Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure 2021-2022
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Monday, October 24, 2022 and took the following action:
HB 1328 (Greiner) – Amends the Certified Public Accountant Law to provide for an adoption of a code of conduct, updated educational requirements and revisions to the peer review process.
- Aprobado - Votación unánime
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 and took the following action:
Nomination for reappointment to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
- John F. Coleman, Jr. – Unanimous vote of approval
Nomination for appointment to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
- Kathryn L. Zerfuss – Unanimous vote of approval
- Stephen M. DeFrank – Unanimous vote of approval
Committee Legislation:
HB 69 – Adds motorcycles to the Automobile Lemon Law
- Vote – Reported unanimously as committed
HB 609 – Amends the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law to provide updates for continuing education and licensure
- Vote – Reported unanimously as amended
HB 2800 – Clarifies licensure for prosthetists, orthotists, pedorthists and orthotic fitters.
- Vote – Reported unanimously as committed
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 and took the following action:
HB 2679 (Hickernell): Amends the Pharmacy Act to provide for COVID-19 and influenza immunizations.
- The legislation was reported from committee UNANIMOUSLY
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 and considered the following nominations:
NazAarah Sabree: Small Business Advocate
- Reported to the full senate: Unanimously
Patrick Cicero, Esquire: Consumer Advocate
- Reported to the full senate: 11-1
- Senator Pitman voting no
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 and took action on the following bills:
Senate Bill 895 (Regan) – Amends the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to require verification of high-volume third-party sellers on online marketplaces.
A04005 (Tomlinson) removes and replaces provisions in the bill pertaining to the requirements of online marketplace platforms, establishing thresholds and definitions of high-volume third-party sellers and enforcement provisions of the act to the Attorney General.
The amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill reported out, as amended, unanimously.
House Bill 1594 (Rep. Tomlinson) – Amends the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to require verification of high-volume third-party sellers on online marketplaces.
A04015 (Tomlinson) removes and replaces provisions in the bill pertaining to the requirements of online marketplace platforms, establishing thresholds and definitions of high-volume third-party sellers and enforcement provisions of the act to the Attorney General.
The amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill reported out, as amended, unanimously.
Senate Bill 1173 (Martin) – Amends the Dental Law to provide continuing education credits for dentists, dental hygienists or expanded function dental assistants that voluntarily practice at a clinic, health center or charitable entity event or program.
El proyecto de ley fue aprobado por unanimidad.
Senate Bill 1196 (Martin) – Amends the Barbers’ License Law to provide for educational program hours of career and technical education students by permitting them to earn credit hours in out-of-school programs working under the supervision of a licensed barber.
El proyecto de ley fue aprobado por unanimidad.
Senate Bill 1197 (Martin) – Amends the Cosmetology Law to provide for educational program hours of career and technical education students by permitting them to earn credit hours in out-of-school programs working under the supervision of a licensed cosmetologist.
El proyecto de ley fue aprobado por unanimidad.
House Bill 1103 (Gillespie) – Amends the Self-Service Storage Facility Act by updating the law to permit facilities to advertise online and also permits facilities to charge late fees if disclosed in a customer contract.
El proyecto de ley fue aprobado por unanimidad.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 and took action on the following bills:
House Bill 889 (B. Miller) – Amends the Nursing Law to permit graduates of foreign nursing schools to take the nurse license exam in Pennsylvania.
- The bill was reported out unanimously.
House Bill 1801 (Zimmerman) – Amends the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law by making various changes to the terminology and process for professional engineer examination requirements.
- A03524 (Aument) Rephrases and clarifies language throughout the bill; updating practice of engineering to include design or analysis in modification and alteration; renames engineer-in-training to engineer intern; renames ‘him’ to refer as ‘the applicant’; allows for distance education within some parameters.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill reported out, as amended, unanimously.
House Bill 1868 (Mako) – Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)) to add provisions for veterans’ professional licensure education fulfillment and related requirements.
- A03525 (Aument) – Redrafts the bill to add clarification and uniformity to the newly created chapter; while mostly keeping within the same policy parameters of the current version of the bill, but allowing more flexibility by board authority on case-by-case bases.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously and the bill reported out, as amended, unanimously.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 and took action on the following bill:
HB 1849 (Polinchock) Amending the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act to permit virtual distance education and instruction for real estate licensees.
- El proyecto fue aprobado por unanimidad.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 and took action on the following bill:
SB 869 (Tomlinson/Boscola) Amending Title 63 (Professions and Occupations) to provide authorization for virtual board and commission meetings as well as quorums, and virtual continuing education and supervision.
