Tracking List: PA Academy of Dermatology

(PN 13) Amends the Enforcement Officer Disability Benefits Law adding language providing disability benefits for campus police officers employed by a participating university. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 14) Amends the Fiscal Code, providing for Collaborative Care Model and Primary Care Behavioral Health Model Implementation Program; and making an appropriation of $20 million to the Department of Human Services (DHS). Provides DHS shall make grants to primary care physicians and primary care practices to meet the initial costs of establishing and delivering behavioral health integration services through the collaborative care model or primary care behavioral health model. Primary care physicians and primary care practices may work with larger health systems for applying and implementing grants. Provides grants may be used to hire staff, identify and formalize contractual relationships with other health care practitioners, purchase or upgrade software or other resources for behavioral health integration services through the collaborative care model or primary care behavioral health model and other purposes determined by the department. Effective immediately.

(PN 46) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing for application form for licenses, certificates, registrations and permits. Provides that no later than 120 days after the effective date of this section, the commissioner or a designee of the commissioner, on conjunction with each licensing board and commission, shall ensure that a proper application is available for individuals who meet specified criteria. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 67) The Medical Debt Relief Program Act establishes the Medical Debt Relief Program within the Department of Health to discharge the medical debt of eligible residents by contracting with a medical debt relief coordinator; imposing duties on the Department of Health; authorizes the department to enter into a contract with a medical debt relief coordinator to purchase and discharge the medical debt owed by an eligible resident, provides for contract requirements and reports to public officials; provides for $15 million from the general fund to the department for the program. Effective immediately.

(PN 78) Amends the Human Services Code, in general powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare, providing for COVID-19 mental health public awareness campaign; provides the Secretary of Health (secretary) shall develop outreach efforts and provide information to the public on the link between mental health and COVID-19, resources available to first responders, health care workers, other frontline workers and their families experiencing mental health issues due to the pandemic and anxiety-reducing strategies and other methods to manage stress, depression and other symptoms. Provides the secretary shall provide for the development of advertisements on the public awareness campaign and shall use money for the COVID Mental health Services Block Grant or other federal money for costs associated with the campaign. Provides a definition for COVID-19 pandemic. Effective immediately. (PN 78) Amends the Human Services Code, in general powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare, providing for COVID-19 mental health public awareness campaign. Requires the secretary of human services to establish a public awareness campaign concerning programs and services available to first responders, health care workers, frontline workers and their families if they experience mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Establishes a list of outreach efforts and required information. Provides money used shall be from the COVID-19 Mental Health Services Block Grant or other federal funds. Provides for definitions. Effective immediately.

(PN 9) The Distressed Hospital Grant Program Act establishes the Distressed Hospital Grant Program to award grants to distressed hospitals to prevent the reduction of services or cessation of operations; and making an appropriation. Effective immediately.

(PN 1462) Amends Health Care Facilities Act, providing for hospital patient protection provisions; and imposing penalties. Directs hospitals to establish hospital nurse staffing committees, further providing for membership and duties. Provides for enforcement through the Department of Health (DOH) with complaints submitted on the department's website and DOH conducting an investigation into the hospital. Directs DOH to impose civil penalties or suspend or revoke a license of a hospital for a violation of any provision of this chapter. Removes the staffing committee requirements, allows hospitals to create staffing plans, provides for staffing plans to meet requirements related to meeting safety standards of certifying bodies, among other metrics, provides for transparency requirements, removes the bureaucratic structure, directs DOH to establish the penalty structure and empowers the department with enforcement mechanisms, provides hospitals with broader flexibility to vary staffing during a declared emergency and adjusts the definition of hospitals to reflect existing management structures. Allows DOH to adopt regulations necessary to carry out this chapter. Effective in six months (Prior Printer's Number 1044). (PN 1044) Amends Health Care Facilities Act, providing for hospital patient protection provisions; and imposing penalties. Directs hospitals to establish hospital nurse staffing committees, further providing for membership and duties. Provides for enforcement through the Department of Health (DOH) with complaints submitted on the department's website and DOH conducting an investigation into the hospital. Directs DOH to impose civil penalties or suspend or revoke a license of a hospital for a violation of any provision of this chapter. Allows DOH to adopt regulations necessary to carry out this chapter. Effective in six months.

(PN 130) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for report of inventory by health care facility. Provides that a health care facility licensed under this chapter shall annually report to the Department of Health (DOH) an inventory of health care equipment maintained in the health care facility. Further provides for reports within 24 hours of the declaration of an emergency. Effective immediately.

(PN 135) Provides for hospital closure procedure requirements, for notice of proposed general hospital closure or significant impact closure, for health equity impact assessments, for closure plans and for enforcement actions. Adds "Hospital Closure Procedure and Notification Act" as the short title. Adds definitions for "closure plan," "department," "general hospital closure," "health equity impact assessment," "hospital," "hospital authority" and "significant impact closure." Adds hospital closure procedure requirements to include the prohibition of a hospital authority to engage in a general hospital closure or significant impact closure unless they have adopted a closure plan approved by the Attorney General's Office and the approval of the Attorney General and the department of health department of any county of the closure plan. Requires a 180-day notification period before the closure plan is enacted. Provides for public hearings before engaging in hospital closures, for advertising the public hearing, publication of the hearing information and the possibility of attendance requests by the attorney general or the department for executive staff and administrators to attend the public hearing. Provides for a public comment period for any closure and outlines the requirements for each comment period. Adds health equity impact assessments no later than 80 days before the start of the closure. Provides for the assessment requirements. Adds the criteria and requirements for closure plans including the initial plan, any updates to the original plan, the contents of the plan including strategies for various activities and written agreements. Provides for enforcement actions by the Office of the Attorney General or the department and for remedies for hospitals found to not comply with any provisions in the act. Effective 30 days.

(PN 2445) The Family and Medical Leave Act establishes the Family and Medical Leave Program and the Family and Medical Leave Fund; confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposes penalties. Inserts definitions for use in the act. Removes references to “insurance” throughout. Establishes the Family Medical Leave Insurance Program. Provides for procedures and forms from the department, notice of approved claims, information sharing, confidentiality and for cooperation among departments. Provides for powers and duties of the department to include administrating the program and everything it entails, and for the enforcement of the act through an administrative complaint and appeals process. Provides for the eligibility for family and medical leave insurance benefits and for the employment and income eligibility requirements, the interaction with the Workers' Compensation Act and the Unemployment Compensation Act, for filing of benefits claims, medical certifications and provides for the adjudication of claims. Provides for the amount of benefits, including calculation, limitation and adjustment requirements. Provides contributions to the program by all persons employed in Pennsylvania, as well as for the commencement of payroll premium contributions and their calculation set at 0.588 percent of an individual's wage to start payments into the program. Provides for a payment schedule to evaluate the contribution in subsequent years. Provides for a reduced leave schedule to include nonsequential leaves, the impact on duration of the leave and the total amount of leave allowed. Provides for employment protections including restoration of position, health care benefits maintained, unlawful interference with benefits, and prohibition of retaliation. Adds the coordination of benefits to be concurrent with federal law and coordinated with other paid leave. Provides for the employer's obligations for coordinating benefits and prohibits subsequent collective bargaining agreements or employer policies. Provides for the administration and procedures to include the issuance of notices by the employer and requirements for the notice, including publication and display. Accounts for erroneous payments and disqualification for benefits. Provides for elective coverage for self-employed persons. Provides for violations of the provisions within the act. Provides for judicial review of any decision regarding the denial of benefits. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund in the State Treasury. Provides for the depositing and appropriation of money to the fund, as well as for limitations on the fund. Requires an annual report on the program submitted to the chairs of the Senate and House Labor and Industry Committees. Provides for outreach campaigns to educate the public on the program. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Advisory Board and its composition. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 139, 1461, 2432) (PN 2432) The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act establishes the Family and Medical Leave Program and the Family and Medical Leave Fund; confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposes penalties. Inserts definitions for use in the act. Removes references to “insurance” throughout. Establishes the Family Medical Leave Insurance Program. Provides for procedures and forms from the department, notice of approved claims, information sharing, confidentiality and for cooperation among departments. Provides for powers and duties of the department to include administrating the program and everything it entails, and for the enforcement of the act through an administrative complaint and appeals process. Provides for the eligibility for family and medical leave insurance benefits and for the employment and income eligibility requirements, the interaction with the Workers' Compensation Act and the Unemployment Compensation Act, for filing of benefits claims, medical certifications and provides for the adjudication of claims. Provides for the amount of benefits, including calculation, limitation and adjustment requirements. Provides contributions to the program by all persons employed in Pennsylvania, as well as for the commencement of payroll premium contributions and their calculation set at 0.588 percent of an individual's wage to start payments into the program. Provides for a payment schedule to evaluate the contribution in subsequent years. Provides for a reduced leave schedule to include nonsequential leaves, the impact on duration of the leave and the total amount of leave allowed. Provides for employment protections including restoration of position, health care benefits maintained, unlawful interference with benefits, and prohibition of retaliation. Adds the coordination of benefits to be concurrent with federal law and coordinated with other paid leave. Provides for the employer's obligations for coordinating benefits and prohibits subsequent collective bargaining agreements or employer policies. Provides for the administration and procedures to include the issuance of notices by the employer and requirements for the notice, including publication and display. Accounts for erroneous payments and disqualification for benefits. Provides for elective coverage for self-employed persons. Provides for violations of the provisions within the act. Provides for judicial review of any decision regarding the denial of benefits. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund in the State Treasury. Provides for the depositing and appropriation of money to the fund, as well as for limitations on the fund. Requires an annual report on the program submitted to the chairs of the Senate and House Labor and Industry Committees. Provides for outreach campaigns to educate the public on the program. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Advisory Board and its composition. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 139, 1461) (PN 1461) The act establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program and the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund. Confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry. Imposes penalties for violations of the act. Updates and amends definitions for use in the act. Provides for and outlines right of action. Inserts provisions from other law. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 139) (PN 139) The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program and the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund; confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposes penalties. Establishes the Family Medical Leave Insurance Program. Provides for procedures and forms from the department, notice of approved claims, information sharing, confidentiality and for cooperation among departments. Provides for powers and duties of the department to include administrating the program and everything it entails, and for the enforcement of the act through an administrative complaint and appeals process. Provides for the eligibility for family and medical leave insurance benefits and for the employment and income eligibility requirements, the interaction with the Workers' Compensation Act and the Unemployment Compensation Act, for filing of benefits claims, medical certifications and provides for the adjudication of claims. Provides for the amount of benefits, including calculation, limitation and adjustment requirements. Provides contributions to the program by all persons employed in Pennsylvania, as well as for the commencement of payroll premium contributions and their calculation set at 0.588 percent of an individual's wage to start payments into the program. Provides for a payment schedule to evaluate the contribution in subsequent years. Provides for a reduced leave schedule to include nonsequential leaves, the impact on duration of the leave and the total amount of leave allowed. Provides for employment protections including restoration of position, health care benefits maintained, unlawful interference with benefits, and prohibition of retaliation. Adds the coordination of benefits to be concurrent with federal law and coordinated with other paid leave. Provides for the employer's obligations for coordinating benefits and prohibits subsequent collective bargaining agreements or employer policies. Provides for the administration and procedures to include the issuance of notices by the employer and requirements for the notice, including publication and display. Accounts for erroneous payments and disqualification for benefits. Provides for elective coverage for self-employed persons. Provides for violations of the provisions within the act. Provides for judicial review of any decision regarding the denial of benefits. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund in the State Treasury. Provides for the depositing and appropriation of money to the fund, as well as for limitations on the fund. Requires an annual report on the program submitted to the chairs of the Senate and House Labor and Industry Committees. Provides for outreach campaigns to educate the public on the program. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Advisory Board and its composition. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 225) Amends the Public School Code, in reimbursements by the commonwealth and between school districts, providing for the Targeted Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 250) Amends Title 20 (Decedents, Estates, & Fiduciaries), in general provisions relating to health care, providing for applicability, definitions, and criminal penalties; in living wills, providing for emergency medical services; in out-of-hospital non-resuscitation, providing for definitions, orders, bracelets and necklaces, revocation, absence of order, bracelet or necklace, and emergency medical services, repealing provisions relating to the advisory committee and providing for discontinuance; providing for Pennsylvania orders for life-sustaining treatment; and making editorial changes. Provides for Pennsylvania orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) to be used by medical professionals across all health care settings. Section 7 and the addition of 20 Pa.C.S. 5496 are effective immediately, and the remainder is effective in 90 days.

(PN 296) Amends Title 66 (Public Utilities), in alternative form of regulation of telecommunications services, providing a local exchange telecommunication company shall be able to offer broadband services at speeds of 100 megabits per second in the downstream direction and equeal to or greater than 20 megabits per second in the upstream direction, or minimum speeds directed by the Federal Communications Commission, whichever is greater, within 10 business days of request for broadband service by January 1, 2026. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 308) Amends the Public Employe Relations Act, in strikes, providing a public employer may not discontinue a public employee's health benefits during the period the employee is engaged in a strike. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 317) Amends the Public School Code, in terms and courses of study, providing for menstruation education. Provides that beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, each school entity may offer instruction on menstruation that is age appropriate, accurate and includes relevant information. The Department of Education (PDE) shall consult with the State Board of Education and educators to provide educational expertise, training and resources and the curriculum guidelines shall state the minimum amount of instruction necessary to adequately educate students on menstruation. Provides each school entity providing instruction shall offer programs on menstruation for all related instructors and training may be used as continuing professional education credit. PDE shall provide guidelines, training, and other related materials. Provides definitions for department, menstruation, and school entity. Effective immediately.

(PN 345) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), for opioid stewardship; establishing the Opioid Reparation and Accountability Fund and the Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council. Provides for the appropriations to the fund and reporting requirements for manufacturers and distributors of opioids and purposes, duties, and membership of the advisory council. Establishes the grant and annual reporting requirements and imposes duties on the council to consult with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the Department of Health to develop measurable outcomes to determine the effectiveness of money allocated. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 365) Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for judicial administration to provide the General Assembly may, by statute, establish venue in civil cases in the commonwealth. Joint Resolutions proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania Constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approval by the voters through a referendum. (PN 365) Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for judicial administration to provide the General Assembly may, by statute, establish venue in civil cases in the commonwealth. Joint Resolutions proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania Constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approval by the voters through a referendum.

(PN 402) Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for the right to medical freedom to state an individual has the right to refuse any medical procedure, treatment, injection, vaccine or prophylactic and may not be questioned or interfered with in any manner. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged to any person in the state because of the exercise of the right to refuse. A Joint Resolution proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania Constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approval by the voters through a referendum.

(PN 442) The Paid Family Leave Act provides for paid family and medical leave for eligible employees under certain circumstances and for regulations by the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I). Defines department, eligible employee, employer and FMLA, relating to family and medical leave. Provides the general rule that an employer subject to this section shall provide not less than 12 weeks of paid leave to an eligible employee. Provides protections for an eligible employee as well as provides for amount of leave and benefits. L&I may promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 516) Amends Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries), providing for compassionate aid in dying and inserting definitions for attending provider, capable, confirmation of terminal illness, consulting provider, counseling, department, end-of-life medication, health care facility, health care provider, informed decision, long-term facility, medical confirmation, mental health care provider, participate under this chapter, patient, provider, qualified patient and terminal illness. To qualify for end-of-life medication, patients must have a terminal illness, be capable of making an informed decision and reside in Pennsylvania. Allows qualified patients to request and rescind end-of-life medication and provides a valid form of written request shall be developed and require a witness for the request. If the patient is in long-term care, one of the witnesses shall be a designated, qualified individual. Outlines template for medication request and declaration of witness forms. Specifies at least 15 days shall elapse between the qualified patient's initial oral request and the prescription and at least 48 hours for written requests, barring exceptions. Details responsibilities for attending providers of a qualified patient. Requires a confirmation of terminal illness before a patient is qualified. Details procedures for counseling referrals and notifications of family. Requires all documents related to the end-of-life mediation request to be documented or filed in the qualified patient's medical record. The Department of Health (DOH) shall generate and make available to public an annual statistical report of collected information. Specified no provision in a contract, will or other agreement shall be valid to the extent it would condition or restrict an individual's decision to make or rescind a request. Outlines guidelines for health care provider participation, notification and permissible sanctions. Provides a governmental entity that incurs costs resulting from a qualified patient ending their life in a public place shall have a claim against the estate to recover costs and reasonable attorney fees. Provides for immunity if eligible. Addresses liability for the mishandling of instruments, undue influence and civil damages. Imposes prohibitions and penalties. Effective in 120 days.

