Labor & Employment

passed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 9, 2026

HB 2558: An Act prohibiting enforcement of covenants not to compete in broadcast employment agreements.

This bill, titled the Broadcast Freemarket Agreement Act, prohibits employers in the radio, television, and digital media industries from enforcing non-compete clauses in employment contracts. It declares such agreements void if they stop workers from moving to other companies or performing services within a specific geographic area after leaving their current job. The law also ensures that employees cannot be forced to sign away these protections, while still allowing employers to maintain confidentiality agreements regarding trade secrets.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prohibits non-compete clauses, protecting worker mobility and rights in media industries.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 9, 2026

HB 2455: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in powers and duties of the Department of Public Instruction and its departmental administrative boards and commissions, further providing for collective bargaining.

This bill grants school administrators in Pennsylvania's first-class cities and school districts the right to engage in collective bargaining with their employers. It allows these administrators to negotiate terms regarding pay, working hours, benefits, and dispute resolution through designated representatives. The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board will handle any disagreements about these bargaining items using the same process applied to other public employees. The changes apply immediately upon the bill's enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill grants school administrators collective bargaining rights, enhancing their ability to negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions, which supports educator welfare.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly grants school administrators the right to collective bargaining, expanding worker rights and protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 26, 2026

HB 2550: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for Small Business Health Care Premiums Contribution Tax Credit.

This bill creates a new tax credit for small businesses in Pennsylvania that help employees pay for health insurance purchased through the state exchange. To qualify, a business must have 50 or fewer employees and make contributions toward health reimbursement arrangements for their workers. The credit is calculated based on the first $1,000 of contributions per employee and can be applied to reduce the business's state tax liability. Companies claiming the credit must submit detailed forms to the Department of Revenue listing employee information and insurance provider details.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a tax credit for small businesses, providing tax relief and encouraging health coverage contributions.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates a tax credit to incentivize small businesses to contribute to employee health insurance, expanding coverage access.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides tax credits to small businesses for health insurance contributions, expanding worker benefits and supporting employee welfare.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 25, 2026

HB 2544: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in professional employees, further providing for compensation plans for school administrators.

HB 2544 updates Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish a formal framework for negotiating compensation and benefits plans for school administrators, including principals and assistant principals. The bill requires school boards to meet with administrators in good faith to create written agreements covering salary schedules, fringe benefits, and performance evaluation processes. These agreements must remain in effect for at least one school year but no longer than five, and they include a nonbinding mediation step for resolving disputes before potential legal appeals. The legislation applies to all public school entities in the state and maintains existing restrictions on strikes while clarifying the definitions of administrative roles and employer responsibilities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes a formal framework for negotiating compensation and benefits for school administrators, enhancing their professional standing and stability.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes a formal framework for negotiating compensation and benefits for school administrators, explicitly supporting collective bargaining and worker rights.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 17, 2026

HB 131: An Act amending Title 44 (Law and Justice) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in law enforcement background investigations and employment information, further providing for maintenance of records and for hiring report; and imposing penalties.

This bill requires Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies to publicly notify the community 14 days before hiring an officer with a history of specific disciplinary actions, such as excessive force, theft, or sexual misconduct. Agencies must also submit detailed hiring reports explaining their rationale for employing individuals with these records to a state commission, which will maintain these reports in a public database. To ensure compliance, the legislation imposes penalties that could make non-compliant agencies ineligible for state funding related to equipment, hiring, overtime, and community programs. Additionally, the bill mandates an annual public report reviewing the database's impact on police accountability and community safety.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances police accountability by requiring public notification and detailed reporting for hiring officers with disciplinary histories, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill enhances transparency and accountability in law enforcement hiring, protecting public safety and worker integrity by mandating public notification of officers with disciplinary histories.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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signed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 12, 2026

HB 2404: An Act making appropriations from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide for the expenses of administering the Workers' Compensation Act, The Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act and the Office of Small Business Advocate for the fiscal year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

