Health & Human Services 2025-2026
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 to consider the following legislation:
SB 865 (Brooks) – Adds medetomidine to emergency department urine drug screening requirements and provides for medetomidine awareness education. The bill passed unanimously.
SB 1145 (Brooks) – Requires the Department of Health to verify whether health care facilities are complying with mandatory reporting requirements for suspected child sexual abuse and provides for penalties for failing to file. The bill passed 12-1.
SB 1147 (Mastriano) – Provides for Medical Assistance (MA) reimbursement to licensed emergency medical services agencies for emergency medical services provided to MA enrollees who don’t require or decline transportation. The bill passed unanimously.
SB 1196 (Tartaglione) – Prohibits Medicaid and commercial insurers from placing more restrictive coverage conditions on non-opioid pain medications approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) than on opioid medications. The bill passed unanimously.
SB 1424 (Cappelletti) – Adds Gaucher disease to Pennsylvania’s Newborn Child Screening Program. The bill passed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 to consider the following legislation:
HB69 (Rep. Cutler)– Eliminates the Cancer Prescription Drug Repository Program and replaces it with the Prescription Drug Repository Program, a voluntary program that allows unused prescription drugs to be donated and re-dispensed by participating pharmacies to indigent patients. Reported out as committed unanimously.
HB928 (Rep. Kosierowski)– Requires day-care facilities to acquire, stock, and train employees on use of EpiPens, subject to funding by the Department of Health, and requires the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to develop informational materials. Reported out as committed unanimously.
HB (Rep. Rivera) – Changes the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ State Plan requirement from annual to every three years and updates terminology concerning addiction and abuse. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A03874 (Sen. Brooks)-Changes the State Plan requirement to every two years. Amendment passed unanimously.
HB1851 (Rep. Curry)-Allows licensed midwives to complete fetal death certificates. Reported out as committed unanimously.
HB2540 (Rep. D. Williams)-Requires the Department of Human Services to transition access cards used for SNAP to chip-enabled cards. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SR216 (Sen. Dush)-Directs the LBFC to conduct an audit and issue a report on Medical Assistance Reported out as committed 8-5.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 to consider the following legislation:
SB730 (Sen. Yaw)– Amends Title 20 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to provide for Pennsylvania orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) and makes other changes related to the use of a POLST. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A02263 (Sen. Brooks)– Provides a grace period for the use of certain forms executed after the adoption of new POLST forms, updates eligibility requirements for the use of a POLST and makes other changes related to the use of a POLST form. Amendment passed unanimously.
SB1352 (Sen. Brooks)– Amends the Human Services Code to provide for a two-year licensure process for certain Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) licensed treatment providers. Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB362 (Sen. Boscola)-Amends the Human Services Code by creating a new offense targeting SNAP skimmers and enhances the penalties for those convicted of the offense. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A03482 (Sen. Street)-Replaces the original offense language with updated provisions covering scanning devices, reencoders, and the possession or use of access device information. The amendment also replaces the current dollar grading structure with a first, second, and subsequent offense structure, extends the statute of limitation to five years, removes the current benefit ineligibility language and replaces it with a tiered approach. Amendment passed unanimously.
SB1373 (Brooks)- Amends the Human Services Code to require providers who bill the Medical Assistance Program to have National Provider Identifiers (NPIs). Reported out as committed unanimously.
SB1372 (Brooks)- Amends the Human Services Code to require the Department of Human Services to publish an annual report summarizing enforcement and inspection activities for publicly funded child care programs. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB899 (Sen. Pennycuick)– Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act by establishing prohibitions against the preparation, manufacture, sale or distribution of kratom products to minors. Reported out as amended 9-3.
A02153 (Sen. Brooks)-Replaces the bill with language listing synthetic, high-concentration derivatives of kratom as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Amendment passed 9-3.
SB1095 (Sen. Brooks)– Amends the Human Services Code to provide for the continuation of the Rural Health Redesign Center through an alternative payment model. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB614 (Sen. Brooks)- Amends the Fiscal Code to establish the FQHC primary care workforce initiative within the Department of Health. Reported out as amended 7-5.
A01973 (Sen. Brooks)- This amendment removes the direct appropriation from the General Fund and makes funding for the program subject to the availability of Rural Health Transformation (RHT) program funding, establishes priority for FQHCs serving rural counties, defines rural counties in accordance with the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, requires DOH and participating hospitals to submit a sustainability plan demonstrating how clinical placement will continue beyond five years including the pursuit of public-private partnerships and philanthropic support, directs DOH and participating hospitals to pursue public-private partnership to sustain the program. Amendment passed 7-5.
SB270 (Sen. Cappelletti)– Amends the Milk Sanitation Law to prohibit the sale of human milk over the Internet. Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
HB 1527 (Rep. Davidson) – Amends the Rare Disease Advisory Council Act by extending the sunset provision to June 30, 2028, and adds additional members to the advisory council. Reported out as amended unanimously.
A01566 (Sen.Culver )– Amendment passed unanimously. This amendment reenacts the Rare Disease Advisory Council Act with a sunset provision of July 1, 2028, and adds four members to the council appointed by the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.
HB 1429 (Rep. D. Williams)– Amends the Human Services Code to require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to prepare a report evaluating the feasibility of transitioning from magnetic stripe access cards to chip-enabled access cards for use in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Reported out as committed unanimously.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Thursday, June 26, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
HB749 (Rep. Madsen) – Amends the Human Services Code by requiring Department of Human Services (DHS) to analyze SNAP payment distribution schedules to determine if any changes are necessary. Reported out as committed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB436 (Sen. Pennycuick) – Amends the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) to require the exchange of information and coordination between the Department of Human Services (DHS), County Children and Youth Social Service Agency (county agency), and the Department of Defense “Family Advocacy Program” when a report of child abuse or neglect concerns a military family. Reported out as committed unanimously
SB461 (Sen. Brooks) – Establishes the Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Illness Diagnoses and Treatment Act, requiring insurance coverage for treatment and testing for Lyme disease or related tick-borne illnesses and imposes duties on the Department of Health (DOH). Reported out as committed unanimously
SB715 (Sen. J.Ward) – Extends the sunset provision of the Rare Disease Advisory Council Act to June, 30, 2028. Reported out as committed unanimously
HB27 (Rep. Khan) – Amends the Health Care Facilities Act by requiring hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to adopt and implement policies to mitigate healthcare worker exposure to surgical smoke. Reported out as committed unanimously
HB640 (Rep. D. Williams) – Amends the Administrative Code of 1929 by updating the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) annual reporting requirements to the General Assembly. Reported out as committed unanimously
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee met on April 1, 2025, to vote on three bills.
SB 115 (Senators Argall) HHS shall give a skills competency exam to individuals seeking employment as a direct care staff person in lieu of a high school diploma or GED.
SB 256 (Senator Fontana) Establishes the Carbon Monoxide Alarm Standards in Child Care Facilities Act providing for the requirement of carbon monoxide detectors in childcare facilities if the facility uses a fossil-fuel burning heater or appliance or has an attached garage.
SB 411 (Senator Vogel) Provides the PA Department of Health the ability to create and utilize a stroke registry. The registry shall be publicly accessible on the department’s website that includes information and data on stroke Care in PA.
SB 411 Amendment A00260 amends bill, page 2, line 8, by striking out “2025,” and inserting 2026, or 180 days after the effective date of this subsection, whichever is later.
All three bills and the amendment were voted out committee unanimously, 13-0.
Senator Art Haywood
Committee Chair