Healthcare

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1242: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for public health notification programs; and establishing a bone marrow donor recruitment program.

HB 1242 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Health to establish a bone marrow donor recruitment program that educates residents about registering with the National Marrow Donor Program and the bone marrow donation process. The program will develop and share electronic materials - including website content and machine-readable codes - at state websites, driver's license offices, and healthcare facilities to explain donor eligibility, registration steps, and donation procedures. This bill directs the state to provide accessible information to help Pennsylvanians understand how to become bone marrow donors, with a focus on increasing participation from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates public health program to increase bone marrow donor registration, improving access to life-saving transplants and supporting patient care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 1101: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Grant Program; and making an appropriation.

This bill establishes a grant program to provide free menstrual products (such as pads and tampons) in Pennsylvania public schools. Schools with 25% or more students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs can apply for grants to purchase these products and install dispensers or disposal units. Recipients must report annual spending on products and dispenser maintenance to the state. The program is funded by a state appropriation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds new school health program via state appropriation, increasing public spending on essential services without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds free menstrual products in public schools to improve student access and attendance, directly supporting educational access through targeted health resources and state funding.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes state-funded grant program for free menstrual products in schools, advancing public health access to essential hygiene items as part of school health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 23, 2025

SB 948: An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in powers and duties, further providing for data to be supplied by electric utilities.

SB 948 requires Pennsylvania electric distribution companies to annually report specific data to the state utility commission about their ability to manage emergency power reductions (load shedding). The bill mandates details on how load shedding impacts different customer groups, technical limitations, identification of vital customers (like those needing medical equipment), and measures to minimize disruptions for critical facilities. The commission must then compile an annual report summarizing this data for lawmakers, the governor, and consumer advocates. This bill directly affects all electric distribution companies operating in Pennsylvania, focusing on transparency during grid emergencies without requiring the commission to approve utility plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates utilities to identify and protect customers needing medical equipment during outages, directly supporting healthcare continuity for critical facilities.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Aug 13, 2025

SB 965: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program.

SB 965 establishes a two-year Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program (2026-2027 and 2027-2028) for pregnant individuals in Pennsylvania who have hypertension or diabetes and receive medical assistance or are enrolled in participating managed care plans. The program provides free home monitoring devices (like blood pressure cuffs and glucose meters) and connects participants with clinical teams for health coaching and condition management during pregnancy and up to three months postpartum. Managed care organizations must contract with a vendor to administer the program, serving no more than 300 participants across at least two counties, including one with a maternity care desert. The Department of Health will evaluate outcomes through a report due within 24 months after the pilot ends.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides free home monitoring devices and clinical teams for high-risk pregnant individuals with hypertension/diabetes, expanding access to maternal health monitoring and condition management during pregnancy and postpartum.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 14, 2025

HB 1733: An Act amending the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act, further providing for legislative intent, for definitions, for license required, for State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors, for powers and functions of board, for qualifications for license, for procedures for licensing, for exemption from licensure examination, for reciprocity, for endorsement of out-of-State licenses and for reinstatement of license; providing for restriction on use of title "licensed professional art therapist" and related titles; and further providing for penalties, for license renewal, records and fees and for unlawful practice.

HB 1733 adds art therapy to Pennsylvania's regulated health professions by creating specific licensure requirements for "licensed professional art therapists" and "licensed associate art therapists." It defines "art therapy" as a clinical practice using art-based techniques to address mental health needs, requiring therapists to meet education standards from accredited institutions. The bill restricts the use of the title "licensed professional art therapist" to those holding a valid license, while "licensed associate art therapists" must work under supervision and cannot practice independently. This directly affects art therapists seeking to legally use the title or provide services in Pennsylvania, establishing new standards for training, supervision, and scope of practice.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes licensure requirements for art therapists, a mental health profession, ensuring qualified practitioners and protecting public safety in mental health services, thus supporting mental health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Aug 10, 2025

HB 1790: An Act amending the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act, establishing the Future Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and Licensed Professional Counselors Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

HB 1790 establishes a grant program to provide financial assistance to students training to become licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will administer the program, managing applications and disbursements of funds. This bill amends the state's Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act to create this new funding opportunity. The program directly benefits students in these mental health professions by helping offset education costs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes grants for mental health professional training, increasing workforce capacity and access to care under healthcare-related professions.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SB 52: An Act providing for health care insurance coverage protections, for duties of the Insurance Department and the Insurance Commissioner, for regulations, for enforcement and for penalties.

This bill bans health insurers in Pennsylvania from setting annual or lifetime dollar limits on essential medical services (like hospital care, surgery, and emergency treatment), affecting both in-network and out-of-network providers. It applies to individual and group health insurance policies, directly protecting enrollees from coverage caps on core benefits. Insurers must comply with these limits, with enforcement including fines up to $5,000 per violation. The law takes effect for policies filed with the Insurance Department after its effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBans annual/lifetime coverage limits on essential services (hospital, surgery, emergency care), protecting enrollees from caps with enforcement fines.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBans insurance coverage caps on essential medical services, directly protecting workers' health benefits under employment standards as core employment benefits are covered.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 27, 2025

HB 361: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, providing for Collaborative Care Model and Primary Care Behavioral Health Model Implementation Program.

HB 361 amends Pennsylvania's Fiscal Code to create a grant program supporting integrated behavioral health care in primary care settings. It provides funding for primary care physicians and practices to cover initial costs of implementing two evidence-based models: the Collaborative Care Model (with psychiatric consultants and care managers) and the Primary Care Behavioral Health Model (with behavioral health professionals on-site). Grants can be used for hiring staff, contracting specialists, purchasing software, and building patient registries, with priority given to rural providers and practices in counties with high suicide or overdose rates. The bill also establishes six regional technical assistance centers to support implementation across Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-funded grant program for behavioral health integration in primary care, increasing public service funding per Fiscal Code amendment.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates grant program funding integrated behavioral health models in primary care, directly supporting mental health services through staff hiring and specialist contracts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Mental Health Primary Care Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 1648: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in pupils and attendance, further providing for definitions and providing for mental health days.

HB 1648 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish "mental health days" as an excused absence for students, directly affecting public, nonpublic, and private school students. Schools must adopt policies by the 2026-2027 school year allowing up to two consecutive days off for mental or physical fatigue due to mental health-related stressors, whether certified (like anxiety) or uncertified (like bullying or family trauma). The bill prohibits more than three mental health days in a week or two consecutive weeks, except as permitted by school policies. The state Department of Education will develop model guidelines within 90 days to help schools implement these policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes mental health days as excused absences, directly improving student access to education by addressing mental health barriers without penalizing attendance.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health days as excused absences, enabling student access to mental health care without academic penalty, directly supporting mental health services in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Mental Health

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signed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 20, 2026

HB 2024: An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in State Veterans' Commission and Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs, further providing for accreditation.

This bill (HB 2024) requires Pennsylvania's Office of the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs to create a mandatory training program for county veterans affairs directors. The program must cover specific topics like trauma-informed care, military sexual trauma, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury, developed in collaboration with the State Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs. It directly affects county-level veterans' service staff who assist veterans across Pennsylvania. The training program becomes effective 180 days after the bill's passage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates training on PTSD, trauma, and mental health for veterans' staff, directly strengthening mental health services for veterans.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransMandates trauma-informed care training for veterans' service staff on PTSD, military sexual trauma, and TBI, directly enhancing service quality for veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare Veteran Mental Health