(PN 973) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for association health plans. Inserts definitions for Affordable Care Act, association, commissioner, covered individual, employee, employer, employer member, ERISA, health care service, health factor, health insurance policy, health insurer and sole proprietor. Associations may not sponsor an association health plan or make the health plan coverage available unless the association meets certain criteria. Association health plans shall be guaranteed issue and renewable, be subject to the Affordable Care Act, comply with all applicable coverage requirements, provide essential health benefits and provide a level of coverage that is designed to provide benefits actuarially equivalent to or greater than 60 percent of the full actuarial value of the policy benefits. Imposes certain requirements on associations and association health plans. Makes related repeals. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 540) The Immunization Freedom Act provides a health care practitioner may not cease to provide pediatric care to a patient when the parent or legal guardian of a patient chooses to utilize a vaccination schedule that varies from the vaccination schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if the patient receives no less than one vaccination each calendar year. Provides insurer may not refuse to provide coverage under a health care policy or compensate or reimburse a health care practitioner operating within the scope of his or her practice for a vaccination administered on a schedule that varies from the vaccination schedule recommended by the CDC. Effective immediately.

(PN 580) The Protection of Patients and Medical Personnel from Health Care Facility Retaliation Act provides for the protection of patients and medical personnel from health care facility retaliation, prohibitions, rebuttable presumptions, discriminatory treatment, for restitution and damages, for peer review activity and for exemption. This act does not apply to an inmate of a state correctional institution or juvenile facility owned or operated by the state or local government or to an inmate housed in a local detention facility, including a county correctional institution or a juvenile hall, juvenile camp or other juvenile detention facility. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 586) The Safe Schools Partnership Act establishes the Safe Schools Partnership within the Office of Attorney General; confers powers and imposes duties on the attorney general and the secretary of education; provides for a bullying identification, prevention and intervention model plan; and imposes duties on the schools and school districts. Provides definitions. Effective immediately.

(PN 597) The State Workers' Insurance Board Health Insurance Program Act authorizes the State Workers' Insurance Board to make available health insurance policies for purchase by the general public; providing for premiums; and authorizes a loan from the State Workers' Insurance Fund. Provides the State Workers' Insurance Board with the power to establish, implement and administer a program to provide for the sale of health insurance coverage to individuals, businesses or other entities in a form and at premiums as the board shall, from time to time, determine. Allows the board to borrow from the fund in the form of a repayable loan amounts as may be necessary to provide for the payment of claims and administrative expenses that may arise from the program. Provides the board shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this act. Effective January 1, 2023 or immediately, whichever is later.

(PN 656) The Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act is established to develop and administer a medical leave insurance program. Provides definitions for application year, benefits, board, claim, covered individual, covered services member, department, employee, employer, family, family and medical leave insurance, fund, health care provider, leave, medical certification, program, qualifying exigency leave, secretary, serious health condition, statewide average weekly wage, Unemployment Compensation Law and Workers' Compensation Act. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program within the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) and L&I shall create all required documentation and provide notice of applications to the program. Outlines the powers and duties of L&I to administer the program. Details eligibility requirements for family and medical leave insurance benefits. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund as a non-lapsing fund in the State Treasury. L&I shall provide, no later than September 1, 2027, and each September 1 thereafter, a report to the labor and industry committees in the General Assembly with information on the insurance program. L&I shall establish the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Advisory Board to assist with implementing the program. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 696) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary), in organization of appellate courts, further providing for reassignment of matters; and, in organization and jurisdiction of courts of common pleas, further providing for original jurisdiction and venue. Establishes an exception for medical professional liability causes of action for which subject matter jurisdiction is determined in general rule. Provides for medical professional liability actions. Provides definitions for birth center, health care provider, hospital, medical professional liability action, medical professional liability claim, nursing home and primary health care center. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 707) The Race, Discrimination and Forms of Bias Training Act provides for social bias and cultural competence training for public employees and licensees and imposes duties on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to develop and implement the training. Provides definitions for commission, cultural competence, employee, licensee, political subdivision, public office and social bias. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 769) The Genetic Materials Privacy and Compensation Act provides a genetic material testing entity may not misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the extent to which data is collected, used, or maintained or methods for protecting the privacy, confidentiality, or security of genetic material, or the purpose of the collection, use, or disclosure of genetic material. Provides for compensation, genetic material database requests, data deletion requirements, a mandated privacy program, ownership, violations, and remedies available to individuals. Provides related definitions. Effective in 120 days.

(PN 838) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), providing for licensing and regulation of agricultural commodity handlers; creating an Agricultural Commodity Indemnity Fund; and providing for penalties and enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Commodity Indemnity Fund. Requires those seeking handler's licenses to apply annually with the Department of Agriculture (PDA). Establishes statutory agents. Requires applicants that do not conduct business at an address in the commonwealth to include a written appointment of an agent based in the commonwealth or owns a corporation with its principal place of business in the commonwealth in their application. Establishes financial responsibility standards relating to current assets, current liabilities, net worth, and accounting procedures. Provides PDA with authority to administer and enforce the chapter, as well as inspect warehouses or outside premises and require the filing of reports describing warehouses or their operation. Establishes criteria in which licenses may be refused or suspended, as well as hearings related to licensure refusal or suspension. Outlines penalties for failure to obtain handler's license and violations. Effective in 120 days.

(PN 852) Amends Human Services Code, in fraud and abuse control, further providing for definitions, for restrictions on provider charges and payments and for venue and limitations on actions. Provides that an individual seeking to provide goods or services reimbursable, in whole or in part, under the medical assistance program who does not have a National Provider Identifier shall register with the Department of Human Services (DHS) and obtain a State Provider Identifier (SPI) prior to the provisions of goods or services. Further provides DHS shall create and implement a standardized training program for individuals providing goods or services for which a claim will be submitted using an SPI. Allows for civil actions and criminal prosecutions brought pursuant to this act for violations to be commenced within five years after the date the violation or violations occur. Effective in 90 days.

(PN 857) Amends the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, further providing for the treatment of work-related injuries; and, in procedure, further providing for peer review. Adds that the department assigns a request for utilization review to a utilization review organization at random. Requires that the department approves only those utilization review organizations that it deems to have obtained certification or accreditation by a nationally recognized organization. Requires within 30 days of the effective date, the department to transmit a notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication and upon publication, prohibits an entity without the proper certification or accreditation to engage in utilization review. Allows for utilization review organizations to not file for reauthorization if it was deemed by the department to be actively working to obtain the necessary certification but has not done so yet. Adds that the department enters into an agreement with the selected nationally recognized certification or accreditation organization to provide the certification process for the utilization review organizations. Requires the department to conduct outreach to all entities approved as utilization review organizations by the department prior to the effective date and outlines notice content requirements. Makes technical adjustments. Adds a peer review requirement. Effective 60 days.

(PN 862) The Medical Service Agreement Act provides for direct primary care, medical service agreements and insurance, for medical service agreement requirements, for use of health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts and for use of other health care practitioners. Requires medical service agreements to be in writing, signed by the patient or patient's legal representative or guardian, signed by the physician, allow either party to terminate the medical service agreement upon written notice to the other party, describe the specific health care services included in the medical service agreement, specify the fee for the medical service agreement and include a specified statement. Provides for the use of health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 897) Amends the Patient Test Result Information Act, further providing for definitions, for test results and for duties of Department of Health. Adds a definition for "chronic condition." Adds, that "diagnostic imaging services" does not include non-imaging study, including electrocardiograms, standard EKG treadmill stress tests, cardiac monitors, pulmonary function tests or similar tests. Removes the definition for "significant abnormality." Removes the text in section 3 (a) related to the general rule and adds requirements for written notice at time of service by the diagnostic imaging entity to the patient. Adds to Section 3 (b) related to exceptions, that diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient with a chronic condition if the patient has previously received notice of the chronic condition and that diagnostic imaging services test results provided to patient at the time of the test. Strikes Section 3 (c) related to the time period of notification. Adds, in duties, that the department should coordinate with the applicable state licensing boards on complaints received by the department related to entities performing diagnostic imaging services not under the department's jurisdiction. Allows the department to exempt other test from the notice requirements. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 909) The Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program Design Act provides for the study and design of a program for importing prescription drugs from Canada. Further provides that the Department of Health must conduct a study to identify prescription drugs with the highest potential for consumer savings, estimate savings, evaluate the likelihood of participation in a program by consumers, pharmacies, health care providers, health insurance companies and other stakeholders, identify the extent to which prescription drugs imported through a program could comply with the tracking and tracing requirements, estimate the costs of operating a program, identify a method of financial support for a program, assess the potential for anticompetitive behavior and provide legislative recommendations regarding the establishment of a program. Effective immediately.

(PN 919) The Parental Rights Protection Act provides the liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, care and welfare of their child is a fundamental right, prohibits the commonwealth or agency to infringe upon the right, provides for civil relief for a parent whose fundamental right has been infringed. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 989) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, in pharmacy benefit manager cost transparency requirements, providing for sharing of cost, benefit and coverage data required to provide a health insurer or pharmacy benefits manager shall, upon request of a covered individual or appropriate party, shall furnish the cost, benefit and coverage data to the covered individual. Details the required information and duties imposed on insurers and managers. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1064)The Health Insurance Preventative Services Coverage Act provides for an insurer offering, issuing or renewing an individual health insurance policy or group health insurance policy shall provide coverage and not impose any cost-sharing requirements for preventative services at least as comprehensive in scope as the preventative services required to be provided in an individual health insurance policy or group health insurance first offered or issued in this commonwealth in 2022, directs the department to promulgate regulations to carry out the act, imposes penalties for violation. Effective immediately.

(PN 1101) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), in health care cost containment, providing for full financial disclosure by hospitals and freestanding ambulatory service facilities. Establishes the duty of a hospital or a freestanding ambulatory service facility to submit financial statements and to submit an annual summary. Specifies information required under the act shall be made available to the Health Care Cost Containment Council (council) and the council shall make the information available for public inspection. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1448) The Health Facility Employee Violence Prevention Act provides for violence prevention committees in health care facilities to establish, review, administer and provide guidance about a program relating to the prevention of workplace violence at the health facility. Provides for membership composition. Requires the committee to perform a risk assessment evaluation, hold quarterly meetings to review incidents, issue reports and provide employee training. Provides for penalties of less than $1,000 for violation of the act. Provides for appeals to the Department of Labor and Industry. Directs the department to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the act. Effective in 90 days.

(PN 1161) Amends the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for prohibition on medical assistance managed care payment for provider-preventable conditions. Establishes a medical assistance managed care organization may not pay for provider-preventable conditions. Provides definitions for medical assistance managed care organization and provider-preventable conditions. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1171) Amends Title 35 (Health & Safety), in health care cost containment, providing for mandated health benefits obligatory review. Provides before a bill relating to a mandated health benefit or health insurance coverage is considered for the first time by either the Senate or House of Representatives, the Health Care Cost Containment Council shall review the proposed mandate and make recommendations according to other provisions under the act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1220) Amends Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, in medical professional liability, further providing for a physician performing surgery on a patient to personally disclose to the patient or the patient's authorized representative whether the physician plans to perform a concurrently scheduled surgery or render other concurrently scheduled medical care during the patient's surgery. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1319) The Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act providing up to six weeks of family unpaid leave to eligible employees to care for a family member; provides for duties for the Department of Labor and Industry. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1348) Amends the Tax Reform Code, providing for Pennsylvania Individual Recruitment and Retention Tax Credit to allow qualifying taxpayers to claim a tax credit not to exceed $2,500 against their tax liability for wages earned as a recently certified professional. Outlines prohibitions and imposes duties upon the Department of Revenue (DOR). The tax credit program shall expire December 31, 2028. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1363) Amends the Minimum Wage Act allowing a municipality to adopt an ordinance that provides for a greater minimum wage; and repealing provisions relating to preemption. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1405) Amend the Minimum Wage Act, further providing definitions and for minimum wages. Provides the cash wage an employee is paid should not be less than 70 percent of the wage in effect under section 4 of this act. Provides for fifteen dollars an hour minimum wage beginning January 1, 2024. Provides for a minimum wage increase by the annual cost-of-living adjustment calculated using the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) starting January 1, 2025, and every January 1 thereafter. Provides guidelines for the secretary to calculate the adjustment and notify the Legislative Reference Bureau to put in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Effective immediately.

(PN 1597) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing a hearing in a disciplinary matter may require a respondent to appear in person or remotely via the use of communication technology for a hearing before a hearing examiner, licensing board or commission. Provides for if the respondent fails to appear in person or remotely. Provides for a person who has suffered an adverse effect stemming from the conduct alleged. Further provides for the definition of "communication technology" as used in this section. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1413, 1469) (PN 1469) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing a hearing in a disciplinary matter may require a respondent to appear in person or remotely via the use of communication technology for a hearing before a hearing examiner, licensing board or commission. Provides for if the respondent fails to appear in person or remotely. Provides for a person who has suffered an adverse effect stemming from the conduct alleged. Specifies the definition of "communication technology" as used in this section. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1413) (PN 1413) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing a hearing in a disciplinary matter shall require a respondent to appear in person or remotely via the use of communication technology for a hearing before a hearing examiner, licensing board or commission and a complaint and any individual, entity or a representative of an entity that is named in a complaint for a disciplinary matter pending before a hearing examiner, licensing board or commission shall have an opportunity to provide testimony related to the complaint at a hearing. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2159) Amends the Human Services Code, in public assistance, to further provide for medical assistance payments for institutional care and to provide for emergency transportation services and for case-mix rates for nursing facilities; in statewide quality care assessment, to further provide for definitions, for implementation, for administration, for restricted account and for expiration; continues the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority and the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Fund; and makes repeals. Amends the act by adding sections providing for emergency transportation services, case-mix rates for nursing facilities, and rebasing net inpatient revenue and net outpatient revenue amounts on amounts owed for fiscal year 2023-24 and thereafter. Further provides for emergency transportation services. Amends section 804-G(a), (a.1) and (a.3), further providing for calculation and notice of assessment amount. Further provides for the establishment of a restricted account and limitations. Adds an article relating to the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority to protect and promote access by the residents of this commonwealth to high-quality health care in rural communities by encouraging innovation in health care delivery. Provides definitions. Provides for continuation of the authority, composition of the board, terms of the members of the board, quorum, meetings, chairperson, formation, conflict of interest, and compensation and expenses. Details the powers and duties of the board, specifying a general rule, global budget model, audit, reports and publication. Establishes a subarticle providing for participation in the global budget model. Establishes a subarticle providing for data collection and confidentiality. Establishes a subarticle providing for the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Fund. Makes several repeals. Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1493, 1802, 2124) (PN 2124) Amends the Human Services Code, in public assistance, to further provide for medical assistance payments for institutional care and to provide for emergency transportation services and for case-mix rates for nursing facilities; in statewide quality care assessment, to further provide for definitions, for implementation, for administration, for restricted account and for expiration; continues the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority and the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Fund; and makes repeals. Amends the act by adding sections providing for emergency transportation services, case-mix rates for nursing facilities, and rebasing net inpatient revenue and net outpatient revenue amounts on amounts owed for fiscal year 2023-24 and thereafter. Amends section 804-G(a), (a.1) and (a.3), further providing for calculation and notice of assessment amount. Further provides for the establishment of a restricted account and limitations. Adds an article relating to the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority to protect and promote access by the residents of this commonwealth to high-quality health care in rural communities by encouraging innovation in health care delivery. Provides definitions. Provides for continuation of the authority, composition of the board, terms of the members of the board, quorum, meetings, chairperson, formation, conflict of interest, and compensation and expenses. Details the powers and duties of the board, specifying a general rule, global budget model, audit, reports and publication. Establishes a subarticle providing for participation in the global budget model. Establishes a subarticle providing for data collection and confidentiality. Establishes a subarticle providing for the Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Fund. Makes several repeals. Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1493, 1802) (PN 1802) Amends the PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Act, in PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority, further providing for PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority; and in PA Rural Health Redesign Center Fund, further providing for funding. Provides that PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority board members shall serve for a term of three years and not be eligible to serve more than two full consecutive three-year terms, further specifying board members. Allows the General Assembly to appropriate money to carry out the provisions of this act. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1493). (PN 1493) Amends the PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Act, in PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority, further providing for PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority; and in PA Rural Health Redesign Center Fund, further providing for funding. Provides that PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority board members shall serve for a term of three years and not be eligible to serve more than two full consecutive three-year terms, further specifying board members. Transfers $2.5 million from the General Fund to the PA Rural Health Redesign Center Fund for the purposes of this act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1500) Amends the Human Services Code, in fraud and abuse control, to provide a definition for representation. Makes it is unlawful for any person to make or cause to be made a materially false, fraudulent or misleading statement, claim or representation in a document or record in any format used by recipient under the medical assistance program. Imposes penalties for violations of the act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1518) Amends Title 63 (Professions & Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing additional power to issue an advisory opinion concerning the meaning or interpretation of an act or regulation pertaining to the license, registration, certificate or permit issued by the licensing board or commission. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1610) Amends Title 35 (Health & Safety), in commonwealth services, providing for work-related hazardous duty. Provides individuals employed by a life-sustaining business or occupation who is exposed to an infectious disease during the declaration of a disaster, epidemic or public health emergency, shall establish a presumption the employee's medical condition or inability to work is work-related hazardous duty. Individuals with an established presumption of hazardous duty shall be eligible and qualified for unemployment compensation. Inserts definitions for the act. Effective immediately.

