HR 203 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of reported patient safety events and issue a report with recommendations for reducing reportable patient safety events and improving patient safety.

HR 203 is a House Resolution directing Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study medication errors and patient safety. The Commission must form an advisory committee including health officials and stakeholder representatives (like pharmacists, nurses, and hospital associations) to examine how errors occur in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and pharmacies. The study will review current state laws, other states' policies, and best practices, with a report containing recommendations due to the House within 18 months. This resolution does not change laws but aims to inform future policy through a comprehensive review.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 22, 2025 Last action May 5, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN2855 Printer's No. PN3351 · 6 edits
MODERATE
The bill was updated to broaden its focus from 'medication errors' to 'medical errors' and 'patient safety events,' aligning the language with existing state laws like the MCare Act. The scope of the study was expanded to include how facilities track adverse events and to review policies from other states, while the list of required advisory committee members was increased to include representatives from the Patient Safety Authority and the Ambulatory Surgery Association. The final deadline for the report remains 18 months after adoption.
Scope change
The bill's scope broadened from a specific focus on medication errors to a wider examination of all medical errors and reported patient safety events, including adverse events tracked by hospitals.
DEFINITION

Changed the subject of the study from 'medication errors' to 'medical errors' and 'reported patient safety events' to align with broader state definitions and laws.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the study to evaluate how medical facilities measure, analyze, and track adverse events and to identify barriers to learning from reports.

Added a requirement for the study to include a review of policies adopted by other states to reduce reportable patient safety events.

Added a new resolution limiting the study to documentation already retained by the Patient Safety Authority to avoid imposing undue costs on medical facilities.

Added new advisory committee members representing the Patient Safety Authority and the Pennsylvania Ambulatory Surgery Association.

Replaced the previous requirement for a pharmacy technician representative with a representative for the Patient Safety Authority and added a patient safety officer to the committee.

Floor votes · House May 5, 2026

How they voted

15249
Passed
Total votes 201
May 5, 2026
D Democratic102
102 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican99
50 Yea 49 Nay
50% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
2
Committee
1
Amendments
2
May 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
Adopted
lower
May 5, 2026
Introduced
Amended
lower
Feb 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported as amended
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health
lower
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors

Sponsors