Labor & Employment

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 16, 2025

HB 161: An Act amending the act of August 15, 1961 (P.L.987, No.442), known as the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act, further providing for definitions.

HB 161 amends Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act by adding specific definitions to clarify which construction projects are covered. It defines "public work" to exclude school safety and security improvements, such as projects funded under the Public School Code for safety upgrades. This directly affects construction contractors working on public projects costing over $25,000, as school safety projects will no longer require prevailing wage rates. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes school safety projects from prevailing wage requirements, reducing wage standards for workers on those projects.95% confidence

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SR 83: A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to adopt H.R. 1876, the "Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act," H.R. 1877, the "Protecting Americans' Social Security Data Act," and S. 770, the "Social Security Expansion Act."

SR 83 is a resolution from the Pennsylvania Senate urging the U.S. Congress to adopt three specific federal bills: H.R. 1876, H.R. 1877, and S. 770. These bills are aimed at keeping Social Security field offices open, protecting Americans' Social Security data, and expanding Social Security benefits. The resolution also expresses strong opposition to federal cuts to Social Security benefits and the Social Security Administration's plans to close local offices and reduce staff, advocating for robust staffing and local facilities to serve beneficiaries.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill urges adoption of S. 770 (Social Security Expansion Act) to expand benefits, directly aligning with 'expands worker benefits' indicator under Labor & Employment.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyResolution urges adoption of H.R. 1877, which protects Social Security data privacy, directly aligning with data privacy protections under technology policy.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 17, 2025

SB 478: An Act establishing the Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Community and Economic Development; establishing the Employee Ownership Advisory Board; establishing the Main Street Employee Ownership Grant Program; and providing technical and financial assistance to employee-owned enterprises.

SB 478 establishes Pennsylvania's Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Community and Economic Development to support employee-owned businesses. It creates an Employee Ownership Advisory Board and a Main Street Employee Ownership Grant Program to provide technical assistance, financial aid, and education to businesses meeting specific employee ownership criteria (like worker cooperatives, employee stock ownership plans, or broad profit-sharing programs). The Office will track employee-owned businesses statewide, identify barriers to their growth, and submit annual reports to legislative committees. This bill directly affects businesses seeking to convert to or maintain employee ownership structures across Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates Office, Advisory Board, and grant program to fund/support employee-owned businesses (cooperatives, ESOPs), directly advancing worker ownership and economic rights.95% confidence

Tags Small Business

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Sep 19, 2025

SB 1016: An Act amending the act of June 13, 2008 (P.L.182, No.27), known as the Clean Indoor Air Act, further providing for title of act, for definitions, for prohibition, for signage, for enforcement, for preemption of local ordinances and for repeal; and making editorial changes.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Clean Indoor Air Act (2008) to update definitions, expand smoking prohibitions, clarify signage requirements, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and clarify that state law preempts stricter local smoking ordinances. It directly affects businesses operating in public spaces (like restaurants, bars, and workplaces) and local governments that previously enacted more restrictive smoking bans. The key change is reinforcing state-level rules over local ones, while making editorial updates to the existing law's structure. This focuses on maintaining consistent indoor air quality standards across the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands smoking prohibitions in public spaces to reduce secondhand smoke exposure, a core public health measure under healthcare policy90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill preempts stricter local smoking bans, weakening more protective workplace safety measures under state law instead of allowing local enhancements.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 30, 2025

HB 1521: An Act amending the act of June 28, 1935 (P.L.477, No.193), referred to as the Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law, further providing for disability benefits and for definitions.

HB 1521 amends the 1935 Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law to clarify and update provisions for disability benefits for enforcement officers. The bill directly affects law enforcement and public safety officers, such as police and firefighters, by revising definitions used to determine eligibility for benefits. Key provisions include updated definitions that will guide how disability benefit claims are processed and approved. This change focuses on refining the legal framework for benefit administration without altering the benefit amounts.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends disability benefits law for enforcement officers, clarifying eligibility definitions to ensure timely benefit processing, strengthening worker benefits for public safety personnel.92% confidence

Tags Public Safety

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 351: An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing for coverage for infertility treatment.