This bill allocates $81.3 million from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to the Department of Labor and Industry to cover operating expenses for the fiscal year 2026-2027. The funds will support salaries, wages, travel, and contractual services needed to administer the Workers' Compensation Act and the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act. An additional $550,000 is designated for the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Department of Community and Economic Development to fund its operations during the same period. The legislation also authorizes payment of any outstanding bills from the previous fiscal year that remain unpaid as of June 30, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $81.3M to fund government operations and essential workers' compensation administration programs95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill allocates funding to administer workers' compensation and occupational disease acts, protecting worker benefits and workplace safety programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 11, 2026

HB 2446: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, establishing the Fire Company Transformational Grant Program.

This bill establishes the Fire Company Transformational Grant Program in Pennsylvania to provide financial support to municipal, volunteer, and combination fire companies. The program will be funded with up to $30 million annually from the Property Tax Relief Reserve Fund and allows grants ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, with a higher limit for consolidated agencies. Eligible fire companies can use the funds to purchase equipment, build or renovate facilities, recruit and retain staff, and support regionalization efforts. To qualify, applicants must meet specific administrative requirements, such as maintaining current contact information and being registered with a public safety answering point. The administering office will set detailed guidelines for the application process, evaluate requests based on established criteria, and require annual reports on how the grants are used.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $30M annually from a reserve fund to establish a grant program for fire companies, directly increasing funding for essential public safety services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds recruitment and retention of fire company staff, directly supporting workforce stability and employment standards.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 10, 2026

HB 2189: An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, further providing for definitions, for minimum wages and for exemptions.

HB 2189 amends Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage Act of 1968 to increase the state's minimum wage to $11 per hour starting January 1, 2027, $13 per hour on January 1, 2028, and $15 per hour on January 1, 2029. After 2029, the minimum wage will automatically adjust annually based on inflation data from the Consumer Price Index for the Pennsylvania-New Jersey- Delaware-Maryland area. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania employers and workers covered under the Minimum Wage Act, including tipped employees who retain their tips. The changes apply to all non-exempt workers in the state, with no new exemptions or special rules added beyond the wage schedule and adjustment mechanism.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases minimum wage to $15/hr by 2029 with inflation adjustments, directly strengthening worker compensation and wages.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 8, 2026

HB 2462: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to civil actions and proceedings, providing for prohibiting agreements exempting recreational facilities from liability.

This bill prohibits recreational facilities in Pennsylvania from using contracts to exempt themselves from liability for injuries caused by a lack of safety equipment or trained staff. It directly affects commercial gyms, swimming pools, athletic centers, and amusement attractions by making such liability waivers unenforceable. The law defines required safety measures as having accessible surveillance cameras, first aid kits, and automated external defibrillators, along with employees trained in CPR, AED use, or certified lifeguarding. Any agreement entered into on or after the bill's effective date that attempts to release a facility from responsibility for these specific safety failures will be considered void.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates safety equipment and trained staff for recreational facilities, directly improving workplace safety and protecting workers' rights.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment

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signed · Pennsylvania · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 375: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in certification of teachers, repealing provisions relating to CPR instruction; in school safety and security, further providing for School Safety and Security Grant Program; and, in school health services, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to automatic external defibrillators, providing for AED and CPR instruction and procedure, establishing the Automated External Defibrillator Program and providing for availability and specifications of automated external defibrillators.

SB 375 repeals a requirement that schools provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for staff every three years. Instead, it mandates that Pennsylvania schools obtain and maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) - heart rhythm shock devices - by requiring 2.5% of annual school safety funding to be used for purchasing AEDs and related training. The bill establishes an AED program requiring school staff to complete AED and CPR training through approved organizations like the American Heart Association, and it defines AEDs as portable devices that restore heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. This law directly affects all public and nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania, shifting focus from mandatory staff CPR training to AED availability and use.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AEDs and staff training for school safety, enhancing health protocols within education infrastructure per bill's focus on school safety and health services.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates AED/CPR training for school staff, directly enhancing workplace safety - a core Labor & Employment focus.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Labor & Employment