Following weeks of broad, sweeping and more defined actions in response to COVID-19, the House returns to session this week as more and more restrictions are being lifted across counties in Pennsylvania. House Republicans have consistently pushed for changes to the governor’s shutdown orders and those efforts have resulted in more than a dozen updates, changes and reopening of segments of the economy.
Key votes this week include protections for children in the foster care system who may age out in the midst of this pandemic, and additional measures to ensure nursing home and long-term care facilities can access the equipment they need to save lives.
Meanwhile scenes of protest and areas of civil unrest are visible in communities throughout the Commonwealth. We express our deepest gratitude to the men and women of law enforcement who work every day to protect our communities. Our members have witnessed and joined in peaceful protests at times throughout this pandemic, and in recent days joined in spreading a message of unity among community members and the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to protect them.
However, members strongly condemn acts of violence and racism. These bad actors are far outnumbered by peaceful, positive protestors who are exercising their rights as Americans. Members will carry the voices of Pennsylvanians into the hall of the Capitol this week, as has been the case throughout this pandemic, and throughout the history of this elected body.
The Weekly Schedule
Identified by bill number, the sponsors and summaries for votes scheduled in committee or on the House floor are posted below. More information regarding these votes can be found here.
Monday, June 8, 2020
Committee Meetings/Hearings:
Gaming Oversight, 10 a.m., G-50 Irvis
• HB 369 (Rep. Jason Ortitay, R-Washington/Allegheny): Would improve treatment options for individuals who violate casinos’ self-exclusion lists.
• Informational meeting on plans for reopening casinos.
SESSION:
On Monday, session will begin at 1 p.m.
Votes on Second Consideration:
• HB 400 (Rep. Kate Klunk, R-York): Would expand the crime of abuse of a care-dependent person to include posting pictures of care-dependent individuals by employees without permission and categorize the crime as a misdemeanor.
• HB 2293 (Rep. Chris Quinn, R-Delaware): Would require public utilities that deliver natural gas liquids through populated “high consequence areas” to make their emergency response plans available to local emergency management in their counties, the Public Utility Commission and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
• HB 2437 (Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery): Would establish the Emergency Declaration Data Transparency Act.
• HB 2348 (Rep. Martin Causer, R-McKean/Cameron/Potter): Would create a broadband fund to award grants for projects in unserved areas.
• HB 2438 (Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter): Would provide for broadband services over existing easements and existing infrastructure of rural electric cooperatives.
• HB 2509 (Rep. Gary Day, R-Lehigh/Berks): Would establish the Long-Term Care Facility Personal Protective Equipment Reimbursement Grant Program.
• HB 2530 (Rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter): Would amend the Religious Freedom Protection Act to ensure certain practices may not be infringed upon during an emergency declaration.
• HB 2540 (Rep. John Lawrence, R-Chester/Lancaster): Would establish a five-person State Epidemiology Advisory Council specific to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• HR 752 (Rep. Frank Ryan, R-Lebanon): Would designate Feb. 12, 2020, as “World Cholangiocarcinoma Day” in Pennsylvania.
• HR 887 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming): Would designate the week of June 1-5, 2020, as "Child Welfare Professionals Appreciation Week" in Pennsylvania.
• HR 888 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming): Would designate the week of June 8-12, 2020, as “Child Welfare Service Providers Appreciation Week” in Pennsylvania.
• HR 739 (Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster): Would designate May 15, 2020, as “Trauma Registrars Day” in Pennsylvania.
• HR 796 (Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny): Would designate the week of May 17-23, 2020, as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in Pennsylvania.
Votes on Third Consideration:
• HB 1363 (Rep. Tom Murt, R-Montgomery/Philadelphia): Would establish a bill of rights for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism.
• HB 1647 (Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton): Would allow a taxpayer to request a waiver of penalties assessed for late payment of real estate taxes if a notice was not received during the first year of occupancy.
• HB 1947 (Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Luzerne): Would modernize the process by which graduates of international medical schools become licensed in Pennsylvania.
• HB 2101 (Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton): Would amend the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law to clarify provisions and update the law to reflect current practice.
• HB 2484 (Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia): Would allow for unique exemptions for reinvestments of public trust funds during disaster declarations.