SB 351 mandates that health insurance policies in Pennsylvania providing pregnancy-related benefits must cover infertility treatment expenses, including IVF, embryo transfer, and artificial insemination. It applies to policies delivered, issued, or renewed in the state, requiring coverage for diagnosis and treatment while allowing limited restrictions like waiting periods (aligned with medical guidelines) or copayments not exceeding those for pregnancy benefits. The bill explicitly excludes coverage for infertility resulting from elective sterilization reversal and allows religious organizations to opt out of covering these procedures. This policy change directly affects insured individuals seeking fertility care and insurers offering pregnancy-related coverage in Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for infertility treatments, expanding reproductive healthcare access beyond pregnancy benefits while allowing limited restrictions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates infertility treatment coverage under pregnancy-related health insurance, expanding employee health benefits and strengthening workplace healthcare access for workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 24, 2025

HB 1653: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in children and youth, providing for child-care center assistance grants.

HB 1653 creates competitive grants to help nonprofit early childhood organizations and public school districts establish or expand child-care centers in rural Pennsylvania counties with low population density (under 291 people per square mile). The grants fund facility costs like construction or renovation, and provide two years of salary supplements to ensure child-care staff earn comparable pay to public school teachers. Recipients must partner with local businesses to cover some child-care fees for employees, aiming to maintain staffing levels after the grant period ends. This bill directly supports rural communities facing childcare shortages by making it financially feasible to open or grow quality early childhood programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state grants for child-care center construction/salary supplements, increasing public service funding for rural child-care programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides competitive grants for child-care centers partnering with schools, funds facilities, and offers salary supplements to align staff pay with public school teachers.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill provides salary supplements to ensure child-care staff earn comparable pay to public school teachers, directly increasing wages for workers in the child-care sector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 27, 2026

HB 237: An Act amending the act of June 24, 1976 (P.L.424, No.101), referred to as the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, further providing for title of act, for application and authority for payment and eligibility and amount of benefit and for definitions.

HB 237 expands Pennsylvania's death benefits for first responders' families to include cases where a firefighter, officer, or emergency worker dies from mental health conditions linked to on-duty trauma. It creates a legal presumption of line-of-duty death if the person died while influenced by a diagnosed psychiatric disorder from traumatic events (like crime scenes or mass casualties) or within 45 days of such exposure with an undiagnosed condition. The bill adds specific definitions for "personal injury sustained in the line of duty" to include PTSD and related disorders, and clarifies that traumatic events cover incidents involving serious injury, minors, or life threats. Benefits apply retroactively to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2019, regardless of when the trauma happened.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly expands death benefits to cover mental health conditions linked to on-duty trauma, supporting mental health recognition for first responders' families.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands death benefits for first responders' families to include on-duty mental health conditions, strengthening worker benefit protections and workplace safety support for emergency personnel.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 1070: An Act amending the act of July 2, 1996 (P.L.514, No.85), known as the Health Security Act, further providing for definitions and for postpartum coverage standards; providing for provisions relating to involuntary discharge; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services.

HB 1070 requires all health insurance policies covering maternity benefits in Pennsylvania to provide 24 additional hours of elective postpartum observation and care beyond the existing 48-96 hours of inpatient coverage, starting January 1, 2026. It also prohibits hospitals from involuntarily discharging postpartum patients or newborns between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., with billing under "observation status" if discharge is refused. The bill directly affects mothers, newborns, hospitals, and health insurers by extending coverage duration and restricting nighttime discharges. The Department of Human Services must seek a federal waiver to extend government program coverage for this additional 24-hour period.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires 24 additional hours of postpartum coverage and prohibits involuntary discharges between 10 PM-8 AM, expanding maternal health protections and patient rights.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands maternity healthcare benefits by mandating 24+ hours postpartum coverage and prohibiting involuntary discharge, strengthening employee health protections under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Women's Health

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1246: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in grounds and buildings, providing for temperature control standards.

HB 1246 requires Pennsylvania public and charter schools to maintain indoor temperatures between 68°F and 79°F in occupied areas to support learning. If temperatures fall below 63°F or exceed 89°F, schools must relocate students/staff within two hours and report the incident to the Department of Environmental Protection within 24 hours. Schools with more than four such relocations in a year will face inspections to ensure compliance with indoor air quality standards. The bill also mandates reviewing short-term fixes (like portable heaters) and long-term solutions (like upgraded heating systems) for extreme temperatures. This applies to all school districts, charter schools, and career technical schools operating in Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates temperature standards (68-79°F) to ensure safe learning environments, requiring relocations during unsafe conditions and inspections for compliance, directly protecting student/staff well-being in schools.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates workplace temperature safety standards for school staff, directly addressing workplace safety under Labor & Employment policies.85% confidence

Track