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.
HB 1261 bans PFAS chemicals (harmful substances linked to health risks) in firefighting protective gear, requiring safer alternatives for all new equipment. It creates grant programs to help fire companies replace PFAS-containing gear and mandates that state-funded equipment purchases must be PFAS-free. The bill also imposes penalties on entities failing to comply with the PFAS restrictions. These changes directly protect firefighters and guide fire companies' equipment procurement under Pennsylvania law.
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.
HB 1485 amends Pennsylvania's Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act to include "public works employees" as eligible recipients for death benefits. The bill adds a definition clarifying that public works employees - municipal workers maintaining infrastructure like roads, water systems, or parks who respond to emergencies as first responders - are covered if they die while performing duties. It expands the existing $100,000 death benefit (adjusted for inflation) to apply to these employees, alongside firefighters, law enforcement, and others already covered. The change affects surviving spouses, children, or parents of qualifying public works employees who die on duty, without altering the benefit amount or eligibility criteria for other covered personnel.
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.
This bill amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to clarify that religious or fraternal organizations cannot restrict membership based on race, color, national origin, or ancestry to deny equal access to housing, employment, or public accommodations. It specifically updates Section 5(h)(10) to explicitly prohibit such discrimination under the guise of religious or fraternal affiliation. The change directly affects religious institutions, fraternal organizations, and housing providers operating under existing exemptions. The amendment takes effect 60 days after passage.
This bill amends Pennsylvania's Second Class City Firemen Relief Law to update pension eligibility rules for surviving spouses of fire department members. It modifies membership requirements for married firefighters and adjusts how pensions are calculated and provided to surviving spouses after a member's death. The changes directly affect married firefighters employed in second-class cities and their spouses who may qualify for pension benefits under this law. The bill focuses on clarifying and adjusting existing pension provisions rather than creating new benefits.
HB 2087 amends Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act to extend coverage to volunteer firefighters, ambulance corps members, and rescue squad volunteers who provide regular operational support (such as fundraising, equipment maintenance, or administrative tasks) but do not respond to emergency calls. The bill adds these volunteers to the definition of "employe" under the act, requiring such support to be conducted regularly and approved by the municipality. It explicitly excludes social members who are not involved in operational duties. This change ensures these volunteers can receive workers' compensation for work-related injuries sustained while performing their support roles. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 135 amends Pennsylvania's corporate law to update rules for worker cooperatives, which are businesses owned and managed by their employees. It revises the legal requirements for forming a worker cooperative (including the "articles of incorporation") and clarifies governance rules for directors and officers. This directly affects worker-owned businesses in Pennsylvania by changing how they establish their legal structure and manage leadership roles. The bill proposes concrete changes to state statutes but has not yet been enacted.
HR 58 is a resolution urging Congress to propose a constitutional amendment banning slavery and involuntary servitude as punishments for criminal offenses. It directly targets a legal exception in the 13th Amendment that currently permits such practices within the criminal justice system. The resolution itself has no legal effect but seeks to initiate the constitutional amendment process to address this longstanding exception.