(PN 1624) Amends the Human Services Code, in fraud and abuse control, adding a section to provide for false or fraudulent Medicaid claims and civil enforcement; and establishing the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Fund (fund) in the State Treasury. Details the acts a person commits which will be subject to damages and civil penalties with respect to false or fraudulent Medicaid claims. Provides that a person who commits an act prohibited in this section shall be liable for up to three times the amount of damages which the commonwealth sustains and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each violation. Asserts that the attorney general and the inspector general shall have concurrent authority to institute proceedings under this section. Provides that the attorney general or inspector general may bring a civil action under this section in Commonwealth Court. Establishes that commonwealth agencies shall cooperate with the attorney general or inspector general in investigations and proceedings relating to false or fraudulent claims under this section. Provides that all revenues derived from civil penalties related to Medicaid under this article shall be deposited into the fund. Details that the proceeds in the fund shall be appropriated for expanding the number of investigators in and capabilities of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (unit) until the attorney general certifies to the governor and general assembly that the unit is adequately resourced to enforce the laws of this commonwealth relating to false or fraudulent Medicaid claims. Specifies definitions. effective in 60 days.

(PN 1697) Amends the Physical Therapy Practice Act, further providing for definitions, for powers and duties of board, for training and license required and exceptions, for qualifications for license, examinations, failure of examinations, licensure without examination, issuing of license, foreign applicants for licensure, temporary license and perjury, for continuing education, for practice of physical therapy and for physical therapist assistant, education and examination, scope of duties and certification. Defines and provides for “certificate of authorization.” Provides for gender neutral language. Requires an individualized assessment to be included in a moral character assessment of applicants with a criminal conviction. Allows continuing education requirements for a certificate of authorization to fulfill the continuing education requirement for license renewal. Provides for the issuance, renewal and display of certificates of authorization. Provides for additional evidence that may satisfy the board. Revokes certificates of authorization if licensees fail to be covered by required insurance and restores certificates of authorization when licensees provide the board with satisfactory evidence that coverage has been restored. Requires continued physical therapy education relating to field advancements for each renewal of certificates of authorization. Provides for the approval of continuing education programs. Increases the timeframe during which a physical therapist may treat an individual without a referral from 30 days to 60 days. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1534) Amends the Minimum Wage Act requiring the tipped minimum wage to be 60 percent of the cash wage and gradually raising the minimum to $15 per hour by Jan. 1, 2026, and increasing each Jan. 1 based on the Consumer Price Index. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1726) The Health Care Practitioner Credentialing Act provides for the use of certain credentialing applications and for credentialing requirements for health insurers; imposing penalties; and conferring powers and imposing duties on the Insurance Department. Adds further definitions. Provides for the utilization of CAQH and requires all health insurers licensed to do business in Pennsylvania to accept the GAQH credentialing application. Establishes notice requirements for the receipt of the application by the health insurer and provides for the issuance guidelines of the credentialing. Provides for penalties on health insurers for failure to utilize CAQH or other applications. Allows the Insurance Department to enforce and create rules and regulations to administer and enforce the act. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 2883) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for telemedicine. Provides definitions. Provides for telemedicine, authorizes the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards and provides for insurance coverage of medically necessary and appropriate telemedicine. Establishes requirements for health insurance coverage of telemedicine services. Provides for standards of care for telemedicine services. Directs the department to promulgate regulations. Establishes applicability for rates or forms required and not required by health insurers. Provides for the applicability of 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 47, for health insurance policies for which either rates or forms are required to be filed, upon policies for which a form or rate is first filed on or after 180 days after the effective date. Provides for the applicability of 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 47, for health insurance policies for which neither rates nor forms are required to be filed, upon policies issued or renewed on or after 180 days after the effective date. Provides for the applicability of health insurance policies and network participation agreements. Makes technical changes to emphasize appropriateness. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1728, 2786) (PN 2786) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for telemedicine. Provides definitions. Provides for telemedicine, authorizes the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards and provides for insurance coverage of medically necessary and appropriate telemedicine. Establishes requirements for health insurance coverage of telemedicine services. Provides for standards of care for telemedicine services. Directs the department to promulgate regulations. Establishes applicability for rates or forms required and not required by health insurers. Provides for the applicability of 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 47, for health insurance policies for which either rates or forms are required to be filed, upon policies for which a form or rate is first filed on or after 180 days after the effective date. Provides for the applicability of 40 Pa.C.S. Ch. 47, for health insurance policies for which neither rates nor forms are required to be filed, upon policies issued or renewed on or after 180 days after the effective date. Provides for the applicability Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1728) (PN 1728) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), providing for telemedicine, authorizing the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards and providing for insurance coverage of telemedicine. Adds further definitions. Establishes the requirements for health insurance coverage of telemedicine services. Provides for the legal standard of care for telemedicine services. Provides for the department to promulgate regulations. Establishes applicability for rates or forms required and not required by health insurers. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1781) Amends "An act enabling certain minors to consent to medical, dental and health services, declaring consent unnecessary under certain circumstances," increases the age of consent to treat medical, dental and mental health issues to 16 years old. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1819) Amends the Clinical Laboratory Act adding a new section allowing a certified clinical laboratory or a clinical laboratory operating under the act to directly or indirectly advertise or solicit business for diagnostic laboratory testing if the testing is ordered by a health care practitioner or another person authorized by the laws of the commonwealth, to order the test; the testing is performed by the clinical laboratory; the clinical laboratory is a covered entity or a business associate of a covered entity for the purposes with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act; and the clinical laboratory does not make a claim about the reliability and validity of the testing is inconsistent with the testing proficiency standards under the Public Health Service Act. Provides the Department of Health may prohibit the use of a clinical laboratory's advertisement or solicitation of business for diagnostic laboratory testing or ancestry testing if the department determines the diagnostic laboratory testing or ancestry testing poses a public threat; or the diagnostic laboratory or ancestry testing is not in compliance with the new section. Effective immediately.

(PN 1836) Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, providing for health care as a human right. Indicates that it is the obligation of the state to ensure every resident of the commonwealth has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right as well as the opportunity to achieve and enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. A Joint Resolution proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania Constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive legislative sessions and then approval by the voters through a referendum.

(PN 1840) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for a health care facility to establish and make publicly accessible a policy regarding the prohibition or acceptance of the possession of firearms or firearm accessories, including ammunition, within or on the premises of the health care facility. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1856) Amends the Cosmetology Law, further providing for the definition of "esthetics" to include removing superfluous hair by blade. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1876) Amends The Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, providing coverage for biomarker testing. Indicates health insurance policies offered, issued or renewed in state or a government program shall provide for genetic or molecular testing for cancer. Within one year of the effective date, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) shall report to the banking committees of the General Assembly on the impact of providing the coverage. Provides definitions for the act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1877) Amends the Administrative Code, in Independent Fiscal Office, providing for medical assistance managed care payment analysis. Beginning in 2025, the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) shall develop capitated payment rates for the physical health medical assistance managed care program and the managed long-term services and supports program for the subsequent calendar year. IFO shall submit the rates to the governor and General Assembly by May 1, 2025, and May 1 each year thereafter. Outlines confidentiality of data and information. Provides definitions for department and medical assistance managed care organization. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3504) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered into by health care practitioners and employers and provides for a study by the Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). Details legislative intent for the bill. Provides, revises and amends definitions. Strikes out said language on enforceability, exception and construction. Provides for the act’s applicability, details the exception that an employer may enforce a noncompete covenant if the length of the noncompete covenant is no more than one year, provided that the health care practitioner was not dismissed by the employer, and provides construction, adding that a preexisting noncompete covenant may be rendered void and unenforceable under this act if a health care practitioner is not a party to the sale, transfer or other disposition under subparagraph (I). Amends the patient notification provision, establishing that the employer shall notify the health care practitioner’s patients seen within the past year of the health care practitioner’s departure, how the patient may transfer the patient’s health records to a health care practitioner other than with the employer and that the patient may be assigned to a new health care practitioner within the existing employer if the patient chooses to continue receiving care from the employer. Stipulates that the employer shall provide the notice within 90 days of the health care practitioner’s departure. Applies the notification requirement to a health care practitioner with an ongoing outpatient relationship with the patient of two or more years. Provides that within three years of the effective date, PHC4 shall perform a study on the effects of this act and shall report its findings to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the House Health Committee. Effective Jan. 1, 2025. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1917, 1960, 2817, 2959, 3486) (PN 3486) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered into by health care practitioners and employers and provides for a study by the Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). Details legislative intent for the bill. Provides definitions, amending the definitions of “health care practitioner,” “noncompete covenant” and “primary health care facility or office.” Strikes out said language on enforceability, exception and construction. Provides for the act’s applicability, details the exception that an employer may enforce a noncompete covenant if the length of the noncompete covenant is no more than one year, provided that the health care practitioner was not dismissed by the employer, and provides construction. Amends patient notification provision and provides within 90 days following the departure of a health care practitioner from an employer for those seen within the past year, which shall include additional practitioner information. Applies the notification requirement to a health care practitioner with an ongoing outpatient relationship with the patient. Provides the study performed by PHC4 shall be effective within three years of the effective date of this section and report findings to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House Health Committee. Effective January 1, 2025. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1917, 1960, 2817, 2959) (PN 2959) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered into by health care practitioners and employers. Details legislative intent for the bill. Provides definitions, amending the definition of “noncompete covenant.” Provides for enforceability. Provides an exception if the primary health care facility or office where the health care practitioner is employed is located in a county of the sixth, seventh or eighth class, if the geographic restriction is less than a 45-mile radius from the primary health care facility or office and if the length of the noncompete covenant is no more than two years. Allows for the enforcement of a contract provision that allows an employer to recover reasonable expenses from a health care practitioner under certain circumstances. Provides for patient notification within 90 days following the departure of a health care practitioner from an employer for those seen within the past year, which shall include additional practitioner information. Applies the notification requirement to a physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant with an ongoing outpatient relationship with the patient. Section 5 shall be effective in 30 days. The remainder of this act shall be effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1917, 1960, 2817) (PN 2817) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered into by health care practitioners and employers. Details legislative intent for the bill. Provides definitions. Voids noncompete covenants entered into or amended on or after the effective date, deeming them contrary to public policy. Voids a noncompete covenant entered into or amended prior to the effective date upon the renewal of a health care practitioner’s license, registration or certification within the commonwealth. Provides an exception if the primary health care facility or office where the health care practitioner is employed is located in a county of the sixth, seventh or eighth class, if the geographic restriction is less than a 45-mile radius from the primary health care facility or office and if the length of the noncompete covenant is no more than two years. Allows for the enforcement of a contract provision that allows an employer to recover reasonable expenses from a health care practitioner under certain circumstances. Provides for patient notification within 90 days following the departure of a health care practitioner from an employer for those seen within the past year, which shall include additional practitioner information. Applies the notification requirement to a physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant with an ongoing outpatient relationship with the patient. Sections 4 and 6 are effective immediately. The remainder of the act shall take effect in 30 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1917, 1960) (PN 1960) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered by health care practitioners and employers. Provides for what the General Assembly finds and declares. Defines “employer,” “health care practitioner,” “noncompete covenant” and “patient” when used in this act. Establishes enforceability for noncompete covenants. Asserts that nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the enforcement of a contract provision entered into prior to the effective date of this section that allows an employer to recover expenses from a health care practitioner, outlining what the expenses are. Provides for patient notification and states that the employer shall provide the notice within 90 days of the health care practitioner’s departure. Provisions relating to noncompete covenants shall be effective immediately. The remainder of this act shall be effective in 30 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1917)  (PN 1917) The Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act prohibits the enforcement of certain noncompete covenants entered by health care practitioners and employers. Inserts definitions for employer, health care practitioner, noncompete covenant and patient. Provisions relating to noncompete covenants shall take effect immediately, the remainder of the act is effective in 60 days.

