Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure 2025-2026
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 to vote on the following bills:
SB 907 (Farry) – Amends the Real Estate Appraisers Certification Act (Act 98 of 1990) to create a state licensing framework for home inspectors and repeals the current Home Inspection Law.
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- The bill was adopted as amended by a vote of 13Y:1N (Sen. Keefer voted in the negative)
- Amendment A03137 (Farry) – A gut-and-replace amendment that moves the home inspector licensing framework to the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act, adds members to the State Real Estate Commission, and makes related changes to licensure requirements, enforcement, education approval, reciprocal licensure, and home inspection contract requirements.
- The amendment was adopted by unanimous vote (14Y:0N)
SB 1324 (Bartolotta) – Amends the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) adding new requirements for contractor registration, application, fees, and right to recovery.
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- The bill was adopted by a vote of 13Y:1N (Sen. Brooks voted in the negative)
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Monday, April 20, 2026 to vote on the following bills:
SB1240 (Hutchinson/Pisciottano) – An Act amending the act of May 26, 1947 (P.L.318, No.140), known as the CPA Law, further providing for requirements for issuance of certificate.
- The bill was reported out of Committee by a vote of 13Y:0N:1NV (Gebhard)
HB 1251 (Curry) – An Act amending the act of October 10, 1975 (P.L.383, No.110), known as the Physical Therapy Practice Act, further providing for midwives to refer patients for physical therapy.
- The bill was reported out of Committee by a vote of 12Y: 1N (Brooks): 1NV (Gebhard)
HB 2163 (Madden) – An Act amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.216, No.76), known as The Dental Law, further providing for internationally trained dentists to practice at dental schools and their affiliated health care facilities under a restricted license.
- The bill was reported out of Committee by a vote of 11Y:3N (Brooks, Keefer, Gebhard)
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 to vote on the following bills:
Senate Bill 331 (Argall) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact.
*Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02326 (Stefano) –Requires the State Board of Cosmetology to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within one year. Amends 60-day effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
Senate Bill 571 (Boscola) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02319 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Occupational Therapy to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within 180 days. Amends 60-days effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
House Bill 78 (Nielson) – Establishes the Consumer Data Privacy Act to give consumers rights when it comes to how personal data is used or sold. *Reported unanimously 14:0.
Chairman Stefano noted the bill was brought up by the committee for the purpose of rereferral to Communications & Technology Committee
House Bill 80 (Venkat) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02352 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within 180 days. Amends 18 month effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
House Bill 482 (Markosek) –Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02353 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Occupational Therapy to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within 180 days. Amends 18 month effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
House Bill 554 (Abney) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Social Worker Licensure Compact. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02328 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within one year. Amends 18 month effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
House Bill 668 (O’Mara) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact Legislation Act. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02350 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within one year. Amends 18 month effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
House Bill 1961 (Merski) – Authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact. *Reported unanimously as amended 14:0
- A02351 (Stefano) – Requires the State Board of Medicine to promulgate temporary regulations and accept compact privilege applications within one year. Amends one year effective date to immediately. *Approved unanimously 14:0
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Monday, October 27, 2025 to vote on the following bills:
HB1359 (Conklin) – Amends the regulation of self-service storage facilities.
Reported by committee, 13Y:1N (Keefer).
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 to vote on the following bills:
A01642 (Brown) to SB 507 – Worked with the Department of State to address prescribing authority concerns by prohibiting methadone prescribing, narrows the collaborative agreement structure, and clarifies that unlicensed birth workers (direct-entry and lay midwives) are exempt from the act.
- Unanimously adopted, 14:0.
SB 507 (Brown) AS AMENDED – Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to modernize and expand midwifery licensure in Pennsylvania. The bill updates definitions, clarifies practice requirements and prescribing authority for licensed nurse-midwives, and creates a new licensure category for certified midwives.
- Reported as amended by unanimous vote 13:1(Sen. Brooks voted in the negative)
A01687 (Stefano) to SB 992 – The amendment restores restrictions on Saturday telemarketing calls by prohibiting them before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Without this change, the bill would allow telemarketing calls at any time on Saturdays.
- Unanimously adopted, 14:0.
