Session Weekly Wrap-Up

The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 313 which would enable domestic abuse victims with protection from abuse (PFA) orders to quickly get out of shared cell-phone contracts. Bill supporters claim that access to a reliable, and secure cellular phone can be...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 631 which makes changes to registration, reporting and counseling requirements for sex offenders. The legislation also requires courts to impose a three-year probation period to any offenders convicted of a Tier 3 sex...

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 359, which adds bear and elk under the mistaken kill provisions of the Game law. The measure provides for a $100 restitution fine and would revoke one’s hunting license unless the following conditions are met: The violation is...

The Senate approved Senate Bill 373 by a vote of 35-15. Senate Bill 373 would allow dental patients to authorize direct payments of dental insurance benefits to service providers. Insurance contracts issued 120 days after the passing of this legislation would be...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 411, which would increase bingo prize limits. The Bingo Law places certain restrictions on charitable bingo.  The measure increases the prize limitations by doubling the current maximum amount allowed per game.  Only licensed...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 165, which creates two new military decorations, the Pennsylvania Achievement Medal and the Pennsylvania Veterans Service Award. The measure also permits the governor to present the Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal to...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 46, which amends the Tax Code to allow taxpayers to contribute to pediatric cancer research through their state personal income tax return. The bill requires the Department of Revenue to offer the option on the income tax...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 16, which amends the Local Tax Collection Law to require that checks made payable to local tax collectors be deposited into a separate bank account.  This account may only be used for tax collection purposes and must include...

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 45, known as “Right to Try” legislation, which allows terminally ill patients to use investigative medical treatments, products, and devices that have not yet been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)....

The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 135, which would allow Pennsylvania hunters to use leashed tracking dogs to track white tailed deer, bear, or elk to help recover an animal that has been legally killed or wounded. The bill now goes to the House Game and...

The Senate voted 35-15 in favor of House Bill 59, which would have instituted work requirements for those who receive government assistance benefits. This legislation would have required the Department of Human Services (DHS) to seek federal approval for changes that...

The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 211, which would create a Statewide 2-1-1 System Grant Program. The Pennsylvania 2-1-1 system is a communication system that provides health and human services assistance in certain parts of Pennsylvania.  Currently, the...

The Senate voted 26-23 in favor of House Bill 97, which would make changes to the state’s cyber and charter school law. The bill would: require public and charter school advertisements to clearly indicate the use of public funds for tuition and transportation costs;...

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 59, which would allow for an adoptive family to make an appeal for adoption assistance.  Families would be authorized to appeal for an adoption subsidy under the Adoption Opportunities Act. This bill allows the parents of an...

The Senate voted 43-7 for House Bill 218, which is the $31.9 billion General Appropriation Bill for the 2017-18 fiscal year. This amount is an increase of $54 million over the fiscal 2016-17 budget. Notable appropriations in this year’s budget include: $2 billion in...

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 168, which outlaws misrepresenting one’s military service or honors to benefit themselves. This bill makes it a third-degree misdemeanor to falsely present oneself as a member of the military, veteran or recipient of any...

The Senate approved House Bill 1071 by a vote of 28-21. The bill would have prohibited local governments from imposing a ban, fee, surcharge or tax on a recyclable plastic bag supplied by a retailer to a customer at the point of sale. This ban would not have included...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 202, which amends the Public School Code to change Keystone Exam requirements and allow for career and technical education (CTE) students to demonstrate proficiency standards through alternate measures. This bill removes...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 23, which changes the name of the Primary Stroke Center Recognition Act to the Stroke System of Care Act. The measure also updates previous certification requirements placed on primary stroke centers.  Federal certification...

The Senate unanimously approved House Bill 224, which grants civil immunity to bus drivers and crossing guards who administer Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (EpiPens). Previously, such immunity only applied to school employees, not bus drivers and crossing guards. The...