• HB 2497 (Rep. George Dunbar, R-Westmoreland): Would exempt a forgiveness of indebtedness granted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act from state Personal Income Tax.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Committee Meetings/Hearings:
Environmental Resources and Energy, 10 a.m. G-50 Irvis
• HB 2025 (Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana): Would establish the Pennsylvania Carbon Dioxide Cap and Trade Authorization Act.
Urban Affairs, 10 a.m., B-31 Main Capitol
• SB 30 (Sen. Tom Killion, R-Chester/Delaware): Would establish the State Housing Tax Credit, which is intended to encourage and preserve affordable housing in the state and to promote private investment in affordable housing.
Human Services, Call of the Chair, B-31 Main Capitol
• HB 2350 (Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Luzerne): Would require any provider which seeks to operate in the Medicaid program use either a national provider identification or register for state provider identification number.
• HB 2351 (Rep. Wendi Thomas, R-Bucks): Would increase the penalties for making a false claim against the Commonwealth’s Medicaid Program.
• HB 2352 (Rep. Seth Grove, R-York): Would allow the Commonwealth to recover an additional 10% from false claims made against Medicaid and empower the attorney general’s office to investigate cases of false claims.
• HB 2355 (Rep. Tommy Sankey, R-Clearfield/Cambria): Would require any Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) to enter into an agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to allow the department to recoup any Medicaid funds which were spent on a provider preventable condition.
SESSION:
On Tuesday, session will begin at 11 a.m.
Votes on Second Consideration:
• HB 1270 (Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne): Would add postpartum depression as a qualifying at-risk condition for early intervention services under the Early Intervention Services System Act.
• HB 1867 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming): Would add the offense of unregulated transfer of custody of an adopted child.
• HB 2503 (Rep. Brett Miller, R-Lancaster): Would allow certain employers to hire employees on a provisional basis, pending the completion of all submitted background checks.
• HB 2552 (Rep. Karen Boback, R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming): Would provide, on a temporary basis, for continued housing and services for youths who age out of the foster care system during the COVID-19 crisis.
• HB 2369 (Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny): Would create the COVID-19 Grant and Loan Programs to support businesses that are financially impacted by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
• HB 2386 (Rep. Tom Mehaffie, R-Dauphin): Would establish the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency Business Interruption Grant Act.
• HB 2536 (Rep. Lee James, R-Venango/Butler): Would amend the Local Government Unit Debt Act to authorize alternative tax anticipation notes that mature at the end of the next fiscal year.
• HB 2488 (Rep. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland): Would extend waiver provisions for health care providers.
• HB 2528 (Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne): Would require the Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development to immediately issue a waiver for all pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
• SB 934 (Sen. Daniel Laughlin, R-Erie): Would require the Department of Human Services to include the inspection of all smoke detectors in their annual inspection of child care facilities.
• HR 798 (Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Fayette/Westmoreland): Would designate the week of May 10-16, 2020, as "Food Allergy Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
• HR 808 (Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland/Snyder): Would recognize May 20, 2020, as "Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day" in Pennsylvania.
• HR 848 (Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-Northumberland/Snyder): Would designate the week of May 10 through 16, 2020, as "National Women's Lung Health Week" in Pennsylvania and encouraging all residents of this Commonwealth to learn more about the detection and treatment of lung cancer.
• HR 850 (Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon): Would designate May 16, 2020, as “Jim Thorpe Day” in Pennsylvania.
Votes on Third Consideration:
• HB 400 (Klunk)
• HB 2293 (Quinn)
• HB 2437 (Stephens)
• HB 2348 (Causer)
• HB 2438 (Owlett)
• HB 2509 (Day)
• HB 2530 (Owlett)
• HB 2540 (Lawrence)
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Committee Meetings/Hearings:
Environmental Resources and Energy, 10 a.m., G-50 Irvis
• HB 1808 (Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Berks/Lehigh): Would classify post-use plastics as raw materials for manufacturing following the use of advanced recycling technologies.
• HB 2219 (Rep. Lee James, R-Venango/Butler): Would update membership requirements for the Mining Reclamation and Advisory Board (MRAB).
SESSION:
On Wednesday session will begin at 11 a.m.
Second and Third Consideration votes are TBD.
All of House Session and most committee meetings will stream live on PAHouseGOP.com/livestreams.