SB 160 PN 1258 (Martin): This bill provides for the General Appropriations Act for FY 2025/26. Sen. Costa made a motion to revert to prior printer number 1225 of Senate Bill 160. Sen. Pittman appealed the decision of the chair that the motion to revert was in order. The decision of the chair was reversed 27-23 and the motion to revert was ruled out of order. Sen. Costa made a motion to table the concurrence of the bill, the motion to table was defeated, 23-27. The bill was concurred with Senate Amendments 27-23.
SB 507 PN 1158 (Brown): This bill amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to modernize and expand midwifery licensure in Pennsylvania. Senator Brooks offered Amendment A01852, which would require a physician or a physician from the physician group with whom the certified midwife has a collaborative agreement to be immediately available by phone or video and able to be on site where the patient is being treated within 30 minutes. The amendment was defeated, 2-48. Senator Brooks also offered Amendment A01854, which would require the Department of Health to work with the PA Health Care Cost Containment Council to collect and publish annual data on maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, fetal death, neonatal death and significant infant morbidity. The amendment was defeated, 5-45. Senator Brooks offered Amendment A01930, which would prohibit a certified midwife from assisting physicians in a manner outside of the collaborative agreement and limits the number of midwives to each physician under a collaborative agreement to six. Physicians may apply for a waiver. The amendment failed 6-44. The bill was approved 49-1.
Executive Nominations: The following nominees were approved by a vote of 50-0:
Charles O’Brien, State Board of Accountancy
Jessica Shirley, Appalachian States Low Level Radioactive Waste Commission
Stephen Holloway, State Board of Barber Examiners
Michael McAndrew, State Board of Barber Examiners
Michael Flinchbaugh, State Conservation Commission
Steven Kuncelman, State Board of Crane Operators
Ana Chavez, State Board of Dentistry
LaJuan Mountain, State Board of Dentistry
Chad Lutz, State Board of Funeral Directors
Veronique Bish, State Board of Massage Therapy
Dana Douglas, State Board of Massage Therapy
Christine Kennedy, State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators
Thomas Micozzie, State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators
Jade Logan, State Board of Psychology
Johnnie Geathers, State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists
Courtney Eisenhart, State Board of Examiners, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
William Egan Jr., State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons.