October 28 Edition

Weekly Wrap

Business for the 2015-2016 legislative session wrapped up this week, though it won’t officially be over until November 30, when both the Senate and the House of Representatives adjourn sine die. And, while two big issues—pensions and gaming—didn’t go the distance, a number of bills are before Gov. Wolf for his signature. Below are some of the highlights of what made it across the finish line:

Agriculture, Energy & the Environment:

  • H.B. 2303 (Causer, R-McKean): Clarifies language regarding distribution of awards for winning horses and the eligibility of thoroughbred breeders and owners receiving payments from the Pennsylvania Breeding Fund.
  • S.B. 881 (Blake, D-Lackawanna): Changes the reference to sewer in the definition of “public utility” to wastewater.
  • S.B. 1235 (Baker, R-Luzerne): Extends the effective date of the Underground Utility Protection Law (PA One Call) from December 31, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

Business, Industry & Economic Development:

  • H.B. 850 (Mackenzie, R-Lehigh): Updates and modernizes the Money Transmission Business Licensing Law.
  • S.B. 1265 (White, R-Indiana): Allows employers the option to pay an employees’ wages in the form of a debit card.

Criminal Justice:

  • H.B. 1538 (White, R-Philadelphia): Provides that the name and identifying information of a law enforcement officer, who was involved in an event where he/she discharges a weapon or uses force that results in death or serious bodily injury, may be released if 30 days have passed or after the competition of an investigation.

Education:

  • H.B. 1907 (Benninghoff, R-Centre): Makes revisions to the Commonwealth’s truancy laws to provide new procedures to be followed when a child is habitually absent from school.
  • H.B. 2078 (Phillips Hill, R-York): Provides expedited certification for teachers, creates new criteria to remove inactive certification for educators and reduces fees for members of the military, veterans and their spouses.

Health Care, Human Services & Pharmaceuticals:

                Opioid Legislation:

  • H.B. 1699 (Brown, R., R-Monroe): Prohibits emergency room providers from prescribing long-acting opioid painkillers in ERs and places a limit on prescriptions upon discharge.
  • H.B. 1737 (Maher, R-Allegheny): Enables Pennsylvania’s waste-to-energy facilities to provide destruction of pharmaceuticals.
  • S.B. 1202 (Yaw, R-Bradford): Amends ABC-MAP to require that pain management and prescription practices related to opioids be included in professional education.
  • S.B. 1367 (Yaw, R-Bradford): Requires a health care professional to receive written consent form a minor’s parent or legal guardian before prescribing a medical treatment containing opioids.
  • S.B. 1368 (Killion, R-Delaware): Requires licensing boards to implement a curriculum on controlled substance and opioids to be offered by colleges and providers approved by the licensing boards.

Other Bills:

  • H.B. 946 (Baker, R-Bradford): Establishes a framework for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and other entities to conduct audits within a pharmacy.
  • H.B. 1619 (Topper, R-Bedford): Authorizes Pennsylvania to enter into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
  • H.B. 1785 (Corbin, R-Chester): Requires assisted living facilities and personal care homes to post information about the flu vaccine.
  • H.B. 1841 & H.B. 1842 (Killion, R-Delaware): Authorize the licensure of perfusionists under the Medical Practice and Osteopathic Medical Practice Acts.
  • H.B. 2241 (Boback, R-Lackawanna): Restricts the amount of time an insurer has to retroactively deny reimbursement to a health care provider.

Landlord/Tenant:

  • H.B. 447 (Saylor, R-York): Provides for termination of leases in the event of the death of a tenant.

Liquor:

  • H.B. 1196 (Petri, R-Bucks): Amends the Liquor Code to provide special occasion permits to the Greater Pittsburgh Literary Council, Crime Stoppers and the Diocese of Erie, allows spirits auction permits, allows beer distributors to sell any amount of malt beverages (including singles), allows monthly shipment of malt beverages from out of state and allows special liquor orders or “SLO” of only one bottle.

State Government:

  • H.B. 2107 (Baker, R-Tioga): Provides for public access to procurement records and prohibits the Department of General Services from entering into a contract with an entity that is engaging in an economic boycott against Israel.
  • S.B. 562 (Gordner, R-Columbia): Provides additional procedures for reviewing proposed and final-form regulations by the legislature.

Transportation:

  • S.B. 385 (Pileggi, Ret, R-Delaware:, Updates and modernizes the Transit Revitalization Improvement District Act.
  • S.B. 984 (Bartolotta, R-Beaver): Authorizes the operation of Transportation Network Companies or “TNCs.”

A Look Ahead

Expect Harrisburg to be as quiet as can be for the next two weeks, as members return to their district to do some last-minute campaigning before the November 8th election.

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