(PN 3026) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to provide for xylazine dispensing, prescribing, administering, manufacturing, distributing and use, further providing for schedules of controlled substances; and providing for secure storage of xylazine. Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1963, 2091)     (PN 2091) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to provide for xylazine dispensing, prescribing, administering, manufacturing, distributing and use. Defines xylazine substances, compounds, mixtures and preparations. Provides for secure storage of xylazine to indicate a practitioner who is a veterinarian shall comply with the Pharmacy Act for the storage and protection of xylazine. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1963) (PN 1963) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act to provide for xylazine dispensing, prescribing, administering, manufacturing, distributing and use. Defines xylazine substances, compounds, mixtures and preparations. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1965) Establishes the Artificial Intelligence Utilization Review (AURA) Act. Provides for disclosure and documentation by health insurers of the use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms in the utilization review process. Provides for violations of the act to be deemed an unfair method of competition and an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Unfair Insurance Practices Act. Provides for penalties of violations, including suspension or revocation of license of the insurer, refusal to issue a new license to the insurer, a fine of a maximum of $5,000 per violation and a fine of a maximum of $10,000 per willful violation. Provides for fine maximums of $500,000 for insurers and $100,000 for any other person during a single calendar year. Provides remedies in addition to the remedies and penalties imposed by the Unfair Insurance Practices Act, the Accident and Health Filing Reform Act and the Pennsylvania Health Care Insurance Portability Act. Provides the Commonwealth Court for appeals. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2812) Amends Titles 61 (Prisons and Parole) and 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in general administration, providing for earned vocational training and education credit to encourage inmate participation and competition of inmate vocational training and education programs for the purposes of improving public safety outcomes; in Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, further providing for parole power and for short sentence parole; and, in powers and duties, further providing for consideration of criminal convictions. Asserts that an inmate sentenced on or after the effective date and incarcerated under the supervision of the department shall earn vocational training and education credit toward sentence reduction, outlining the schedule to be followed. Maintains that an inmate may not earn vocational training and education credits under subsection (a) in excess of one-fourth of the inmate’s minimum sentence, adding that an inmate shall only receive such credit on completion of programming required by the department. Provides for exclusions and parole. Allows the department and board to promulgate rules and regulations as deemed necessary to implement and administer this subchapter. Removes the language adding a subsection to section 4506 of Title 61. Amends sections 6137(a)(3) and (3.1) (i) and (g)(2), (2.1), (4) introductory paragraph and (5) and 6137.1(b) of Title 61 to provide for vocational training and education credits under Subchapter E of Chapter 11. Amends section 3113(c)(6) and (e)(1) of Title 63 to provide for earned vocational training and education credits. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1986, 1980) (PN 1986) Amends Title 61 (Prisons & Parole), in general administration, to allow and encourage inmate participation and completion for earned income vocational training and education programs. Inmates sentenced after the effective date shall earn credits towards sentence reduction upon meeting certain requirements. Amends Title 63 (Possessions & Occupations (State Licensed)) to address inmates involved in recidivism risk reduction incentive minimums. Updates language throughout to reflect changes. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer's Number: 1980) (PN 1980) Amends Title 61 (Prisons & Parole), in general administration, to allow and encourage inmate participation and completion for earned income vocational training and education programs. Inmates sentenced after the effective date shall earn credits towards sentence reduction upon meeting certain requirements. Amends Title 63 (Possessions & Occupations) to address inmates involved in recidivism risk reduction incentive minimums. Updates language throughout to reflect changes. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2016) Amends the Administrative Code, in powers and duties of the Department of Health and its departmental administrative and advisory boards, to provide for monitoring spread of emerging illicit drugs. Empowers the Department of Health (DOH) monitor the introduction, expansion and use of illicit drugs, gather information on the drugs, submit an informational report to the appropriate committees of the General Assembly within 30 days and determine whether a drug should be classified as a controlled substance under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2093) Amends The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for schedules of controlled substances. Provides a list of controlled substances included in this schedule. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2046) Amends Title 51 (Military Affairs), in professional and occupational licenses, to provide the Department of Health and the Department of State shall establish a military medical personnel pilot program in which military medical personnel may practice and perform certain duties that constitute the practice of medicine under the supervision of a physician or podiatrist who holds an active, unrestricted license issued by the commonwealth. Provides definitions for the act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2056) Amends "An act enabling certain minors to consent to medical, dental and health services, declaring consent unnecessary under certain circumstances," further providing for individual consent and for release of records. Provides that a parent or legal guardian of a minor under 18 years of age shall have full access to the minor's medical, dental or health services or mental health treatment records. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2060) Amending the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, further providing for definitions; providing for use of automated employment decision tool; and further providing for civil penalties. Adds definitions. Establishes the use of an automated employment decision tool and outlines use requirements, including notification of the interviewee of the use of the tool, as well as the obtention of consent by the interviewee for the employer to use the tool. Requires that the tool be subject of a bias audit conducted no more than a year prior to use. Provides for the powers and duties of the commission to adopt a schedule of civil penalities for violations by an employer or employment agency of the guidelines in the act. Outlines the publication requirements of the schedule in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Establishes a maximum fine of $500 for a first violation, a maximum of $1,500 and a minimum of $500 for each subsequent violation. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3198) Amends The Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, providing for coverage for biomarker testing. Provides that an insurer that offers, issues or renews a health insurance policy in this commonwealth shall include biomarker testing as a covered benefit, detailing what shall apply. Specifies act, federal and state law and regulation applicability upon biomarker testing coverage. Specifies the terms and conditions of an agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS), including determinations of medical necessity and clinical review criteria applying to medical assistance (MA) or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care plan’s coverage for biomarker testing. Specifies biomarker testing coverage shall be administered in a similar manner to other health care services provided under the terms and conditions of an agreement with DHS. Explains nothing in the subsection shall be construed as requiring an MA or CHIP managed care plan to cover biomarker testing for the purpose of screening. Provides definitions. Applies Section 635.9(A) to health insurance policies for which either rates or forms are required to be filed with the federal government or the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) and for which a form or rate is first filed on or after the section effective date. Applies Section 635.9(A) to health insurance policies for which neither rates nor forms are required to be filed with the federal government or PID and which are issued or renewed on or after 120 days after the effective date of the section. Applies Section 635.9(B) to MA and CHIP managed care plans beginning January 1, 2026. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2133) (PN 2133) Amends The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing that an insurer or medical assistance (MA) or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care plan that amends, delivers or renews a health insurance policy or an agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS) on or after Jan. 1, 2024, shall include biomarker testing as a covered benefit. Specifies that biomarker testing shall be covered for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management or ongoing monitoring of an insured or enrollee's disease or condition when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Further provides for coverage for biomarker testing. Establishes that an insurer shall submit a report to the Insurance Department and details what an MA or CHIP managed care plan shall submit to DHS by Jan. 31 of the following year. Specifies several definitions. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3054) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, adding a chapter to provide for payment choice; and imposing penalties at the commissioner’s discretion upon satisfactory evidence of the violation of this chapter by a health insurer or any other person. Specifies definitions, amending the definition of “electronic funds transfer,” “health care provider” and “health insurance policy,” removing the definition of “health care billing agent,” and adding the definition of “merchant servicer.” Asserts that a health insurer or its contracted vendor may not restrict the method of payment to a participating health care provider so that the exclusive payment method is a credit card payment. Details what a health insurer or its contracted vendor shall do if initiating or changing payments to a participating health care provider using electronic funds transfer payments, further providing for notification. Strikes all said language providing for fees. Establishes that the provisions of this section may not be waived by contract, and any contractual clause in conflict with the provisions of this section or that purport to waive any requirements of this section are void. Provides that the department may promulgate regulations necessary to implement this chapter. Provides for additional remedies and administrative procedure. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2347) (PN 2347) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, adding a chapter to provide for payment choice; and imposing penalties at the commissioner’s discretion upon satisfactory evidence of the violation of this chapter by a health insurer or any other person. Specifies definitions. Asserts that a health insurer or its contracted vendor may not restrict the method of payment to a participating health care provider so that the exclusive payment method is a credit card payment. Details what a health insurer or its contracted vendor shall do if initiating or changing payments to a participating health care provider using electronic funds transfer payments. Specifies fees. Establishes that the provisions of this section may not be waived by contract, and any contractual clause in conflict with the provisions of this section or that purport to waive any requirements of this section are void. Provides that the department may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this chapter. Provides for additional remedies and administrative procedure. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2348) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in food protection, providing for food allergy awareness program. Directs the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a food allergy awareness program which shall require a public eating or drinking place to comply with designating a manager who is knowledgeable regarding issues concerning food allergies and food preparation, requiring each food employee to review the materials provided under subsection (b). Asserts that DOH shall prepare and provide written and video materials on food allergy issues to a public eating or drinking place for review by each food employee as required in subsection (a)(2). Provides that each licensor, in collaboration with DOH, shall require a minimum knowledge of food allergy issues as condition for licensure. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2727) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in food protection, further providing for the definition of “potentially hazardous food,” providing for food allergy awareness and further providing for powers of department. Stipulates the requirements that each proprietor of a retail food facility shall comply with related to food allergy awareness. Directs the department to require posters under this section to contain, at a minimum, a description of the major food allergens and symptoms of an allergic reaction and any other related requirements that are specified in the food code, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), outlining what shall apply. Provides that the department shall make rules and regulations, guided by the 2022 edition of the food code published by the FDA or any successor document approved by the department under subsection (e). Asserts that the regulatory standards established by the department shall be standards followed and applied by any licensor with respect to retail food facilities. Adds a subsection providing for adoption by reference. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2349) (PN 2349) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in food protection, providing for food allergy awareness program. Directs the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a food allergy awareness program which shall require a public eating or drinking place to comply with prominently displaying a poster developed by DOH under subsection (b) in the staff area that provides information on food allergy awareness and including on a food menu a notice to a customer of the customer’s obligation to inform a service about the customer’s food allergy. Provides that DOH, in consultation with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, shall develop the poster required under subsection (a)(1) and approve the information on the poster. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2350) The Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Awareness Act provides for duty of primary care providers to provide information on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and for duties of Department of Health (DOH). Defines department, epilepsy, primary care provider and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Details the duties a primary care provider who manages the ongoing care of a patient shall have to provide information on SUDEP. Specifies DOH shall promulgate regulations as necessary to implement this act, enforce this act and the regulations promulgated under this act, make available a printable fact sheet and resource list on its website and update the printable fact sheet and resource list as it deems necessary to implement this act. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2351) Amends the County Code, in coroner, providing for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Requires that an autopsy conducted in this commonwealth shall include an inquiry to determine whether a death was a direct result of a seizure or epilepsy. Details what the coroner shall do if the findings in an autopsy of a corner are consistent with known or suspected SUDEP. Defines SUDEP. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2354) Amends the Medical Practice Act, further providing for temporary medical license to individuals to practice medicine who has graduated from an international medical school, performed the duties of a physician for at least three years outside of the United States and demonstrates competency as determined by the board, good standing with the board two years after the date of issuance, and demonstrated sufficient evidence that the temporary licensee has an offer of employment as a physician at a health farce facility that operates in Pennsylvania. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2437) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, further providing for civil penalties. Provides that licensing boards and licensing commissions shall have the power to rescind a license, registration, certification or permit issued by the professional or occupational licensing board or licensing commission where there is probable cause that the license, registration, certification or permit was issued based on documentation provided by or on behalf of the applicant that was found to be false or fraudulent. Asserts that the licensing board or licensing commission shall provide at least 10 days’ notice of the recission of the license, registration, certification or permit and shall offer the applicant the opportunity to demonstrate that the license, registration, certification or permit was not issued based on false or fraudulent documentation at a post-recission hearing before the appropriate licensing board or licensing commission, which shall occur within 20 days of the recission. Prohibits certain recessions. Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2363) (PN 2363) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, further providing for civil penalties. Provides that licensing boards and licensing commissions shall have the power to rescind a license, registration, certification or permit issued by the professional or occupational licensing board or licensing commission where there is probable cause that the license, registration, certification or permit was issued based on documentation provided by or on behalf of the applicant that was found to be false or fraudulent. Asserts that the licensing board or licensing commission shall provide at least 10 days’ notice of the recission of the license, registration, certification or permit and shall offer the applicant the opportunity to demonstrate that the license, registration, certification or permit was not issued based on false or fraudulent documentation at a post-recission hearing before the appropriate licensing board or licensing commission. Effective immediately.

(PN 2381) The Tattoo Practice Act provides for the licensure or registration of tattoo artists, guest tattoo artists, tattoo establishments and temporary establishments; regulates the practice of tattooing; imposes fees; provides for inspections by Department of Health (DOH); and imposes administrative and criminal penalties. Specifies definitions. Asserts that an individual may not tattoo the body of any human being in the commonwealth unless the individual is licensed as a tattoo artist or registered as a guest tattoo artist. Provides that an individual seeking licensure as a tattoo artist shall apply to the department in a format specified by the department and details what information the application under this subsection shall include. Provides for education courses and examinations. Provides for change of address, registration, and renewal and reregistration. Asserts that a tattoo artist license or guest tattoo artist registration issued by the department under this section shall not be transferable. Prohibits an individual from tattooing the body of a human being in this commonwealth unless the individual is located at a licensed tattoo establishment or temporary establishment. Prohibits an individual from operating a tattoo establishment or temporary establishment in this commonwealth unless the establishment is licensed under this section. Further provides for licensure. Specifies a temporary establishment shall meet the same requirements for licensure as a tattoo establishment. Provides for practice requirements of tattoo establishments and temporary establishments. Authorizes DOH to inspect and investigate each tattoo establishment or temporary establishment as necessary. Details that the department shall inspect a tattoo establishment at least once before the establishment performs tattoo services. Establishes that the department shall annually inspect 20 percent of all tattoo establishments in this commonwealth on a randomized basis. Directs the department to inspect a temporary establishment before and during a convention or similar event. Provides for disciplinary actions and penalties. Specifies the acts a person engages in which would be committing a misdemeanor of the second degree. Provides for minor children and for exception. Asserts that nothing in that act shall preempt a local ordinance or rule that imposes additional requirements on tattoo establishments, temporary establishments, tattoo artists, guest tattoo artists or the practice of tattooing than specified under this act. Provides for the applicability to medical or dental purposes and animals. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2422) Amends the Public Employe Relations Act, in strikes, to provide for health care benefits during strikes, asserting that a public employer may not discontinue a public employe’s health care benefits during the period that the public employe is engaged in a strike. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2490) The For-Profit Hospital Moratorium Act establishes a moratorium on for-profit hospital ownership; and directs the Joint State Government Commission to study and issue a report on for-profit hospitals. Establishes a moratorium for 24 months on the transfer of ownership of a hospital or health system in Pennsylvania if the acquiree or the other acquirer is a for-profit entity. Directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of for-profit hospitals and health systems ownership in Pennsylvania and outlines content requirements. Establishes reporting requirements of the study findings within 18 months of the effective date. Establishes an expiration date of the act 14 months after the section's effective date. Effective immediately.

(PN 2722) Amends the Patient Test Result Information Act, further providing for definitions, for test results and for duties of Department of Health (DOH). Defines “chronic condition,” further provides for the term “diagnostic imaging service” and removes language providing for “significant abnormality.” Requires the entity performing the diagnostic imaging service to provide written notice with a statement at the time of service to the patient or their designee, removing “immediately” from the statement that the notice shall include. Provides exceptions for the written notice including routine obstetrical ultrasounds to monitor fetus development, diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient who is treated on an inpatient basis in an emergency department or observation unit in a hospital, diagnostic radiographs, diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient with a chronic condition if the patient has been diagnosed already and when test results are provided to a patient or designee at the time of the test. Further provides for the disclosure of test results, outlining an exception, policies and procedures and face-to-face requirements and replacing 72 hours with one full business day. Provides that the results may be released early if they are pathology or radiology reports that have reasonable likelihood of showing a malignancy and tests that could reveal genetic markers. Provides the duties of DOH include conducting compliance reviews of healthcare facilities and clinical laboratories licensed or permitted by the department. Asserts that DOH shall limit the scope of compliance reviews under subsection (a) to determining whether policies and procedures have been developed and implemented in accordance with section 3(h). Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2487) (PN 2487) Amends the Patient Test Result Information Act, further providing for definitions, for test results and for duties of Department of Health (DOH). Defines chronic condition. Provides further criteria for diagnostic imaging service. Requires the entity performing the diagnostic imaging service to provide written notice with a statement at the time of service to the patient or their designee. Provides exceptions for the written notice including routine obstetrical ultrasounds to monitor fetus development, diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient who is treated on an inpatient basis in an emergency department or observation unit in a hospital, diagnostic radiographs, diagnostic imaging services performed on a patient with a chronic condition if the patient has been diagnosed already and when test results are provided to a patient or designee at the time of the test. Establishes disclosure of test results will not be given until 72 hours after the results are finalized unless the healthcare practitioner directs the release before the end of that time period. Provides the results may be released early if they are pathology or radiology reports that have reasonable likelihood of showing a malignancy and tests that could reveal genetic markers. Provides the duties of DOH include conducting compliance reviews of healthcare facilities licensed by the department as part of an inspection performed when investigating complaints, establishing a complaint procedure made available on the internet and coordinating with state licensing boards for complaints received by the department relating to the performance of diagnostic imaging services by entities not under the department’s jurisdiction and how they will be referred for review. Provides DOH can exempt other tests. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2504) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, adding a section to provide for amnesty for disciplinary actions regarding COVID-19 protocols. Specifies what shall be removed or reinstated for a license, registration, certificate or permit that was suspended or revoked or any disciplinary action taken by a licensing board or licensing commission on a licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder for failure to comply during the period in which the Governor’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued on March 6, 2020, was in effect. Effective immediately.