- El proyecto fue aprobado por unanimidad.
HB 245 (Kaufer) The bill amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to provide for changes in licensure requirements for international medical school student graduates, requiring two years of clinical residency instead of three.
Amendment A02237 – permitting institutional licenses under state board of medicine to teach or practice at more than two affiliated institutions – current regulations limit them to two facilities. (Amendment was adopted unanimously.)
- The bill, as amended, was reported out of committee unanimously.
HB 1182 (Schlegel-Culver) The bill amends the Barbers’ License Law of 1931 to authorize licensed barber schools to provide up to 50% of their instruction though distance education i.e., virtual education.
- El proyecto fue aprobado por unanimidad.
HB 1183 (Schlegel-Culver) The bill amends the Cosmetology Law of 1933 to authorize licensed cosmetology schools to provide up to 50% of their instruction though distance education i.e., virtual education.
- El proyecto fue aprobado por unanimidad.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 from the chamber and took action on the following bill:
Senate Bill 25 (Bartolotta) Amends the Professional Nursing Law (No. 69 of 1951) to further provide for the scope of practice for certified registered nurse practitioners.
- The bill was reported out of committee with Senators Gordner and Regan voting in the negative.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure Committee met on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 and took action on the following bills:
Senate Bill 397 (Pittman) Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act (No. 261 of 1978) to provide for updates to the practice of physician assistants, permanent representation on the state Osteopathic Medical Board, and physician supervisory oversight.
A01477 (Pittman) makes numerous changes to the bill based off of stakeholder meetings, including: audit process for filed written agreements, scope of practice, establishing supervisory ratios and requiring the board to establish regulations.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously.
- The bill as amended was reported out of committee unanimously.
Senate Bill 398 (Pittman) Amends the Medical Practice Act (No. 112 of 1985) to provide for updates to the practice of physician assistants, permanent representation on the state Medical Board, and physician supervisory oversight.
A01478 (Pittman) makes numerous changes to the bill based off of stakeholder meetings, including: audit process for filed written agreements, scope of practice, establishing supervisory ratios and requiring the board to establish regulations.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously.
- The bill as amended was reported out of committee unanimously.
Senate Bill 416 (Gordner) Amends the Professional Nursing Law (No. 69 of 1951) to provide for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).
A01437 (Gordner) makes numerous changes to the bill based off of stakeholder meetings, including: definition changes, certification process for CRNAs, educational requirements for licensing, biennial certification/renewal requirements, authorization of the state board of nursing to promulgate regulations under the change in law.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously.
- The bill as amended was reported out of committee unanimously.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure committee met on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 and took action on the following bill:
Senate Bill 597 (Stefano) Amends Title 27 (Environmental Resources) by adding a new chapter requiring for asset management plans to be filed by water and wastewater operators in the Commonwealth.
A01131 (Stefano) is a gut-and-replace amendment which moves the requirements of the bill to a new chapter in Title 66 (Public Utilities) and placing the obligation of filing to be done with the Public Utility Commission.
- The amendment was adopted unanimously.
- The bill as amended was reported out of committee, with Senator Kane voting in the negative.
The Senate Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure committee on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 and took action on the following bills:
Senate Bill 82 (Brooks) Amends the Automobile Lemon Law (No. 28 of 1984) by adding motorcycles under the coverage of the law.
- The bill was reported out unanimously (with Senator Regan on personal leave).
Senate Bill 115 (Boscola) This legislation authorizes the Commonwealth to join the National Nurse Licensure Compact; a 35-member state compact that recognizes licensure reciprocity for nurses.
A00562 (Collett) adds language to the bill pertaining to required reporting of nurse compliments in hospitals; requires the posting of reports; defining roles within hospitals; adding whistleblower protections for employees in these settings and establishes Department of Health monitoring or reports and compliance by hospitals. The amendment failed by a vote of 4-9 with Sens. Collett, Kane, Santarsiero and Tartaglione voting in the affirmative.
- The bill was reported out of committee with Senators Kane, Santarsiero and Tartaglione voting in the negative.
Senate Bill 236 (Brooks) Amends the Telemarketer Registration Act by prohibiting telemarketers from spoofing phone numbers and prohibiting robocalls by telemarketers after 8 p.m.
- The bill was reported out unanimously (with Senator Regan on personal leave).
Senate Bill 435 (Mensch) Amends the Public Utility Code (Title 66) by creating a new section regulating electric vehicle charging stations and infrastructure development and deployment.
- The bill was reported out unanimously (with Senator Regan on personal leave).
Senadora Lisa Boscola
Presidente del Comité