Bills were flying through committees and across chambers this week, as the House of Representatives and Senate held the first three session days of “budget month.”

On Monday, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported out S.B. 112 (Yaw, R-Lycoming), which would extend the opioid prescription limitations for minors to all individuals. The Senate Aging and Youth Committee reported out three House bills, dealing with the PACE and PACENET programs, that passed finally in the lower chamber in May. The first, H.B. 375 (Goodman, D-Schuylkill), would exclude state veterans’ benefits from the definition of “income” in determining eligibility for PACE and PACENET. Secondly, H.B. 684 (Sonney, R-Erie), would exclude savings bonds from the definition of “income” in determining eligibility for PACE and PACENET. Finally, H.B. 754 (Thomas, R-Bucks), would extend the moratorium on increases in income due to a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for certain individuals enrolled in PACE and PACENET to December 31, 2021.

Tuesday had a lot more action. In the House, the House Consumer Affairs Committee reported out H.B. 1511 (Quinn, R-Delaware). The bill would codify the Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) regulatory 60-day timeframe for uncontested telephone and telecommunications mergers. It would also prohibit the PUC from imposing conditions of approval that are not within its jurisdiction on uncontested mergers.

Also in the House, the House Health Committee reported out three bills:

  • H.B. 786 (Cutler, R-Lancaster), which would add accreditation standards for trauma centers and provide for distribution of supplemental payments.
  • H.B. 847 (Walsh, R-Westmoreland), which would prohibit the use of electronic benefit cards to purchase tobacco; and
  • H.B. 967 (Cutler, R-Lancaster), which would reauthorize the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.

The rest of the noteworthy committee news on Tuesday came from the Senate, beginning with the Senate State Government Committee, who held a held a confirmation hearing on the confirmation of Kathy Boockvar as Secretary of the Commonwealth. After much discussion, the nomination was unanimously reported with no recommendation.

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee had a full agenda, and reported out the following bills:

  • S.B. 314 (Baker, R-Luzerne), which would establish the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority and Fund;
  • S.B. 432 (Phillips-Hill, R-York), which would allow Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to have access to the information in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program;
  • S.B. 454 (Ward, R-Blair), which would require the Department of Human Services to provide public notice regarding provider payment rates for home and community-based services delivered to individuals with an intellectual disability or autism and allow for public comment;
  • S.B. 569 (Langerholc, R-Cambria), which would limit the use of fentanyl to certain instances;
  • S.B. 572 (Aument, R-Lancaster), which would require new patients that are prescribed opioids to enter into treatment agreements with a prescriber to ensure patients understand the risks of addiction and dangers of overdose associated with the medication; and
  • S.B. 675 (Brooks, R-Mercer), which would license office-based Suboxone prescribers.

The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee favorably voted three bills out of their committee:

  • S.B. 305 (Baker, R-Luzerne), which would declare the gas drilling moratorium imposed by the Delaware River Basin Commission constitutes a taking, which requires monetary compensation to those affected;
  • S.B. 575 (Yaw, R-Lycoming), which would institute a nutrient procurement program to incentivize reduction of nitrogen pollution;
  • S.B. 619 (Yaw, R-Lycoming), which would address accidental discharges or spills of substances that enter or may enter the state’s waters;

Same goes for the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee as the following bills were reported out:

  • S.B. 698 (Gordner, R-Columbia) and S.B. 699 (Gordner, R-Columbia), which provide that physician may appoint a designee to assist with the input of information relating to written agreements into the PALS licensing system.
  • H.B. 1172 (Hickernell, R-Lancaster), which requires the licensing boards and commissions under the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs to provide licensure by endorsement for applicants who hold similar licenses in other states.

Finally, for committees, the Senate Education Committee reported out S.B. 536 (Browne, R-Lehigh), which would establish the Public Higher Education Funding Commission to review and make recommendations related to funding, affordability and effectiveness, and administration and operations; and S.B. 700 (Browne, R-Lehigh), which would implement the recommendations of the Public School Construction and Reconstruction Advisory Committee.

On the House floor, two bills of note unanimously passed and are now in the Senate for consideration: H.B. 364 (Gabler, R-Clearfield), which would permit school vehicles to be equipped with one yellow flashing and revolving light; and H.B. 775 (Diamond, R-Lebanon), which would establish the sharing of vital records of PACE and PACENET enrollees between the Department of Aging and Department of Health.

On the Senate floor, the following nominations were confirmed by the chamber:

  • Robert Torres as Secretary of the Department of Aging;
  • Dennis Davin as Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development;
  • John Wetzel as Secretary of the Department of Corrections;
  • Patrick McDonnell as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection;
  • Teresa Miller as Secretary of the Department of Human Services; and
  • Robert Evanchick as the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner.

There are three hearings to highlight from Wednesday:

  • The House Human Services Committee held a public hearing on the impact of fee schedule rates and community participation support services;
  • The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held an informational meeting on the potential impact of stormwater fees; and
  • The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held an informational hearing on third-party review of Department of Environmental Protection permits.