(PN 3499) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to include pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing for short title to be known as the Pharmacy Benefit Reform Act, for scope of act to detail what applies and for definitions and providing for rules and regulations; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations; in registration, further providing for PBM and auditing entity registration; providing for pharmacy benefits manager contracts; in PBM cost transparency requirements, providing for PBM transparency report required, repealing provisions relating to regulations and providing for PSAO reporting requirements; in enforcements, further providing for scope of enforcement authority; providing for pharmacy services; and repealing sections 9.2 and 9.5 of the Pharmacy Act. Provides the act covers any contract between a pharmacy or a PBM and a health insurer or a health benefit plan or a contract between a pharmacy and a PBM on behalf of a health insurer or a health benefit plan. Provides several definitions and adds that the department may promulgate regulations necessary for the administration of this act, except as provided for in Chapter 10. Adds a subsection stating that a scrivener’s error made by a pharmacy not attributed to fraud, waste or abuse that is discovered during a pharmacy audit by the PBM shall result in the PBM recouping the dispensing fee for that particular transaction, not the entire amount for the medication received by the patient. Provides PSAO registration, making a technical change, and asserts that the amount of the initial application fee and renewal application fee shall be sufficient to fund the department’s duties in relation to its responsibilities under this chapter but may not exceed $10,000 for a PBM or auditing entity and $500 for a PSAO. Revises the chapter for PBM contracts, detailing the general rule, outlining rebates and providing for contract information relative to contract provisions. Provides provisions for patient steering, specifying prohibitions and construction and making an editorial change. Provides for clawbacks prohibited, establishing a general rule and collection of difference in cost sharing. Outlines network adequacy. Requires each registered PBM to submit to the department a transparency report containing data for each health insurer client in this commonwealth from the prior calendar year, specifying what information the transparency report shall contain and providing for publication of the report, additional categories and confidentiality. Establishes PSAO reporting requirements. Detailing what information a PSAO shall provide to the department and each pharmacy that has contracted for services. Provides for the scope of enforcement authority, changing insurance policy to benefit plan in scope, removing language providing for remedy and outlining what applies to examination and access to records and review of specialty drugs. Establishes penalties, remedies and administrative procedure relative to the scope of enforcement authority. Adds chapter for pharmacy services, providing several definitions and other requirements. Outlines the administration of injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations. Provides provisions for a clinical laboratory certificate. Directs the Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with the board, to report to the Senate President Pro Tempore, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the majority and minority leaders of the House information concerning pharmacist activities authorized under this chapter. Provides the scope of the report, timing of the report and publication of the report. Outlines this act’s effects on the Pharmacy Act and establishes what applies to this act. The amendment or addition of the definitions of "affiliate" or "affiliated," "complex or chronic medical condition," "covered entity," "ERISA," "health benefit plan," "health insurance policy," "health insurer client," "licensee or registrant," "mail order pharmacy," "maintenance medication," "rare medical condition," "retail pharmacy," "specialty drug," "specialty pharmacy" and "spread pricing” and Section 14 of this act are effective in 90 days. Section 15 is effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective in 120 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3317, 3435, 2833, 3497) (PN 3497) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to include pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing for short title to be known as the Pharmacy Benefit Reform Act, for scope of act to detail what applies and for definitions and providing for rules and regulations; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations; in registration, further providing for PBM and auditing entity registration; providing for pharmacy benefits manager contracts; in PBM cost transparency requirements, providing for PBM transparency report required, repealing provisions relating to regulations and providing for PSAO reporting requirements; in enforcements, further providing for scope of enforcement authority; providing for pharmacy services; and repealing sections 9.2 and 9.5 of the Pharmacy Act. Provides the act covers any contract between a pharmacy or a PBM and a health insurer or a health benefit plan or a contract between a pharmacy and a PBM on behalf of a health insurer or a health benefit plan. Provides several definitions and adds that the department may promulgate regulations necessary for the administration of this act, except as provided for in Chapter 10. Adds a subsection stating that a scrivener’s error made by a pharmacy not attributed to fraud, waste or abuse that is discovered during a pharmacy audit by the PBM shall result in the PBM recouping the dispensing fee for that particular transaction, not the entire amount for the medication received by the patient. Provides PSAO registration and asserts that the amount of the initial application fee and renewal application fee shall be sufficient to fund the department’s duties in relation to its responsibilities under this chapter but may not exceed $10,000 for a PBM or auditing entity and $500 for a PSAO. Revises the chapter for PBM contracts, detailing the general rule, outlining rebates and providing for contract information relative to contract provisions. Provides provisions for patient steering, specifying prohibitions and construction. Provides for clawbacks prohibited, establishing a general rule and collection of difference in cost sharing. Outlines network adequacy. Requires each registered PBM to submit to the department a transparency report containing data for each health insurer client in this commonwealth from the prior calendar year, specifying what information the transparency report shall contain and providing for publication of the report, additional categories and confidentiality. Establishes PSAO reporting requirements. Detailing what information a PSAO shall provide to the department and each pharmacy that has contracted for services. Provides for the scope of enforcement authority, changing insurance policy to benefit plan in scope, removing language providing for remedy and outlining what applies to examination and access to records and review of specialty drugs. Establishes penalties, remedies and administrative procedure relative to the scope of enforcement authority. Adds chapter for pharmacy services, providing several definitions and other requirements. Outlines the administration of injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations. Provides provisions for a clinical laboratory certificate. Directs the Department of Health (DOH), in consultation with the board, to report to the Senate President Pro Tempore, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the majority and minority leaders of the House information concerning pharmacist activities authorized under this chapter. Provides the scope of the report, timing of the report and publication of the report. Outlines this act’s effects on the Pharmacy Act and establishes what applies to this act. Section 14 of this act shall be effective in 90 days. Section 15 is effective immediately. The remainder of this act shall be effective in 120 days (Prior Printer Number(s): 3317, 3435, 2833) (PN 2833) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to be known as the Community Pharmacy Protection Act; in preliminary provisions, further providing for short title and for definitions; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations; and providing for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts. Allows for a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) to recoup the dispensing fee for particular transactions discovered during a PBM audit of the pharmacy where a scrivener error is made by a pharmacy and is not attributed to fraud, waste or abuse. Provides a chapter for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts. Details prohibitions upon a contract between a pharmacy benefit manager or a designee of the pharmacy benefit manager and a pharmacy. Prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager from conducting or participating in spread pricing or patient steering. Directs the department to develop a process for complaints filed by a pharmacy against a PBM, set fixed amounts for PBM claim processing and administrative fees and develop a statewide National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) guideline that utilizes wholesale pricing based on manufacturers’ invoices. Directs pharmacy benefit managers to approve a request from a pharmacy to be a member of the PBM’s network within 30 days of the initial request and to provide a dedicated telephone number and email address for network admission requests. States a PBM hired for the State Employee Health Plan shall have a transparent reimbursement methodology based on the NADAC guidelines and a dispensing fee equal to or greater than the maximum prevailing fee for service or PACE rate in the commonwealth. Directs a PBM to report to the department the amount of rebates and payments received from drug manufacturers and how they were distributed. Effective in 60 days. (PN 3435) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to include pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing for short title to be known as the Pharmacy Benefit Reform Act and for definitions; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations; in registration, further providing for pharmacy benefits manager and auditing entity registration; providing for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts; in PBM cost transparency requirements, providing for transparency report required; and, in enforcements, further providing for scope of enforcement authority and providing for regulations and for construction. Provides technical changes to address PBMs, their contract requirements and their prohibited activities. Amends definitions and provides additional definitions. Specifies a scrivener’s error made by a pharmacy not attributed to fraud, waste or abuse that is discovered during an audit of the pharmacy by the PBM shall result in the PBM recouping the dispensing fee for that particular transaction, not the entire amount for the medication received by the patient. Specifies the amount of the initial application fee and renewal application fee shall be sufficient to fund the department’s duties in relation to its act responsibilities but may not exceed $10,000. Specifies prohibitions upon the contract between a PBM or a designee of the PBM and a pharmacy. Prohibits the practices of spread pricing and patient steering by a health benefit plan, health insurer or PBM contracting with a health benefit plan or health insurer. Prohibits a health benefit plan, health insurer or PBM contracting with a health benefit plan or health insurer from requiring certain cost-sharing practices. Specifies procedure should a pharmacist, pharmacy intern or technician determine the information indicating the cost-sharing amount required by the patient’s health benefit plan exceeds the amount that may otherwise be charged for the same prescription drug. Directs a PBM to establish a reasonably adequate and accessible PBM network for the provision of prescription drugs under a health benefit plan that shall provide for convenient patient access to pharmacies within a reasonable distance from a patient’s residence in accordance with certain requirements. Directs PBMs to file with the department annual network adequacy and transparency reports, beginning April 1 and July 1, 2026, respectively. Provides for report information to be included. Directs the department to publish the transparency reports within 60 days of receipt, in a manner that does not disclose the identity of a specific health benefit plan or health insurer, the prices charged for specific drugs or classes of drugs or the amount of any rebates provided for specific drugs or classes of drugs. Provides for the applicability of the chapter and the department’s ability to promulgate regulations to carry out the chapter. Eliminates “insurance policy” in favor of “benefit plan.” Eliminates current remedies. Allows the department to make certain orders to produce records, books or other information as reasonably necessary to ascertain act compliance. Provides certain penalties for act violations. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2833, 3317) (PN 3317) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to include pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing for short title to be known as the Pharmacy Benefit Reform Act and for the definitions of “covered entity” and “health insurance policy” as well as providing several definitions; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations; in registration, further providing for PBM and auditing entity registration; providing for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts; in PBM cost transparency requirements, providing for transparency report required; and, in enforcements, further providing for scope of enforcement authority and providing for regulations and for construction. Allows for a PBM to recoup the dispensing fee for particular transactions discovered during a PBM audit of the pharmacy where a scrivener’s error is made by a pharmacy and is not attributed to fraud, waste or abuse, making editorial changes. Amends PBM and auditing entity registration term and fee to assert that the amount of the initial application fee and renewal application fee shall be sufficient to fund the department’s duties in relation to its responsibilities under this chapter but may not exceed $10,000. Provides a chapter for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts, making editorial changes to contract provisions. Strikes out language detailing prohibitions, duties of the department, duties of PBMs, PBM for state employee health plan and reports by PBM. Prohibits a health benefit plan, health insurer or PBM contracting with a health benefit plan or health insurer from utilizing any form of spread pricing in this commonwealth. Outlines what a health benefit, health insurer or PBM contracting with a health benefit plan or insurer may not do. Provides provisions for clawbacks prohibited, including a general rule and duty when filling a prescription. Provides a general rule and requires a report relative to network adequacy. Allows the department to promulgate regulations as necessary and appropriate to carry out this chapter. Asserts that the provision of this chapter shall not apply until the date the contract is amended, extended or renewed if a contract is in effect on the effective date of this section that conflicts with this chapter. Adds a section requiring a transparency report. Revises the scope of enforcement authority, removing the subsection providing for remedy and adding subsections providing for examination and access to records and penalties. Stipulates that nothing in this act shall be construed to apply to the conduct of a PBM in connection with a contract with a self-funded group health plan subject to 29 U.S.C. Ch. 18. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2833)

(PN 2532) Amends the Tax Reform Code, in tax credit and tax benefit administration, further providing for definitions; providing for paid family and medical leave tax credit; and establishing the Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Program. Provides definitions. Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Program. Provides for tax credit applications and required information. Requires the department to notify a business firm of its qualification for the tax credit program no later than 60 days after the firm has submitted an application. Provides for the availability of tax credits, the application and receipt of a tax credit and tax credit limitations. Provides for tax credit certificates and certificate limitations. Prohibits the total aggregate amount of all tax credits approved under the article from exceeding $100,000,000 in a fiscal year. Addresses tax credit liabilities and use. Directs the Department of Revenue to establish necessary guidelines to implement the article. Provides reporting requirements. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3256) Amends the Pharmacy Act, further providing for authority to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations and for laboratory waiver. Allows pharmacists to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations to persons five years of age and older. Requires a prescription from a medical practitioner for the administration of an injectable or biological for an individual under 18 years of age. Inserts language providing for pharmacy technicians. Enables a pharmacist who holds the authority to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations to delegate to a pharmacy technician the authority to administer COVID-19 immunizations authorized or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to persons eight years of age and older, and influenza vaccinations as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to persons eight years of age and older. Requires such pharmacy technicians receiving delegated authority to hold a national certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association or to be registered with the board. Requires a supervising qualified pharmacist to be readily and immediately available to the qualified pharmacy technician who is administering immunizations or vaccinations in such instances. Requires the qualified pharmacy technician to complete a practical training program approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, which shall include hands-on injection techniques and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines. Requires the qualified pharmacy technician to hold a current certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Provides for respiratory syncytial viruses within laboratory waiver language. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 2612) (PN 2612) Amends the Pharmacy Act to further provide for authority to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations and for laboratory waiver, removing and adding certain language. Asserts that pharmacists shall be authorized to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations to persons three years of age and older. Inserts language providing for a pharmacy technician. Provides for COVID-19 immunizations. Adds language to section 9.5 stating, “respiratory syncytial virus.” Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2684) Amends Title 23 (Domestic Relations), in sex trafficking and missing and abducted children, further providing for county responsibilities; and making an editorial change. Provides that a county agency shall report annually to the department the total number of children who are sex trafficking victims, the total number of children who have been reported missing and whether or not the child has been subsequently located, and the total number of children who have been identified, screened and assessed as possible sex trafficking victims by the county agency. Provides that the department report annually the information received from a county agency to the following: the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Aging and Youth Committee of the Senate, the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Children and Youth Committee of the House of Representatives, the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2770) Amends the act entitled "An act enabling certain minors to consent to medical, dental and health services, declaring consent unnecessary under certain circumstances," further providing for release of medical records to make an editorial change inserting language related to section 1.3; and adding a section providing for parent or legal guardian access to medical records to assert that a parent or legal guardian of a minor under 18 years of age shall have full access to the minor’s medical, dental or health services or mental health treatment records. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2828) Amends the Public School Code, establishing the New Nursing Faculty Grant Program; providing for duties of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency; and making an appropriation. Adds definitions. Provides for applications and eligibility for grants.  Establishes the amount of grants at $10,000 for eligible individuals, outlines the use of the grant money and allows for renewals of the grant award for up to four additional years. Provides for limitations and reporting requirements. Excludes the grant from taxable income. Allows the agency to retain a reasonable amount necessary to pay for direct costs to implement the program, not exceeding five percent. Appropriates $2.3 million from the General Fund to the agency for fiscal year 2023-2024. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2829) Amends the Tax Reform Code, in personal income tax, providing for preceptor tax deduction. Establishes the Preceptor Certification Committee within the department and provides for membership. Provides for duties of the committee, including developing and implementing a plan for certifying applications for tax deductions and collecting documentation. Adds further definitions. Effective in 60 days.

(2831) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in public indecency, further providing for prostitution and related offenses. Strikes language relating to a felony of the third degree if the person who committed prostitution and related offenses knew that they were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive or manifesting acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Provides for resentencing opportunities for a person convicted and sentenced under the stricken crime coding to a misdemeanor based on the established facts as determined by the court at the time of conviction. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2842) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), providing for training relating to implicit bias and cultural competence. Adds a part for administration. Adds a chapter for training. Provides definitions for “cultural competence,” “department,” “health-related state board,” and “implicit bias.” Provides requirements and documentation for continuing education, and regulations for competencies for curriculum and delivery of training and the minimum number of credit hours. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2862) Amends the Tax Reform Code to add an article providing for business catastrophe savings accounts. Provides several definitions. Allows a qualified business to open a business catastrophe savings account with a financial institution beginning six months after the effective date of this subsection. Stipulates that an account holder may only use money contributed to a business catastrophe savings account to pay or reimburse the account holder’s qualifying catastrophe expense for recovery and repair after a catastrophic event. Asserts that an account holder may not use money contributed to a business catastrophe savings account to pay the expenses of the account, except that the financial institution holding the account may deduct a service fee from the account. Provides that an account holder may contribute no more than $50,000 in each taxable year to a business catastrophe savings account and the maximum balance of a business catastrophe savings account at one time may not exceed $750,000. Allows an account holder to withdraw money from a business catastrophe savings account and transfer money to a new business catastrophe savings account held by a financial institution. Provides for deduction and exclusions from taxable income, including deduction of contributions, exclusion of earnings, limitations on deductions and exclusions, unqualified expenses, bankruptcy declaration, business closures, business sale or transfer of ownership and disqualification. Directs an account holder to submit a report to the Department of Revenue (DOR), outlining what the report shall include. Establishes the duties of financial institutions. Provides for withdrawal for purposes other than qualifying catastrophe expenses. Asserts that DOR shall prepare forms for specified purposes, and DOR may promulgate regulations as necessary to implement this article. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3320) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure), in rules of evidence, further providing for subpoena of records. Provides payments of $20.62 for searching and retrieving records, $1.39 per page for the first 20 pages, $1.03 for pages 21 through 60, 34¢ per page for page 61 to the end and $2.04 per page for copies from microfilm. Eliminates language pertaining to paper copies. Establishes that copies requested in an electronic format may not require payment exceeding $200. Eliminates a paragraph regarding the rights of patients in recordkeeping. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printers Number: 2887) (PN 2887) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure), in rules of evidence, further providing for subpoena of records and for rights of patients. Provides that if paper copies are requested the payment is #+$20.62 for searching and retrieving records, $1.39 per page for the first 20 pages, $1.03 for pages 21 through 60 and 34¢ per page for page 61 to the end. Adds that if the charts or records are maintained in an electronic format and a request is made for the charts or records to be produced in an electronic format, the payment is $6.50 in response to the request. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2889) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing for criminal history background checks. Establishes criminal history background checks and provides for the requirements. Adds that the Pennsylvania State Police must submit the fingerprints of applicants seeking a license, certificate, registration or permit to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity of the applicant and obtaining a current record of criminal arrests and convictions. Provides for the powers of the licensing board or licensing commission to refuse the issue of a license, certificate, registration or permit to an applicant seeking licensure. Provides for the duties of the Department of State to include adopting policies and procedures necessary to carry out the provisions of the act that comply with the Criminal Justice Information Service Security Police and applicable Federal and State laws and regulations. Provides for exemptions and adds definitions. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 2936) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for nondiscrimination by payers in health care benefit plans. Adds chapter for nondiscrimination by payers in health care benefit plans. Provides several definitions. Provides general rule for the prohibition of discrimination against a willing facility. Establishes the selection of an arbitrator, the criteria for arbitration and the fees shall be shared equally by the parties. Provides this chapter shall apply to health care benefit plans that compensate facilities on a fee-for-service basis, per diem or other non-risk basis and this chapter may not apply to health care benefit plans regarding products that compensate facilities on a capitated basis or under which facilities accept significant financial risk in a formal arrangement approved by federal or state authorities. Provides it shall be unlawful for a health care payer to terminate, threaten or otherwise retaliate against an in-network physician with ownership of an out-of-network facility for exercising rights under this chapter. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 2965) Amends the Rural Pennsylvania Revitalization Act, adding a chapter to establish the Rural Population Revitalization Commission and provide for duties of the commission; and establishing the Rural Population Revitalization Fund as an interest bearing restricted revenue account and stating that the fund shall be used solely for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of Chapters 4 and 5. Defines “commission,” “rural county” and “rural school district.” Directs the commission to issue a biennial report on population change in rural areas of this commonwealth which shall include reviews and recommendations aimed at attracting and retaining residents in rural Pennsylvania while addressing challenges facing rural communities due to population shifts and changing demographics. Stipulates what the reviews and recommendations shall include, but not be limited to. Establishes the additional powers and duties the commission shall have. Outlines who the commission shall consist of. Directs the executive director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to serve as chairperson of the commission until the commission elects a chairperson from the membership, detailing that members shall elect a vice chairperson who shall serve in that capacity for the ensuing term. Specifies what appointed members shall have and provide. Asserts that the term of office for all members shall be two years and each member shall be eligible to be reappointed. Provides for commission meetings and expenses. Directs the Center for Rural Pennsylvania staff to provide administrative support, meeting space and any other assistance required by the commission to carry out its duties. Provides for grants, including purpose, grant guidelines and reporting. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 2977) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in preliminary provisions relating to health insurance markets oversight, further providing for the definition of “affordability assistance program;” and, in state-based exchange, further providing for powers and duties of exchange authority. Makes editorial changes. Further provides for the disbursement of receipted fees. Directs the exchange authority to implement an affordability assistance program in plan year 2025 to provide a net positive financial impact to consumers of on-exchange qualified plans in this commonwealth, outlining what applies. Effective immediately.