SB 992 (Brooks) AS AMENDED – Amends the Telemarketer Registration Act to provide for increased restrictions on robocalls and spoofing.
- Reported as amended by unanimous vote 14:0.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 to vote on the following bills:
A01232 (Brown) to SB507 – Amends the expanded prescribing authority provided to licensed nurse midwives and certified midwives in the underlying bill. Adds language to match existing language prohibiting CRNPs and Physician Assistants from prescribing methadone. Provides for promulgation authority by the board for examination, licensure and conduct within 2-years of the effective date.
OVER — A few Senate Rs were opposed and shared concerns from Direct-Entry Midwives seeking exemption language as a reason for opposition.
SB507 (Brown) Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to modernize and expand midwifery licensure in Pennsylvania. The bill updates definitions, clarifies practice requirements and prescribing authority for licensed nurse-midwives, and creates a new licensure category for certified midwives.
OVER — A few Senate Rs were opposed and shared concerns from Direct-Entry Midwives seeking exemption language as a reason for opposition.
A01181 (Stefano) to HB309 – The amendment makes technical correction to amend section 4 (a)(2) “temporary license” to read “temporary graduate license”, differentiating between this section and the newly added section 10(a.1) “temporary license”. The amendment also adds “country” alongside “another state” for the license exemption for a visiting sports team osteopathic physician.
Unanimously adopted, 14:0.
HB309 (Burns) Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act of 1978 to provide a license exemption for visiting team physicians from other countries, and powers for the board to issue temporary licenses under certain conditions.
Reported as amended by unanimous vote 14:0.
A01042 (Stefano) to HB1057 – Corrects a fee amount listed in the original text for 2028, from $18.61 to $18.86 per unit.
Unanimously adopted, 14:0.
HB 1057 (Parker) Amends Supplementary Act, Pilotage Rates (Act 210 of 1889) to increase fees paid for Delaware River and Bay pilot services, beginning 2026.
Reported as amended by unanimous vote 14:0.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 to vote on the following bills:
SB 535 (Boscola) – Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, to provide for licensed genetic counselor to order genetic testing.
- Reported unanimously.
SB 536 (Boscola) – Amends the Medical Practice Act, to provide for licensed genetic counselor to order genetic testing.
- Reported unanimously.
SB 842 (Brown) – Amends the Dental Law to allow for internationally trained dentists to practice at dental schools and their affiliated health care facilities under a restricted license.
- Reported by a vote of 12:1 (Sen. Brooks voted in the negative)
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 to vote on referring the following nominations and bills:
Darryl A. Lawrence, Esq. as the Consumer Advocate, for the PA Office of Consumer Advocate.
Reported unanimously (14:0)
Stephen M. DeFrank as Chairman of Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
Reported unanimously (14:0)
Senate Bill 583 (Pennycuick) Authorizes the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Social Work Compact.
Reported unanimously (14:0)
*Sen. Keefer did voice concerns and hopes to work with the makers of the bill.
Senate Bill 604 (Boscola/Schwank) Authorizes the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact.
Reported unanimously (14:0)
*Sen. Keefer did voice concerns and hopes to work with the makers of the bill.
A0760 (Stefano) to SB719: Technical changes and clarification to the examination timeframe and continuing education requirements.
Approved unanimously (14:0)
Senate Bill 719 (Hutchinson) Amends the CPA Law to provide for license mobility.
Reported unanimously as amended (14:0)
Senate Bill 748 (Farry) Amends Supplementary Act, Pilotage Rates (Act 210 of 1889) to increase fees paid for Delaware River and Bay pilot services.
Reported unanimously as amended (14:0)
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Monday, January 27, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB 154 (Boscola) Amends Title 66 (Utilities) to reestablish Chapter 14 (utility service establishment, termination, and reconnection).
- Reported unanimously (14:0)
A00019 (Stefano) to SB 184 – Amends the Medical Practice Act, providing for extended duration for the license exemption from 30 days to 45 days, with ability for Board to grant extensions, for international physicians traveling with a sports team.
- The Committee approved the amendment, unanimously (14:0)
SB 184 (Picozzi) Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to provide for visiting team physicians from other countries.
- Reported as amended unanimously (14:0)
Senator Lisa Boscola
Committee Chair