Health & Human Services 2021-2022
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met Tuesday, November 9, 2021 to consider the following bill:
SB938 PN1205 (Senator Brooks) – Amends the Administrative Code of 1929, as it relates to the powers and duties of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) by requiring DDAP to promulgate regulations for licensed drug and alcohol treatment providers for specific instances. Reported out as committed 7-4
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met Monday, November 8, 2021 to consider the following bills:
HB220 PN0187 (Representative Rader) – Amends the Administrative Code of 1929, as it relates to the powers and duties of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to prohibit treatment and rehabilitation facilities from denying addiction treatment to an individual solely due to a negative drug test. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB471 PN 0494 (Senator Mastriano)– Establishes the Medical Freedom Act by prohibiting mandatory vaccination of Pennsylvanians by Commonwealth, political subdivisions, or a condition of employment. Reported out as amended 6-4
Amendment #A02850 (Senator Brooks)- Limits the scope of the bill to the COVID-19 vaccine
Amendment passed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met Wednesday, October 27, 2021 to consider the following bills:
HB764 PN1634 (Rep. B. Miller) – Amends the amends the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) to permit an employer to provisionally hire employees before all required clearances have been obtained if specific conditions are met.
Reported out as committed unanimously
SB924 PN 1177 (Senator Brooks)– Provides for a moratorium on the closure of State centers and establishes the Task Force on the Closure of State Centers to evaluate and provide recommendations before the centers can be closed.
Reported out as committed 7-4 (All Senate Democratic HHS Committee Members present spoke out in opposition of the bill) All Democratic Members voted against the bill) Please note: Governor Wolf vetoed similar legislation last session.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met Tuesday, September 28, 2021 to consider the following bill:
HB1861 (Representative Lewis) – Amends the Administrative Code, as it relates to specifically Article XX-I F “Temporary Regulatory Flexibility Authority”, by requiring that a final report be issued by November 1, 2021 on the regulatory suspensions related to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency declarations
Reported out as amended unanimously
A02409 (Sen. Brooks) – Provides for a 6-month extension of certain regulatory suspensions in effect on September 30, 2021, requires a final report be issued by November 1, 2021 on the regulatory suspensions related to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency declarations and an updated report on May 1, 2022.
Amendment passed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Monday, September 27, 2021 to consider the following bills:
SB815 PN1016 (Senators Muth and Collett) – Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act (Mcare) by prohibiting pelvic, rectal, and prostate examination on patients anesthetized or unconscious without informed consent, providing for exceptions and for liability.All D Members of the Committee are cosponsors\
Reported out as committed unanimously
SB782 PN927 (Senator Pittman)– Amends the Human Service Code to permit payment by the Medical Assistance Program for an anti-obesity drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (FDA)
A02258 (Sen. Brooks)– Amendment- Requires that an anti-obesity drugs be approved under the federal Medicaid prescription program and included on the statewide pharmaceutical drug list to be a compensable item under the Medical Assistance Program
A02258 passed unanimously
Reported out as amended unanimously
SB818 PN1004 (Senator J. Ward) – Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, by aligning and permitting surgical procedures performed at ambulatory surgical centers with surgical procedures on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Services Ambulatory Surgical Center Covered Procedures List (ASC-CPL)
Reported out as committed unanimously
HB1774 (Representative Flood)-Amends the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program (ABC-MAP) Act by expanding who may query the system and extending the length of the ABC-MAP program)
Reported out as committed unanimously
HB1861 (Representative Lewis)- Amends the Administrative Code, as it relates to specifically Article XX-I F “Temporary Regulatory Flexibility Authority”, by requiring that a final report be issued by November 1, 2021 on the regulatory suspensions related to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency declarations
Reported out as committed unanimously
The Senate Health & Human Services held a public hearing on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 a joint public hearing on Senate Bill 749:
The Senate Health & Human Services and Aging & Youth Committees held a joint public hearing on Wednesday, September 15, 2021
The Senate Aging & Youth & Health & Human Services Committees held a joint public hearing to discuss Part 1 of the Department of Health’s proposed long-term care nursing facility regulations (#10-221).
The Senate Aging & Youth & Health & Human Services Committees held a joint public hearing on Monday, August 23, 2021
The Senate Aging & Youth & Health & Human Services Committees held a joint public hearing to discuss the Department of Human Services’ intent to contract with Maximus as its independent enrollment broker (IEB) and the impact this will have on seniors and adults with disabilities.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met today, June 21, 2021 to consider the following bills:
HB 1500 (Representative Klunk) – Amends the Abortion Control Act by prohibiting an abortion based on a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Reported out as committed 7-4
SB 709 (Senator Tomlinson)– Establishes the CMV (cytomegalovirus) Education and Newborn Screening Act, providing for CMV education and newborn screening. Reported out as committed 11-0
HB 944 (Nelson) – Amends the Administrative Code of 1929 to provide duties to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to require inpatient treatment facilities to provide notification to an emergency contact when a patient leaves a treatment facility against medical advice.
Reported out as amended 11-0
Amendment- A01899 (Sen. Brooks)– Clarifies the notice requirements and removes liability related to the notice requirement for inpatient treatment facilities. A01899 passed 11-0
HB741 (Representative Heffley) – Amends the Administrative Code of 1929 to provide duties to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to require drug and alcohol recovery houses provide notification to an emergency contact when a resident leaves a recovery. Reported out as amended 11-0
Amendment A01900 (Sen. Brooks)– Clarifies the notice requirements and removes liability related to the notice requirement for drug and alcohol recovery houses. A01900 passed 11-0
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Monday, May 24, 2021 to consider the following bills:
SB618 (Senator Phillips-Hill)– Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for vaccinations by prohibiting the requirement of vaccine passports in Pennsylvania. Reported out as committed 6-4.
SB620 (Senator Brooks & Senator Cappelletti) – Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in COVID-19 disaster emergency, providing for COVID-19 vaccine by adding a local pharmacy inclusion rule for vaccine distribution. Reported out as committed 7-3.
SB621 (Senator Brooks) – Amends Title 35 Health and Safety of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in COVID-19 disaster emergency, providing for COVID-19 vaccine by requiring COVID-19 vaccine providers to advertise their allocation in the newspaper. This bill initially failed 5-5, at the end of the meeting there was a motion to reconsider the vote taken. The motion to reconsider passed 6-4. The HHS Committee went over the bill.
SB671 (Senator Hutchinson) – Provides for the retainment of health care innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic and imposes duties on the Joint State Government Commission. Reported out as committed at committed 9-1.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met today, March 23, 2021 to consider the following bills:
HB 203 (Representative Toohil) – Establishes the Living Donor Protection Act which prohibits discrimination by health or life insurers based upon an individual’s status as a living donor and extends FMLA provisions to living donors. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB 108 (Senator Bartolotta) – Amends Section 443.1 (Medical Assistance Payments for Institutional Care) of the Human Services Code by providing additional Medicaid funding for facilities serving ventilator or tracheostomy patients. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB 156 (Senator Mensch) – Establishes a new category of Medical Assistance for Worker with Disabilities called Workers with Job Success by amending the Tobacco Settlement Act. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB 317 (Senator Browne) – Establishes the Expediated Partner Therapy Act, authorizing health practitioners to prescribe or provide antibiotics to treat sexually transmitted infections without requiring a medical examination. Reported out as committed unanimously.
Aging & Youth and Health & Human Services Committee held a joint public hearing on implementation of the State Vaccination Plan on February 4, 2021
Senator Art Haywood
Committee Chair