(PN 3008) Amends the Public School Code, in duties and powers of boards of school directors, further providing for publication of rules, regulations and policies. Adds a subparagraph to include the number of vaccinated and unvaccinated students enrolled in each school in the district relating to student health. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3012) Amends the Professional Nursing Law, adding a section to provide for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. Directs the board to issue to each person who meets the specified criteria a certificate setting forth that the person is certified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, outlining the criteria. Entitles a person who is certified by the board to use the title “Advanced Practice Registered Nurse” and the letters “A.P.R.N.” and provides that a record of each person certified as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in this commonwealth shall be kept in the office of the board and posted on the board’s publicly accessible website. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3010) The Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act provides for violence prevention committees in health facilities, for duties of committees, for workplace violence reporting requirements and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I); and imposes fines and administrative penalties. Provides several definitions. Establishes a violence prevention committee and provides the duties of the committee. Establishes the procedures for the reporting of workplace violence. Provides for penalties, L&I’s authority for subpoenas and inspections, and the act’s effect on collective bargaining agreements. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 3059) Amends the Tax Reform Code, in personal income tax, further providing for classes of income. Amends section 303 (a.7)(1) to assert that the deduction shall be allowable to an employer that makes a contribution into a qualified tuition program for the account of an employe of the employer. Adds a paragraph providing that the deduction shall apply to any tax on income levied by a political subdivision, notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the contrary. Adds a subsection, stating that an amount paid as a contribution into a student loan account shall be deductible from taxable income on the annual personal income tax return and further outlining provisions that apply. Specifies the terms “student loan account” and “qualified tuition program.” Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3443) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for surgical smoke evacuation systems. Provides a section for a surgical smoke evacuation system. Provides the general rule that on or before January 1, 2025, or the date that is 90 days after the effective date of this subsection, whichever is later, an ambulatory surgical facility or hospital shall adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke through the use of a smoke evacuation system for each procedure that generates surgical smoke. Provides for definitions of “Smoke Evacuation System,” and “surgical smoke.” Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3090, 3246) (PN 3246) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for surgical smoke evacuation systems. Provides a section for a surgical smoke evacuation system. Provides the general rule that on or before January 1, 2025, or the date that is 90 days after the effective date of this subsection, whichever is later, an ambulatory surgical facility or hospital shall adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke through the use of a smoke evacuation system for each procedure that generates surgical smoke. Provides for compliance from the Department of Health (DOH). Provides definitions for “smoke evacuation system,” and “surgical smoke.” Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3090) (PN 3090) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for surgical smoke evacuation systems. Provides a section for a surgical smoke evacuation system. Provides the general rule that on or before January 1, 2025, an ambulatory surgical facility or hospital shall adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke through the use of a smoke evacuation system for each procedure that generates surgical smoke. Provides for compliance from the Department of Health (DOH). Provides definitions for “smoke evacuation system,” and “surgical smoke.” Effective immediately.

(PN 3314) Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, further providing for the definition of “primary supervising physician” to include an osteopathic physician who is licensed with the board or a medical doctor who is licensed with the State Board of Medicine. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3106) (PN 3106) Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, further providing for the definition of “primary supervising physician” to include a medical doctor who is registered with the State Board of Medicine. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3732) Amends the Medical Practice Act, further providing for definitions. Revises the definitions of “doctor of osteopathy or osteopathic doctor” and “primary supervising physician” to reflect in the Medical Practice Act. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3107, 3315) (PN 3315) Amends the Medical Practice Act, further providing for the definition of “primary supervising physician” to mean a medical doctor who is licensed with the board or with the State Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3107) (PN 3107) Amends the Medical Practice Act, further providing for the definition of “primary supervising physician” to include a medical doctor who is with the State Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3172) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for hospital price transparency and for prohibition on collection action of debt against patients for noncompliant hospitals. Provides a chapter to require hospitals to disclose prices for certain items and services provided by hospitals and to require departmental enforcement. Provides definitions. Requires a hospital to publish certain price information on its publicly accessible website and to provide hard copies upon request. Requires a hospital to maintain a list of all standard charges for hospital items or services and ensure the list is always available to the public. Details the standard charges and information to be contained in such list. Provides for the list’s publication, display, accessibility, formatting and updating. Requires a hospital to maintain and make publicly available a list of the standard charges for each of at least 300 shoppable services provided by the hospital with specific charges according to individual hospital locations. Details the hospital’s considerations in selecting shoppable services for list inclusion. Provides an exception for a hospital that does not provide 300 shoppable services and instead requires such a hospital to include the total number of shoppable services it does provide. Details the contents to be included in the list, provides for the list’s accessibility and provides for the list’s formatting and updating. Requires hospitals to submit lists and reports each time a new one is created or an established one is updated. Requires such submitted lists to include a minimum of 95 percent of all values required under section 804-C or 805-C to be considered in compliance. Requires a hospital to report to the department on facility fees charged or billed during the preceding calendar year by July 1 of each year. Details the information to be included in the report which shall be sent to the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Requires an authorized executive of the hospital to attest that any report or list submitted to the department is complete and accurate. Requires the department to make all reports and lists available on its publicly accessible website within 60 days of receipt of each report. Requires separate reports for each hospital within a health system. Provides for submissions of alleged chapter violations; plans of correction following violation determinations; sanctions and civil penalties following violation determinations; a sanctioned hospital’s ineligibility to receive a payment from the Tobacco Settlement Act for the fiscal year following a third or subsequent offense; audits; general government appropriations; administrative proceedings; and judicial appeals. Provides machine-readable format requirements for a hospital providing digital files for required lists. Provides for the notice and disclosure of facility fees to patients. Provides for an annual report by the department regarding the chapter’s implementation and administration. Provides for temporary regulations to expire no later than two years following publication, as promulgated by the department to facilitate chapter implementation. Requires the department to submit temporary regulations to LRB for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin no later than six months after the effective date. Prohibits collection action of debt by noncompliant hospitals against patients. Provides definitions. Provides for a patient’s initiating civil action to determine if a hospital is in violation of Chapter 8-C and if the noncompliance is related to the item or service. Provides for a noncompliant hospital’s actions following a determination, which may include providing for refunds, dismissing civil actions under subsection (b) with prejudice and removing from the patient’s credit report a report made to a consumer reporting agency relating to the debt. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 3726) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act providing for attorney general notification; imposing a fine; and promulgating regulations. Provides and revises definitions. Provides that a person cannot enter into a transaction involving material change with another health care facility unless the first health care facility complies with the notification requirements and gives exceptions. Provides guidelines for filing a notification prior to entering into a transaction resulting in material changes. Establishes a waiting period and lists components required in the notification form, if applicable. Provides for the submission of additional information including a community health needs assessment or extension of the waiting period, subject to the Attorney General. Requires a further extension of the waiting period of more than 45 days to be granted by a court and asserts that a further extension of the required waiting period must be granted by a court per section 806-C (2). Asserts that a document provided to the Attorney General shall be exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law, prohibits the Attorney General from using the information as grounds for prosecutions or civil actions unrelated to the materials provided or disclosed under this act. Provides that the Attorney General may conduct public hearings, stating the format will be live-streamed and recorded for the Attorney General’s publicly accessible website. Provides for participants in the public hearings. Establishes the notice should be at least 14 days before the hearing date and gives instructions on where the notice should be posted and who receives the notice. Provides a hearing can be held if a substantive change is submitted to the Attorney General after the initial public hearing. Directs the Attorney General to determine whether the proposed agreement or transaction is against the public. Provides actions taken by the Attorney General and changes in licensure. Strikes out language providing for civil penalty, compliance and power of court. Inserts a section providing for compliance and power of court, stating that a person, or any officer, director, partner, agent or employee of the person, that substantially fails to comply with the notification requirement or any request for the submission of additional information or documentary material within the respective waiting period, along with any extension granted, the court may, in its discretion, order compliance, extend the waiting period until there has been substantial compliance or grant other equitable relief as the court determines necessary or appropriate. Establishes the duties of the Attorney General under the chapter as they pertain to rules and regulations. Amends the duties of the Attorney General relative to agency cooperation. Provides that the chapter does not apply to a physician or psychiatric practice and further provides that the act shall expire after four years. Directs the Health Care Cost Containment Council to provide a study on the effects of the act after three years. Asserts that the Department of Aging, the department, the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department shall assist the Attorney General in reviewing the proposed agreement and transaction, if requested, and shall promptly comply with any request for testimony or information. Requires the Attorney General to comply with any request for information from the Insurance Department as may be necessary and appropriate, specifying that documents provided by the Attorney General to the Insurance Department shall be treated as confidential and are exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law. Provides that this chapter will not alter the authority of the Attorney General or prohibit any agencies, including the Insurance Department’s jurisdiction to review an exposed transaction, from regulating a transaction or seeking action to enjoin a transaction or agreement. Provides the provisions of the chapter are severable. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3177, 3406, 3503) (PN 3503) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act providing for health systems protection; imposing a fine; and promulgating regulations. Provides and revises definitions. Provides that a person cannot enter into a transaction involving material change with a health system or provider organization in a manner against public interest and gives exceptions. Provides guidelines for filing a notification prior to entering into a transaction resulting in material changes. Establishes a waiting period and lists components required in the notification form, if applicable. Provides for the submission of additional information including a community health needs assessment or extension of the waiting period, subject to the Attorney General. Requires a further extension of the waiting period of more than 30 days to be granted by a court and asserts that a further extension of the required waiting period must be granted by a court per section 806-C (2). Asserts that a document provided to the Attorney General shall be exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law. Provides for public hearings conducted by the Attorney General, stating the format will be live-streamed and recorded for the Attorney General’s publicly accessible website. Provides for participants in the public hearings. Establishes the notice should be at least 14 days before the hearing date and gives instructions on where the notice should be posted and who receives the notice. Provides a hearing can be held if a substantive change is submitted to the Attorney General after the initial public hearing. Directs the Attorney General to determine whether the proposed agreement or transaction is likely to create a material change that is against the public interest after reviewing and evaluating information outlined by the provisions. Provides actions taken by the Attorney General and changes in licensure. Strikes out language providing for civil penalty, compliance and power of court. Inserts a section providing for compliance and power of court, stating that a person, or any officer, director, partner, agent or employee of the person, that substantially fails to comply with the notification requirement or any request for the submission of additional information or documentary material within the respective waiting period, along with any extension granted, the court may, in its discretion, order compliance, extend the waiting period until there has been substantial compliance or grant other equitable relief as the court determines necessary or appropriate. Establishes the duties of the Attorney General under the chapter as it pertains to rules and regulations. Amends the duties of the Attorney General relative to contracts. Asserts that the Department of Aging, the department, the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department shall assist the Attorney General in reviewing the proposed agreement and transaction, if requested, and shall promptly comply with any request for testimony or information. Requires the Attorney General to comply with any request for information from the Insurance Department as may be necessary and appropriate, specifying that documents provided by the Attorney General to the Insurance Department shall be treated as confidential and are exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law. Provides that this chapter will not alter the authority of the Attorney General or prohibit any agencies, including the Insurance Department’s jurisdiction to review an exposed transaction, from regulating a transaction or seeking action to enjoin a transaction or agreement. Provides the provisions of the chapter are severable. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3177, 3406) (PN 3406) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for health systems protection; imposing a fine; and promulgating regulations. Provides and revises definitions. Provides that a person cannot enter into a transaction involving material change with a health system or provider organization in a manner against public interest and gives exceptions. Provides guidelines for filing a notification prior to entering into a transaction resulting in material changes. Establishes a waiting period and lists components required in the notification form. Provides for the submission of additional information including a community health needs assessment or extension of the waiting period, subject to the Attorney General. Requires a further extension of the waiting period of more than 30 days to be granted by a court. Asserts that a document provided to the Attorney General shall be exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law. Provides for public hearings conducted by the Attorney General, stating the format will be live-streamed and recorded for the Attorney General’s publicly accessible website. Provides for participants in the public hearings. Establishes the notice should be at least 14 days before the hearing date and gives instructions on where the notice should be posted and who receives the notice. Provides a hearing can be held if a substantive change is submitted to the Attorney General after the initial public hearing. Directs the Attorney General to determine whether the proposed agreement or transaction is likely to create a material change that is against the public interest after reviewing and evaluating information outlined by the provisions. Provides actions taken by the Attorney General and changes in licensure. Provides for civil penalties if a person does not comply with this chapter, making a technical change. Establishes the duties of the Attorney General under the chapter as it pertains to rules and regulations and contracts. Asserts that the Department of Aging, the department, the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department shall assist the Attorney General in reviewing the proposed agreement and transaction, if requested, and shall promptly comply with any request for testimony or information. Requires the Attorney General to comply with any request for information from the Insurance Department as may be necessary and appropriate, specifying that documents provided by the Attorney General to the Insurance Department shall be treated as confidential and are exempt from public access under the Right-to-Know Law. Provides that this chapter will not alter the authority of the Attorney General or prohibit any agencies, including the Insurance Department’s jurisdiction to review an exposed transaction, from regulating a transaction or seeking action to enjoin a transaction or agreement. Provides the provisions of the chapter are severable. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3177) (PN 3177) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for health systems protection; imposing a fine; and promulgating regulations. Provides definitions for acquired entity, acquisition, against the public interest, agreement or transaction, Attorney General, capital distribution, community health needs assessment, contracting affiliation, health system, material amount, material change, merger, person, and provider organization. Provides a person cannot enter into a transaction involving material change with a health system or provider organization in a manner against public interest and gives exceptions. Provides guidelines for filing a notification prior to entering into a transaction resulting in material changes. Establishes a waiting period and lists components required in the notification form. Provides for the submission of additional information including a community health needs assessment or extension of the waiting period, subject to the Attorney General. Requires a further extension of the waiting period of more than 30 days to be granted by a court. Establishes the right-to-know law. Provides for public hearings conducted by the Attorney General, stating the format will be live-streamed and recorded for the Attorney General’s publicly accessible website. Provides for participants in the public hearings. Establishes the notice should be at least 14 days before the hearing date and gives instructions of where the notice should be posted and who receives the notice. Provides a hearing can be held if a substantive change is submitted to the Attorney General after the initial public hearing. Provides for determination of a transaction against the public interest, actions taken by the Attorney General and changes in licensure. Provides for civil penalties if a person does not comply with this chapter. Establishes the duties of the Attorney General under the chapter as it pertains to rules and regulations, contracts and agency cooperation. Provides this chapter will not alter the authority of the Attorney General or prohibit any agencies from regulating a transaction or seeking action to enjoin a transaction or agreement. Provides the provisions of the chapter are severable. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3188) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in assault, adding a section to provide for the offense of intimidation of health care workers. Defines and grades the offense of intimidation of health care workers. Provides for posting of notice. Specifies definitions. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3318) Amends the Cancer Drug Repository Program Act, further providing for title and short title of act, for definitions, for establishment of program, for restocking and dispensing of cancer drugs, for storage, distribution and fees and for immunity, providing for annual report and for list of approved participating pharmacies and further providing for regulations. Removes cancer and replaces it with prescription in the title of the act and establishes that this act shall be known and may be cited as the Prescription Drug Repository Program Act. Defines “adulterated,” “controlled substance,” “manufacturer,” “misbranded” and “wholesale distributor of prescription drugs,” removes the definitions of “closed drug delivery system” and “unit dose system” and amends the definitions of “approved participating pharmacy,” “health care facility,” “hospital,” “prescribing practitioner,” “prescription drug” and “program.” Makes changes throughout the act, replacing “cancer” with “prescription” and removing certain language. Provides that an individual, health care facility, hospital, health clinic, manufacturer or wholesale distributor of prescription drugs may return or donate to an approved participating pharmacy an unused prescription drug under specified conditions. Inserts that subject to this act and except as otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, an unused prescription drug dispensed under a state medical assistance program may be accepted and dispensed by an approved participating pharmacy. Adds a section providing for an annual report, stipulating that the board shall report annually by Dec. 31 of each year on the progress in implementing and administering this act, outlining who the report shall be submitted to and providing for the contents of the report. Adds a section stating the board shall post on its website a list of each approved participating pharmacy, including the address and telephone number of each approved pharmacy. Directs the board to update the list within 30 days of a change in the list and note the change from the previous list on the board’s website. Provides for authority, expiration and applicability relating to regulations. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3195) (PN 3195) Amends the Cancer Drug Repository Program Act, further providing for title and short title of act, for definitions, for establishment of program, for restocking and dispensing of cancer drugs, for storage, distribution and fees and for immunity, providing for annual report and for list of approved participating pharmacies and further providing for regulations. Removes cancer and replaces it with prescription in the title of the act and establishes that this act shall be known and may be cited as the Prescription Drug Repository Program Act. Defines “adulterated,” “controlled substance” and “misbranded,” removes the definitions of “closed drug delivery system” and “unit dose system” and amends the definitions of “approved participating pharmacy,” “health care facility,” “hospital,” “prescribing practitioner,” “prescription drug” and “program.” Makes changes throughout the act, replacing “cancer” with “prescription” and removing certain language. Adds a section providing for an annual report, stipulating that the board shall report annually by Dec. 31 of each year on the progress in implementing and administering this act, outlining who the report shall be submitted to and providing for the contents of the report. Adds a section stating the board shall post on its website a list of each approved participating pharmacy, including the address and telephone number of each approved pharmacy. Directs the board to update the list within 30 days of a change in the list and note the change from the previous list on the board’s website. Provides for authority, expiration and applicability relating to regulations. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3206) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety),  in Commonwealth services, adding a subchapter to provide for emergency stockpiles and medical countermeasures. Defines “department,” “emergency stockpile,” “medical countermeasures” and “program.” Provides for the duties of the Department of Health (DOH). Provides that in a response to an invitation to a request for proposal from DOH, a third party shall include an assessment or description of the planned stockpile and countermeasures inventory and methods. Details the requirements a third party shall meet in order to be qualified to contract with DOH to administer the program. Requires DOH to review each response submitted by a third party to an invitation to a request for proposal from the department to determine if the requirements have been met, stipulating that DOH shall only contract with a third party that meets the requirements to administer the program. Provides guidelines for lease of warehouse. Outlines who DOH shall provide written notice to after entering into a contract with a third party to administer the program. Specifies the activities a third party shall engage in under a contract to administer the program. Allows DOH to promulgate regulations necessary to implement this subchapter. Effective in 90 days.

