This resolution designates January 2025 as "School Director Recognition Month" in Pennsylvania. It honors the 4,500 locally elected school directors who volunteer to lead public school districts, set educational standards, manage budgets, and advocate for students. The resolution does not create new laws or funding; it is a symbolic gesture to acknowledge their service. The House will send a copy to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association to support the recognition effort.
This resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania. It aims to recognize women who die from pregnancy or childbirth complications, highlighting Pennsylvania's maternal mortality rate of 82 deaths per 100,000 live births and the significantly higher rate (163 per 100,000) for Black women. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but seeks to increase public and healthcare awareness about maternal health risks. It references existing efforts like the Maternal Mortality Review Committee established under Act 24 of 2018.
SB 157 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to require the state department to provide detailed annual reports to legislative committees about specific public assistance program data. The bill mandates reporting on lottery winnings affecting cash assistance eligibility (including denial rates for $600+ winnings), vehicle exemptions, access device replacements, and violations of spending rules. These reports must include specific statistics and communication gaps related to program implementation. The requirement applies to the Health and Human Services Committees in both legislative chambers, aiming to increase transparency in public assistance administration.
SB 153 amends Pennsylvania's 1936 Unemployment Compensation Law to clarify when unemployed workers may lose benefits. It adds specific rules making workers ineligible if they unreasonably discourage their own hiring - such as skipping job interviews without good cause or refusing referrals before discussing job details. Employers can now report such behavior to the state, and the Department of Labor must create forms for this process within 90 days. The bill directly affects workers claiming unemployment benefits by tightening eligibility standards around job search efforts.
SB 155 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services to check death certificates monthly against recipients of medical assistance and SNAP benefits. This administrative change directly affects individuals receiving these programs by ensuring payments stop promptly upon a recipient's death. The bill adds a specific monthly verification process to the Human Services Code, aiming to prevent overpayments without altering benefit eligibility or amounts. It does not change program rules or funding but standardizes how recipient eligibility is verified.
SB 156 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services to verify recipients' income and employment records quarterly against data held by the Department of Labor and Industry. This applies directly to individuals receiving medical assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill adds this uniform verification process to the Human Services Code to standardize how eligibility is confirmed.
SR 14 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring Vincent C. DeLiberato, Jr., upon his retirement as Director of the Pennsylvania Legislative Reference Bureau after 49 years of service. It recognizes his career spanning legal work, military service, academic contributions, and leadership roles in legal committees. The resolution formally acknowledges his "distinguished career" and "extraordinary commitment" to the bureau, with a copy sent to Mr. DeLiberato. As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact or effect on public law.
Senate Resolution 13 designates January 27, 2025, as "International Holocaust Remembrance Day" in Pennsylvania. The resolution commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945, and aligns with the United Nations' annual observance of this day. It formally recognizes the Holocaust's historical significance and the importance of remembering its victims. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a ceremonial declaration by the Pennsylvania Senate.
This resolution adopts the permanent operating rules for the House of Representatives for the 2025-2026 session, establishing the framework for daily legislative procedures. It directly affects House members, staff, and committees by defining key terms (like "Legislative Day" and "Roll Call Vote"), setting the order of business (e.g., prayer, committee reports, bill consideration), and requiring fiscal notes for spending-related bills before third consideration. The key mechanism mandates that bills affecting government spending must first receive a fiscal analysis from the Appropriations Committee, detailing costs, revenue impacts, and funding sources before moving to final passage. This is a procedural rulebook update with no substantive policy changes.
This resolution adopts the Senate's Financial Operating Rules for the 2025-2026 legislative sessions. It establishes standardized procedures for Senate personnel management, including requirements for employee payroll files, contract documentation, and travel reimbursement processes. The rules directly affect Senate staff, Senators, and their employees by governing payroll, contractor agreements, and travel expense claims. These rules ensure consistent financial oversight and accountability across Senate operations.
This bill (SR 3) adopts the Senate's operating rules for the 209th and 210th legislative sessions. It governs how the Senate conducts business, including scheduling weekly sessions, defining leadership roles (like the President and President Pro Tempore), and establishing procedures for committee referrals and bill processing. The rules directly affect Senate members, staff, and leadership who follow these procedures during sessions.
SR 1 is a procedural resolution adopting the Pennsylvania Senate's Ethical Conduct Rules for the 2025-2026 legislative sessions. It directly affects Senators and Senate employees by prohibiting campaign activities during Senate work time or in Senate offices using Senate resources. Key provisions require campaign work to occur only during "own time" (non-work hours), ban using Senate equipment or facilities for campaigns, and define campaign activities like fundraising or preparing campaign materials. The rules also clarify exceptions for minor campaign-related tasks during official duties and establish requirements for employees who reduce Senate hours for campaign work.