Also, the Senate Education Committee reported out H.B. 800 (Turzai, R-Allegheny), which would increase the tax credits available under the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program by $100 million, to $210 million. Furthermore, the House Insurance Committee reported out H.B. 3 (Cutler, R-Lancaster), which would provide the authority to operate a state-based health insurance exchange for Affordable Care Act individual market plans.

The House calendar was long, as the following legislation passed finally:

  • H.B. 672 (Ortitay, R-Allegheny), which would address consent for voluntary inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment;
  • H.B. 858 (Brown, R-Monroe), which would permit financial institutions to conduct savings promotion programs;
  • H.B. 924 (Toohil, R-Luzerne), which would prohibit discrimination in the provision of life, accident, and health insurance based on the status of an insured as a living organ donor;
  • H.B. 1402 (Nesbit, R-Mercer), which would create the crime of sexual extortion, occurring when a person uses coercion and misuses their power to demand sexual acts, images, or videos from victims;
  • H.R. 147 (Gregory, R-Blair), which would direct the Joint State Government Commission (JSGC) to conduct a comprehensive review of unused properties, buildings and facilities owned by the Commonwealth and to repurpose those for use as addiction treatment and recovery supports; and
  • H.R. 216 (Polinchock, R-Bucks), which would establish a legislative task force on overdose recovery and direct the JSGC to conduct a study on warm hand-off to treatment for individuals with a substance use disorder.

The Week Ahead

The committee meeting schedule is already packed to the brim next week.

On Monday, the House Education Committee will consider H.B. 994 (Fee, R-Lancaster), which would allow school districts to utilize a Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner to fulfill requirements relating to dental screenings and hygiene; and S.B. 144 (Martin, R-Lancaster), which would establish the Keystone Telepresence Education Grant to give intermediate units access to equipment to support homebound students.

In addition, the House Transportation Committee will consider H.B. 37 (Brown, R-Monroe), which would prohibit the use of cellphones while operating a motor vehicle; and H.B. 1392 (Carroll, D-Luzerne), which would eliminate the alternative fuel tax on electricity and replace it with annual electric vehicle fees of $150 for noncommercial electric vehicles, and $250 for commercial electric vehicles.

Tuesday, the House Finance Committee will consider H.B. 1583 (Peifer, R-Pike), which would require paid tax preparers to include their preparer tax identification number (PTIN) on state income tax returns filed on behalf of another taxpayer. The committee will also consider two bills that are part of the House Republican’s Energize PA plan: H.B. 1100 (Kaufer, R-Luzerne), which would establish an energy and fertilizer manufacturing tax credit; and H.B. 1103 (Fritz, R-Susquehanna), which would expand the Pipeline Investment Program within the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

The House Urban Affairs Committee will consider a two-bill package aimed to fight blight and homelessness. First, H.B. 896 (Caltagirone, D-Berks), which would expand the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) to include homeless housing assistance activities located in a land bank jurisdiction. Second, H.B. 897 (Caltagirone, D-Berks), which would exempt a transfer of real property to or from a land bank from state and local realty transfer taxes.

The House Health Committee will consider four bills dealing with prescription drugs:

  • H.B. 941 (Heffley, R-Carbon), which would increase transparency in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) pricing practices in Medicaid;
  • H.B. 942 (Grove, R-York), which would update the membership of the Department of Human Services’ Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee to include legislators and community pharmacists;
  • H.B. 943 (Gaydos, R-Allegheny), which would prohibit “gag” clauses by allowing pharmacists to disclose prescription drug pricing information; and
  • H.B. 944 (Fritz, R-Susquehanna), which would allow for full-scale audits of subcontracts with PBM’s in Medicaid.

The House Commerce Committee will consider three bills:

  • H.B. 1176 (Daley, D-Montgomery), which would prohibit establishments from offering plastic straws except upon the specific request of a customer;
  • H.B. 1208 (Carroll, D-Luzerne), which would establish Airport Land Development Zones to encourage the development of vacant land and buildings owned by airports and leased to industrial or commercial businesses. Participating businesses would be eligible for a $2,100 tax credit for each new full-time job that is created; and
  • H.B. 1221 (Cruz, D-Philadelphia), which would ban the use of Bisphenol A in food and beverage containers manufactured, sold or distributed in Pennsylvania.

In the Senate, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider S.B. 320 (Killion, R-Delaware), which would establish the Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act. The Act would give people the power to manage or dispose of their digital assets in the same way as their tangible property; by providing instructions in a will, trust, or power of attorney.

Wrapping up the week, on Wednesday, the House Consumer Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on wireless small cell sitting legislation. Also, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an informational meeting on H.B. 707 (Zimmerman, R-Lancaster), which would exclude 501(c)(3) organizations and religious institutions from the definition of a “public water system” when they are relying upon a privately owned water well for its drinking water supply. Lastly, the House Local Government Committee will consider H.B. 1563 (Moul, R-Adams), which would allow owners of multiple properties or buildings with multiple units that are served by a single meter to request a rate study.

See here for a full list of committee meetings:

Also, see here for what to expect on the House floor next week.

In Other News

  • The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board released their annual report on casino gaming’s impact on the horse racing industry.
  • The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a ban on state or federal candidates being nominated by more than one political party for the same office.
  • A study found that the state’s broadband speeds are far slower than federal estimates.