(PN 3615) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, adding a section to provide for temporary rulemaking authority. Adds that a licensing board or licensing commission under the bureau that is subject to an interstate licensure compact act may promulgate one-time temporary regulations necessary for each licensure compact enacted by the General Assembly, outlining what the temporary regulations shall not be subject to. Stipulates that the authority of a licensing board or licensing commission to promulgate one-time temporary regulations under this section for each licensure compact enacted by the General Assembly shall expire on the date of publication of the temporary regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Further provides that temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall expire no later than three years following the publication of the temporary regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, and regulations adopted after the expiration of temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall be promulgated as provided by law. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3316, 3238)     (PN 3316) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, adding a section to provide for temporary rulemaking authority. Adds that a licensing board or licensing commission under the bureau that is subject to an interstate licensure compact act may promulgate temporary regulations necessary for the implementation of licensure compacts, outlining what the temporary regulations shall not be subject to. Stipulates that temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall expire no later than three years following publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, and regulations adopted after expiration of temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall be promulgated as provided by law. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3238) (PN 3238) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, adding a section to provide for temporary rulemaking authority. Adds that a licensing board or licensing commission under the bureau that is subject to an interstate licensure compact act may promulgate regulations, outlining what the temporary regulations shall not be subject to. Stipulates that temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall expire no later than three years following publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, and regulations adopted after expiration of temporary regulations promulgated under this section shall be promulgated as provided by law. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3407) The Rural Health Care Grant Program Act provides for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity. Establishes legislative intent, replacing “physicians and nurses” with “practitioners.” Provides and amends definitions. Establishes the Rural Health Care Grant Program in the Department of Health (DOH) to be administered by DOH. Requires DOH to distribute grants to an entity from money appropriated for the program by the General Assembly. Directs an entity to use money granted to pay for education debt of practitioners that the entity employs. Requires a written or electronic receipt of payment of education debt be issued to a practitioner. Outlines criteria for a grant from the department, specifying that priority shall be given to independent entities not owned by, managed by or affiliated with any health care system, a legally separate health care provider or other entity. Provides limitations of awards, replacing “physicians and nurses” with “practitioners.” Asserts an entity shall award the grant money received from DOH to one or more chosen practitioners who are employed by the entity, providing what a practitioner must do in order to receive a payment of education debt. Provides provisions for entity application for a grant. Provides for the review of applications, allowing for resubmission of an application relative to approval or disapproval. Directs DOH to enter into a grant agreement with the entity to award a grant under this act, further providing for grant agreements. Outlines what shall apply to the disbursement of grants, adding language providing for approved grant amounts, replacing “physicians and nurses” with “practitioners” and replacing 60 days with 90 days for the disbursement of grant money to an entity. Requires DOH to publish a report on its website no later than Dec. 31 of each year, detailing what information it shall contain. Stipulates confidentiality. Provides who the department shall submit the report to. Specifies that grants awarded under this act may not be considered taxable income to an entity or practitioner under the Tax Reform Code. Outlines provisions compliance, adding language to provide for noncompliance and appropriately facilitating the purposes and intent of this act. Effective in 120 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 3242) (PN 3242) The Rural Health Care Grant Program Act provides for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of physicians and nurses employed at the entity. Establishes legislative intent and provides definitions. Establishes the Rural Health Care Grant Program in the Department of Health (DOH) to be administered by DOH. Requires DOH to distribute grants to an entity from money appropriated for the program by the General Assembly. Directs an entity to use money granted to pay for education debt of physicians or nurses that the entity employs. Requires a written or electronic receipt of payment. Outlines criteria for a grant from the department. Provides limitations of awards. Asserts an entity shall award the grant money received from DOH to one or more chosen physicians or nurses who are employed by the entity, providing what a physician or nurse must do in order to receive a payment of education debt. Provides provisions for entity application for a grant. Provides for the review of applications. Directs DOH to enter into a grant agreement with the entity to award a grant under this act, further providing for grant agreements. Outlines what shall apply to the disbursement of grants. Requires DOH to publish a report on its website no later than Dec. 31 of each year, detailing what information it shall contain. Stipulates confidentiality. Provides who the department shall submit the report to. Outlines provisions for tax applicability and compliance. Effective in 120 days.  

(PN 3247) Amends the Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, providing for coverage for interprofessional consultation. Provides the requirements that must be satisfied for a health insurance policy offered, issued or renewed in this commonwealth to provide coverage for an interprofessional consultation performed by a consulting provider for the benefit of a patient, except to the extent already covered by another policy. Subjects the coverage required under this section to the annual deductibles, copayments or coinsurance requirements. Requires Medical Assistance (MA) or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care plan payments to be made on behalf of eligible individuals for interpersonal consultations, consistent with federal law. Provides for several definitions. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3250) Amends the Tax Reform Code, in personal income tax, further providing for imposition of tax; in gross receipts tax, further providing for imposition of tax, providing for transfers to Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund and further providing for establishment of revenue-neutral reconciliation; eliminating the tax imposed upon each dollar of the gross receipts received from the sales of electric energy; providing for the benefit of consumers and for a civil penalty; and making a repeal. Changes three and seven hundredths with two and eight-tenths. Requires $6 million of the taxes received to be transferred to the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund established under the Alternative Fuels Incentive Act, beginning in fiscal year 2024-25 and each fiscal year thereafter. Allows the transfer to be made annually by May 31, 2025, and each May 31 thereafter. Provides that the elimination of the taxes imposed under subsection (b) shall derive to the benefit of the consumer purchasing electric energy, said benefit shall be provided in the form of the elimination of or a reduction in the state tax surcharge, and failure to pass through the elimination or reduction to the consumer shall subject the entity to a civil penalty of at least $1,000, but not more than $5,000, and such additional relief as the court may deem appropriate. Provides for subsections expiration for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024. The addition of section 1101(a.2) of the act shall be effective July 1, 2024. Sections 4 and 5 of this act shall be effective July 1, 2024. The remainder of this act shall be effective immediately.

(PN 3453) Amends the Medicare Supplement Insurance Act, further providing for definitions; and providing for open enrollment. Adds a definition of “creditable coverage” and amends the definition of “Medicare supplement policy.” Establishes open enrollment for Medicare supplement policies. Adds a time frame for when the insurer must issue a policy and coverage, provides that if an applicant has a continuous period of creditable coverage of at least six months, the insurer may not exclude benefits based on preexisting conditions, provides that if an applicant has less than six months of continuous creditable coverage, the insurer should reduce the period of any preexisting condition exclusion by the aggregate of the period creditable coverage applicable and adds that the Insurance Commissioner specifies the manner of the reduction. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3636) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), providing for adult use of cannabis; regulating the personal use and possession of cannabis; providing the Department of Agriculture (PDA) with general and sole regularity authority over the conduct of adult-use cannabis or related activities. Requires the department with the Pennsylvania State Police to conduct a criminal history record check and fingerprinting of each prospective principal officer, board member and agent of a cannabis business establishment and charge a fee not to exceed the actual cost of the commonwealth and national criminal history record check. Allows for the personal use, possession and transport of cannabis. Limits the ownership of cannabis to individuals 21 years of age or older and less than 30 grams of cannabis flower and 1,000 milligrams of THC contained in cannabis-infused edible or nonedible products and 5 grams of cannabis concentrate. Provides for penalties. Provides for restrictions. Prohibits discrimination. Provides for the powers and duties of PDA. Establishing the Cannabis Business Development Fund; providing for social and economic equity, for regulation of cannabis business establishments, for enforcement and immunities, for laboratory testing, for advertising, marketing, packaging and labeling and for preparation, destruction and regulation of cannabis and cannabis-infused edible and nonedible products; imposing a sales tax and excise tax on cannabis and cannabis-infused edible and nonedible products. Establishes the Cannabis Regulation Fund in the State Treasury and directs any unspent amount at the end of the fiscal year to be transferred to the general fund if there has been an appropriation from the General Fund for the operations of the department. Provides 2 percent of gross receipts of the revenue in the fund to the department as necessary for actual costs and expenses. Provides for disbursement of all revenue from taxes collected. Establishes the Cannabis Clean Slate, which provides for an individual who has been arrested or charged with the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act in relation to cannabis to have their record expunged. This section shall only apply to nonviolent offenses. Provides for a resentencing process for an individual currently serving a sentence for a conviction. Allows for an employer to adopt reasonable policies restricting the use, consumption, possession, transfer, display, transportation, sale or growing of cannabis by employees in the workplace. Consolidating provisions relating to medical cannabis; transferring certain powers and duties of the Department of Health to DPA; and making repeals. Effective Immediately.

(PN 3528) The Health Insurance Core Benefits Coverage Act provides for individual and group health care insurance coverage protections to include a set of health benefits and for core health benefits to be at least as comprehensive as those required in 2020; imposing penalties of suspension or revocation of the license of the offending insurer or other person, refusal for a period not to exceed one year to issue a new license to the offending insurer or other person, a fine of not more than $5,000 for each violation or a fine of not more than $10,000 for each willful violation; and providing for applicability and for regulations. Provides definitions. Repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with this act. Effective immediately.

(PN 3598) The Health Insurance Protection Against Limitations Act provides for health care insurance coverage protections, for duties of the Insurance Department and the Insurance Commissioner, for regulations, for enforcement and for penalties. Provides definitions. Outlines limitations on annual and lifetime limits. Grants the Insurance Department (PID) the authority to promulgate regulations and provides temporary regulations. Specifies the penalties that may be imposed at the Insurance Commissioner’s discretion upon satisfactory evidence of the violation of any section of this act by an insurer or any other person. Details that fines imposed against an individual insurer under this act may not exceed $500,000 in the aggregate during a single calendar year and that fines imposed against any other person under this act may not exceed $100,000 in the aggregate during a single calendar year. Provides for additional remedies. Directs the commissioner to transmit notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin if the Congress of the United States repeals 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-11 (relating to no lifetime or annual limits), in whole or in part, a court of the United States abrogates, vacates or invalidates 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-11, in whole or in part, or a regulation implementing 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-11, in whole or in part or the executive branch of the United States refuses to enforce or repeals a regulation implementing 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-11, in whole or in part. Provides for implementation and repeals. Sections 6, 7 and 9 are effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective upon publication of the notice in section 6.

(PN 3599) Amends the Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, further providing for conditions subject to which policies are to be issued and for health insurance coverage for certain children of insured parents. Revises language throughout the law to provide for health insurance coverage to age 26. Changes language from “mental retardation or physical handicap” to “an intellectual or physical disability.” Specifies that a health insurance policy offered, issued or renewed in this commonwealth that provides dependent coverage of children shall continue to make such coverage available for an adult child who has not attained the age of 26 prior to the date of issuance or renewal. Provides guidelines for a health insurance policy with respect to a child who has not attained the age of 26. Makes editorial and technical changes. Adds a policy under which benefits are provided by the federal government to active or former military personnel and their dependents, credit only, fixed indemnity and an automobile medical payment under 75 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles) to the types of insurance the section relating to health insurance coverage for certain children of insured parents shall not include. Revises the definition of “health insurance policy.” Sections 2, 3 and 5 are effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective upon publication of the notice in section 2.

(PN 3600) The Health Insurance Access Protection Act provides for health insurance access protections; imposes duties on the Insurance Department (PID) and the Insurance Commissioner; and imposes penalties. Provides definitions. Prohibits an insurer offering, issuing or renewing an individual or group health insurance policy from imposing any rule for initial or continued eligibility of any individual to enroll in or renew a health insurance policy based on any preexisting condition or health factor in relation to an individual or a dependent of the individual. Provides for prohibition concerning premium rates and prohibition concerning benefit coverage. Establishes limitations on premium rating factors, detailing premium rate, geographic rating areas, age bands and adjustment of age and tobacco rating variations. Outlines single risk pools, providing for individual market and small group market. Allows PID to promulgate regulations and establishes temporary regulations. Specifies the penalties that may be imposed at the commissioner's discretion upon satisfactory evidence of the violation of any section of this act by an insurer or any other person. Limits fines imposed against an individual insurer to $500,000 in the aggregate during a single calendar year and $100,000 for any other person in the aggregate during a single calendar year. Provides for additional remedies. Requires the commissioner to transmit notice to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin if U.S. Congress, a court of the U.S. or the executive branch of the U.S. repeals, abrogates, vacates, invalidates or refuses to enforce 42 U.S.C. § 300gg (relating to fair health insurance premiums), 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-3 (relating to prohibition of preexisting condition exclusions or other discrimination based on health status), 42 U.S.C. § 300gg-4 (relating to prohibiting discrimination against individual participants and beneficiaries based on health status) or 42 U.S.C. § 18032(c) (relating to consumer choice). Provides for the implementation of this act. Repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with this act. Sections 8, 9 and 11 are effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective upon publication of the notice in section 8.

(PN 3644) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for drug overdose medication. Requires the secretary to review a new opioid antagonist that is not part of a department-issued standing order to determine whether to add the opioid antagonist to a standing order, including an opioid antagonist that has been approved prior to the effective date of this subsection. Outlines the duties the department shall have in reviewing a new opioid antagonist. Stipulates that the secretary can reconsider a prior disapproval of an opioid antagonist for inclusion of that opioid antagonist in a department-issued standing order and in reconsidering a prior disapproval of an opioid antagonist, the secretary shall provide reasons for reconsideration. Provides for petitions from interested parties. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3649) The Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act provides for the reporting of workplace violence in health facilities. Provides definitions. Asserts that an employee who believes that an incident of workplace violence has occurred may report the incident to the health facility or an appropriate law enforcement agency, outlining what a health facility that receives a report of an incident of workplace violence shall promptly do. Directs a health facility to designate a point of contact and a convenient method for employees to report employee concerns about workplace violence or suggestions on how the health facility can better prevent workplace violence. Allows employees to communicate concerns and suggestions orally, in writing or electronically. Prohibits a health facility from restricting the ability of employees to communicate concerns and suggestions related to workplace violence, except that a health facility may implement reasonable workplace procedures to establish a process for submitting concerns and suggestions that do not significantly interfere with employee duties. Requires each health facility to maintain a record of employee concerns and suggestions for at least two years after receiving communication from an employee. Prohibits retaliation against employees, specifying the general rule and exceptions. Provides for grading enhancement for workplace violence and signage. Requires an annual workplace violence notice to employees, providing for the nature of the notice, privacy and contents. Entitles a health facility, employee or security officer of a health facility to civil immunity for any injury or loss of property resulting from an employee’s or security officer's actions in defense or protection of the employees from workplace violence, except for acts or omissions that arise out of reckless, malicious, grossly negligent or wanton actions or conduct. Asserts that a violation of this act by a health facility shall constitute a violation of Chapter 8 of the Health Care Facilities Act. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 3658) Amends the Public School Code, in school health services, adding a section to provide for school-based health centers. Outlines the standards in which a school-based health center shall comply with. Establishes what written information about school-based health center services a health care provider shall make available to parents and legal guardians of students, through cooperation with a participating school district. Provides for services provided by a school-based health center. Stipulates that if a school district establishes a school-based health center, the center shall be integrated into the school district environment and plans and shall coordinate health services with school district administration, teachers, nurses, support or other school district personnel and other community providers at the school district. Directs a school-based health center, in partnership with a participating school district and other service providers at the school district, to develop policies and systems to ensure confidentiality in the sharing of medical information per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Specifies what shall apply. Imposes duties on the Department of Health to establish a school-based health center liaison position and a statewide school-based health advisory council, providing for the position and the council. Allows the department to collect demographic and utilization data on the school-based health centers to share with the General Assembly, outlining what that may include. Allows the department to research the appropriateness of developing a certification program for school-based health centers. Provides definitions. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 3699) Amends the Medical Marijuana Act, in practitioners, further providing for practitioner registration to outline the conditions the department may place on a physician for inclusion in the registry and to prohibit the department from including a physician in the registry who has been convicted of a felony under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, or under a similar law in any other jurisdiction, in the previous five years from the date of the application submitted by the physician. Effective in 60 days.  

