HB 274 amends Pennsylvania's 1936 Unemployment Compensation Law to change eligibility rules for workers seeking benefits. It specifically expands eligibility for individuals fleeing domestic violence by removing barriers to claiming compensation in such cases. The bill also modifies how unemployment compensation rates and benefit amounts are calculated. These changes directly affect unemployed workers in Pennsylvania who qualify under the updated rules. The bill is currently pending in committee after recent amendments.
HB 439 amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to explicitly define "race" as including hair texture and protective hairstyles (such as locs, braids, or afros), and "religious creed" as including head coverings or hairstyles tied to religious practice. Employers cannot prohibit these features unless they prove the rule is necessary for health/safety, non-discriminatory, job-specific, and applied equally. The law does not prevent employers from enforcing general safety rules or anti-harassment policies that apply fairly across all employees. This directly affects employers and employees in Pennsylvania workplaces by clarifying protections against discrimination related to appearance.
HB 1995 amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to adjust benefit calculations based on a trigger percentage tied to state unemployment conditions. If the trigger percentage remains below 250% as of July 1, 2027, then for 2028 and later, the highest quarterly wages used to calculate benefits will be determined by averaging the highest quarter wage and 130% of the second highest quarter wage (capped at the highest amount). If the trigger reaches or exceeds 250% on July 1, 2028, the standard calculation method reverts to the prior formula. This change directly affects unemployed workers in Pennsylvania who receive unemployment benefits under the state's program.
HB 157 creates state grants to help healthcare entities in rural counties or designated medically underserved areas cover the student loan debt of their employed healthcare practitioners. The grants would be paid directly to the healthcare facilities (like clinics or hospitals), not to individual providers, to offset the cost of practitioners' education debt. This aims to support recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in areas with limited access to medical services. The program would be funded through state appropriations, targeting facilities serving communities with significant healthcare access challenges.
HB 1334 allocates funding from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Office of Small Business Advocate. It covers expenses for administering the Workers' Compensation Act, Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act, and the Small Business Advocate program for fiscal year 2025-2026, including payments for unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year. The bill directly affects state agencies responsible for worker compensation, occupational disease claims, and small business support services. This is a routine appropriations measure to ensure ongoing operations of these programs, not a policy change. The bill was signed into law as Act No. 3A of 2025 on June 27, 2025.
HB 27 amends the Health Care Facilities Act to require hospitals and surgical clinics to install systems that remove smoke generated during certain medical procedures. This directly affects healthcare facilities performing surgeries where smoke is produced, such as those using lasers or electrosurgery. The bill mandates these evacuation systems as part of facility licensing standards under the existing 1979 law. The change focuses on improving air quality and safety for both patients and medical staff during operations.
HB 191 updates Pennsylvania's school safety requirements by replacing outdated rules about CPR and defibrillator training. It repeals old teacher certification requirements for CPR instruction and school health service rules about automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). The bill now mandates new CPR and AED training for school staff, sets specific standards for AED availability and placement in schools, and establishes an official AED program. This directly affects public schools, teachers, and school health personnel by requiring updated emergency response protocols. The bill focuses on modernizing school health safety procedures rather than changing other aspects of education.
HB 820 creates Pennsylvania's "Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit," which provides a state tax credit equal to 30% of a taxpayer's federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for the same year. This credit directly affects low-to-moderate income Pennsylvania residents who qualify for the federal EITC, applying it against their state tax bill. The credit is refundable, meaning taxpayers receive a cash refund if the credit exceeds their state tax liability. The bill takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
HB 535 bans Pennsylvania health insurers from setting annual or lifetime dollar limits on core health benefits for enrollees, whether services are provided by in-network or out-of-network providers. It applies to all individual and group health insurance policies (excluding specific types like Medicare supplements or dental/vision-only plans) and prohibits limits on benefits that were already covered without such caps in 2025 policies. The Insurance Department can enforce this through fines up to $5,000 per violation (or $10,000 for willful violations), with annual caps of $500,000 for insurers. The law does not require coverage of specific benefits but eliminates existing dollar limit practices for covered services.
