs displaying the new name for traffic traveling in both directions on the bridge. The act will take effect 60 days after being signed into law.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2026

HR 566: A Resolution designating September 27, 2026, as "Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day" in Pennsylvania.

This Pennsylvania House resolution designates September 27, 2026, as "Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day" within the state. The measure honors families of military service members who died in the line of duty, acknowledging the grief and sacrifice experienced by parents, siblings, and children. By setting a specific date, the bill aims to create an official day of recognition for these families, following the national tradition established by Congress and the White House.

Topics ✓ Veterans

Jeanne McNeill (D) · 28 co-sponsors

Bill results