(PN 3799) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), providing for public health notification programs. Adds definitions. Establishes the Medication-Induced Movement Disorders Screening Education Program and outlines the consulted agencies. Adds that the program shall include the development of educational information, the development of guidance and educational materials for health care providers and outlines the guidance requirements. Requires the department to develop electronic informational materials and to make them available to the public and health care providers regarding symptoms of, screening for and treatment of medication-induced movement disorders. Requires the posting and dissemination of the information. Allows the department to promulgate regulations necessary to implement and administer the subchapter. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1260) Resolution urging the Department of Human Services to increase the fee paid to guardians of incapacitated individuals.

(PN 1975) Resolution urging U.S. Congress to pass legislation that would require the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to update or issue new regulations to prohibit disproportionate electronic payment fees for physicians.

(PN 3465) House Concurrent Regulatory Review Resolution disapproving the Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs regulations on Consideration of Criminal Convictions.

(PN 423) The Healthy Employee and Healthy Workplace Act provides that each employer in Pennsylvania must provide paid sick leave to an employee. Provides for when paid sick leave must be provided to employees. Provides for paid sick leave accrual and use, rate of payment and payment of sick leave. Establishes complaint procedures and employer penalties as well as remedies. Effective immediately.

(PN 742) The Health Insurance Access Protection Act provides for health care insurance coverage protections, for duties of the Insurance Department and the Insurance Commissioner, for regulations, for enforcement and for penalties. Provides definitions for words and phrases used in the act. Provides for prohibitions concerning discrimination based on pre-existing conditions or health factors. Establishes limitations on premium rating factors. Provides for single risk pools including individual market and small group market. Specify that the department may promulgate necessary and appropriate regulations to carry out the provisions of this act. Provides for temporary regulations, detailing that the department may issue temporary regulations which shall expire no later than two years following publication of the temporary regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and establishing what the temporary regulations shall be exempt from. Provides for enforcement, including general rule penalties that may be imposed at the commissioner's discretion upon satisfactory evidence of the violation of any section of this act by an insurer or any other person. Establishes limitations, additional remedies and administrative procedure for enforcement. Repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with this act. Effective immediately.

(PN 743) The Health Insurance Core Benefits Coverage Act provides for individual and group health care insurance coverage protections and for core health benefits; imposes penalties; and provides for applicability and for regulations. Provides definitions for words and phrases used in the act. Establishes the general categories and the items and services covered within the categories for core health benefits an insurer can offer, issue or renew an individual health insurance policy or group health insurance policy. Provides comprehensiveness, modifications and management techniques for core health benefits. Specifies that the Insurance Department may promulgate necessary and appropriate regulations to carry out the provisions of this act. Provides for temporary regulations, detailing that the department may issue temporary regulations which shall expire no later than two years following publication of the temporary regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and establishing what the temporary regulations shall be exempt from. Provides for the enforcement of the act, detailing a general rule, limitations, additional remedies and administrative procedure. Provides for the applicability of the act. Repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with this act. Effective immediately.

(PN 744) The Health Insurance Protection Against Limitations Act provides for health care insurance coverage protections, for duties of the Insurance Department and the Insurance Commissioner, for regulations, for enforcement and for penalties. Provides definitions for words and phrases used in the act. Provides for limitation on annual and lifetime limits, specifying that this section shall not be construed to require coverage of any specific benefit. Details that the Insurance Department may promulgate necessary and appropriate regulations to carry out the provisions of this act. Provides for temporary regulations, detailing that the department may issue temporary regulations which shall expire no later than two years following publication of the temporary regulations in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and establishing what the temporary regulations shall be exempt from. Provides for the enforcement of the act, detailing a general rule, limitation and additional remedies. Establishes applicability of the act. Repeals all acts and parts of acts insofar as they are inconsistent with this act. Effective immediately.

(PN 56) The Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act provides for family and medical leave for eligible employees. The legislation establishes the eligibility under the act, a complaint procedure, the administration, and funding. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 33) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in licensing of health care facilities, providing for hospital pricing transparency requiring hospitals or hospital systems to establish, update and publish on its publicly accessible website a list of standard charges for items and services it provides before December 31, 2023, requiring date elements to include descriptions of items or serves, gross charge, payer-specific negotiated charge, de-identified minimum negotiated charges, de-identified maximum negotiated charges, discounted cash prices and any used by the hospital; providing for application requirements for the acquisition of health care facilities; provides for public hearing requirements no later than 45 days after the receipt of a completed application, provides for the Department of Health to compile a summary report of each public hearing; further provides for the Department of Health of prepare an independent health care impact statement; further provides the Department of Health with criteria to approve or disapprove of acquisitions or extensions; further provides the attorney general and secretary of the commonwealth with duties to monitor hospital or system acquisitions; requires the Department of Health to conduct a study on the impact that provider organization acquisitions have on access to affordable quality healthcare services. Effective January 1, 2024 or immediately, whichever is later.

(PN 1202) Amends Title 51 (Military Affairs), in military educational programs relating to specialty branch incentive programs to include a J.A.G. officer and chaplain in the provisions, and to strike certain definitions. Adds definitions. Provides for the relevant educational degrees necessary to enter the officer's military specialty, the fulfillment of federal and state guidelines and licensing requirements. Updates eligibility requirements. Adds descriptive language. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 43) (PN 43) Amends Title 51 (Military Affairs), in military educational programs relating to medical officer or health officer incentive programs, striking language for "behavioral health officer," "physician" and "resident physician." Adds definitions and requirements for "Health Care Officer" and "Medical Officer" eligible for a stipend to include the relevant educational degrees necessary to enter the officer's military specialty, the fulfillment of federal and state guidelines and licensing requirements. Adds descriptive language. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 167) The Hospital Closure Procedure and Notification Act provides for hospital closure procedure requirements, for notice of proposed general hospital closure or significant impact closure no later than 180 days before engaging in a general hospital closure or significant impact closure, for health equity impact assessments no later than 80 days before engaging in a general hospital closure or significant impact closure, for closure plans and for enforcement actions. Specifies definitions. Prohibits a hospital authority from engaging in a general hospital closure or significant impact closure unless the hospital has adopted a closure plan that has been approved by the Office of Attorney General and either the Department of Health (DOH) or the county or municipal health department. Provides for an approval process. Provides for public hearings, advertisements of hearings, hearing information and attendance. Provides for a public comment period. Details what information the hospital authority shall include in the health equity impact assessment and specifies that the department shall develop a default form for use by a hospital authority to submit a health equity impact assessment and make the form available on DOH’s website. Provides for closure plans, detailing initial plan, updates and contents. Specifies that the attorney general or a district attorney may initiate a civil action to enforce the provisions of this act if the Office of Attorney General or either DOH or the county or municipal health department determines that a hospital has violated the provisions. Provides what a court of competent jurisdiction may do if the court finds that a hospital has failed to comply with any provisions of this act. Authorizes the Office of Attorney General and DOH to jointly promulgate necessary regulations. Asserts that nothing in this act shall be construed to require the commonwealth or a municipality to relieve, discharge, perform, indemnify or assume liability for any obligation or duty belonging to a hospital or the hospital’s officers, directors or affiliates. Effective in 30 days.

(PN 200) The Lyme Disease and Related Tick-Borne Disease Continuing Education Act provides for a licensing board to require a licensee to complete at least two hours of continuing education in the assessment and diagnosis of and treatment options for Lyme disease and other related tick-borne diseases as a portion of the total continuing education required for license renewal. Effective immediately.

(PN 807) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act adding a chapter providing for hospital patient protection. This legislation sets appropriate ratios for Pennsylvania hospitals dependent upon the acuity of the unit's patient needs. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 221) Amends the Human Services Code, providing the secretary of human services shall establish a public awareness campaign to provide information to the public concerning the programs and services available to workers and their families who are experiencing mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The secretary shall communicate information to the public regarding the link between mental health issues and the pandemic, available resources, telephone hotlines, and anxiety-reducing strategies. Effective immediately.

(PN 1225) Amends Title 71 (State Government), further providing for boats and offices, establishing provisions relating to regulatory review. Provides definitions for office, pilot agencies, program, regulation, regulatory equipment, and secretary. The Budget Office shall be under the direction of the Budget Secretary as they administer a three-year regulatory reduction pilot program for pilot agencies; the program shall focus on regulations promulgated by the pilot agencies and the agencies shall create regulatory catalogs and reports for submittal to the secretary. Tasks the secretary with providing annual reports to the General Assembly on the secretary's efforts to achieve a reduction in regulations, expand the program to other agencies, or present other information. Details how pilot agencies shall track and report findings. Removes provisions relating to report required and to regulatory catalogs of executive agencies. Amends language throughout. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 222) (PN 222) Amends Title 71 (State Government), further providing for boats and offices, establishing provisions relating to regulatory review. Provides definitions for office, pilot agencies, program, regulation, regulatory equipment, and secretary. The Budget Office shall be under the direction of the Budget Secretary as they administer a three-year regulatory reduction pilot program beginning July 1, 2023, and ending July 1, 2026, for pilot agencies; the program shall focus on regulations promulgated by the pilot agencies and the agencies shall create regulatory catalogs and reports for submittal to the secretary. Tasks the secretary with providing annual reports to the General Assembly on the secretary's efforts to achieve a reduction in regulations, expand the program to other agencies, or present other information. Details how pilot agencies shall track and report findings. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 279) Amends the Unfair Insurance Practices Act adding that unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices includes altering the coverage provided by a health insurance policy, including, but not limited to, raising the premium, copayment, coinsurance or deductible or denying or otherwise failing to provide continued coverage for a health care benefit that was included in the insured's health insurance policy and when the insured has already received the health care benefit. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 315) Amends the Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, providing for cost-sharing calculation to determine an insured's contribution to an applicable cost-sharing requirement under a health insurance policy; insurers shall include any amounts paid by the insured or on behalf of the insured and a pharmacy benefits manager that administers pharmacy benefits for the insurer shall include any amounts. Provides definitions for cost-sharing, covered entity, health insurance policy, and pharmacy benefits manager. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 409) Amends the Regulatory Review Act further providing for definitions and for existing regulations; and establishing the Independent Office of the Repealer and providing for its power and duties. Provides that unless prohibited by the laws of the commonwealth, at the time an agency promulgates a new regulation, the agency shall identify at least two existing regulations for repeal. Establishes a nonpartisan Independent Office of Repealer within the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. Effective immediately.

(PN 429) Amends Fiscal Code establishing the collaborative care model and primary care behavioral health model implementation program; and appropriating $20 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The Department of Human Services (DHS) shall make grants to primary care physicians and primary care practices to meet the initial costs of establishing and delivering behavioral health integration services through the collaborative care model or primary care behavioral health model. Primary care physicians and primary care practices may work with larger health systems for the purposes of applying for and implementing grants. Provides grants may be used to hire staff, identify and formalize contractual relationships who will function as psychiatric consultants and behavioral health care managers in providing behavioral health integration services through the collaborative care model or primary care behavioral health model, purchase software and other purposes DHS may determine as necessary. Provides priority to primary care physicians and primary care practices in rural areas or counties with a suicide or overdose death rate higher than the national average of suicide or overdose death rates. Divides technical assistance grants into six geographic regions and provides DHS solicit proposals from and enter into a grant agreement with at least one eligible collaborative care technical assistance center applicant from each region under subsection (a) to provide technical assistance to primary care physicians and primary care practices on providing behavioral health integration services through the collaborative care model or primary care behavioral health model. $14 million is appropriated to DHS for primary care grants and $6 million for technical assistance grants. Effective immediately.

(PN 391) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, establishing Chapter 41 regarding association health plans. The bill provides policy requirements for associations offering health insurance and insurer requirements regarding the health insurance policy. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 478) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for definitions to amend the definition of marihuana to mean all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not, the seeds thereof, the resin extracted and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin. The term does not include industrial hemp or the mature stalks of an industrial hemp plant, oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, or any other derivative. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 493) The Health Care Practitioner Noncompete prohibits the enforcement of a noncompete covenant entered into by a health care practitioner. Provides for legislative intent, definitions and applicability. Establishes noncompete covenant as deemed contrary to public policy, void and unenforceable by the employer, the timeframe of required notification of the patient by the health care employer. Provides the act shall apply to an agreement, and noncompete covenant shall only apply to a primary health care facility or office. Provides exclusions for satellite offices or other locations of a health care facility within the health care system, hospital, or private practice. Establishes that the employer is responsible for notifying the patient within 90 days of the health care practitioner's departure. Effective in 30 days.

(PN 531) Amends the Patient Test Result Information Act further providing definitions of chronic conditions, diagnostic imaging services, and removing the definition for significant abnormalities. Provides requirements that diagnostic imaging entities provide written notice of test results for all services to patients. Provides duties for the Department of Health relating to the review and regulation of diagnostic imaging services. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 779) The Mandatory Severance for Mass Layoffs Act provides for mandatory severance pay requirements for covered employees affected by mass layoffs. Provides for requirements for employers to notify employees, local officials and collective bargaining units of mass layoffs. Provides for the establishment of a waiver to right of severance process. Provides for requirements for employee retention during a change of control. Provides definitions of relevant terms within. Effective immediately.

(PN 757) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act adding a chapter prohibiting the purchase of a health system’s assets or operations in a manner that is against the public interest. Providing for an exception to be permitted as determined by the Attorney General. Providing for notification filing requirements for health care systems entering transaction or agreement that results in material change. Providing for waiting periods health systems must undergo prior to entering into an agreement or transaction. Provides requirements for the Attorney General to conduct public hearings on any proposed agreement or transaction. Provides that the Attorney General must make a determination whether an agreement or transaction is against the public interest and provides authority for the Attorney General commence an action in a court of competent jurisdiction should they do so, provides for the court to impose fines and penalties for non-compliance. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1721) The Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act establishes the Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Program and the Family and Medical Leave Fund as a nonlapsing fund in the State Treasury; confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) to promulgate additional regulations; creates a right of action by an employee and by the secretary, specifying fees and costs, limitations and money recovered by the secretary; and imposes penalties. Provides for legislative intent and for definitions. Removes definition for “covered service member.” Adds provision to the definition for “qualifying exigency leave,” providing who has been notified of an impending deployment at home or abroad. Directs L&I to establish the Family and Medical Leave Program, stipulating that the department shall pay family and medical leave benefits as specified in this act no later than two years following the establishment of the program. Specifies required documentation, notice of approved claim, information sharing, confidentiality and cooperation among departments. Details the department’s powers and duties to fulfill its responsibilities under this act. Directs the secretary to establish a system for an administrative complaint and appeals process. Provides for eligibility for family and medical leave benefits, including basis for receipt of benefits, employment and income eligibility requirements, proof of wages, interaction with the Worker’s Compensation Act and the Unemployment Compensation Law, filing of benefits claim, medical certification, qualifying act of violence certification, married or domestic partners employed by the same employer, regulations and determination of eligibility. Revises provision of eligibility, removing language for “covered service member” and replacing with “due to a qualifying exigency leave.” Outlines the duration of benefits. Provides for taking nonsequential leave, stating that nonsequential leave may not result in a reduction in the total amount of family and medical leave to which a covered individual is entitled beyond the amount of leave actually taken and that nothing in this section shall be construed to enable a covered individual to take more leave than allowed under section 304. Adds payroll contributions rate shall not exceed 1 percent of an individual employee’s wages. Establishes employment protections. Provides for the coordination of benefits. Establishes a chapter relating to administration and procedures, providing for employer notice to employees, employer acknowledgment of leave request, public display of notice and employee notice to employer. Asserts that a covered individual is disqualified from receiving benefits for one year if the individual is determined by L&I to have willfully made a false statement or misrepresentation regarding a material fact, or willfully failed to report a material fact, to obtain benefits under this act. Provides for if benefits under this act are paid erroneously without fault, or for a claim that is subsequently rejected after benefits are paid. Provides for if a determination or proof of wages is a factor in disqualification or incorrect payment of benefits. Allows a self-employed person to elect coverage under this act for an initial period of no less than three years upon meeting specified requirements. Details that a self-employed person who has elected coverage may withdraw from coverage within 30 days after the end of a three-year period of coverage or at other times as L&I may prescribe, and upon filing a written notice to the department, the self-employed person’s withdrawal from coverage shall take effect no later than 30 days after filing the notice of withdrawal. Stipulates that an employer who violates the requirements of sections 308, 309 or 501 shall be subject to the penalties under 29 U.S.C. § 2617 (relating to enforcement). Provides for judicial review. Further provides for the Family and Medical Leave Fund, including deposit of money, continuing appropriation, limitations on fund and other deposits. Provides for an annual report submitted by L&I to the chair and minority chair of the House and Senate Labor and Industry committees, specifying what the report shall include and directing the department to make the report available on its publicly accessible website. Directs the department to conduct a public education campaign, allocate at least $500,00 from the fund to annually pay for a public education program and make outreach information available in English, Spanish and other languages. Establishes the Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act Advisory Board to assist in the implementation of the program and ensure effective public outreach, outlining who the board shall be composed of, board member terms, quorum, meetings, public access and expenses. Asserts that proposed regulations shall be submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin no later than one year after the effective date of this subsection. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1469) (PN 1469) The Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act establishes the Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Program and the Family and Medical Leave Fund as a nonlapsing fund in the State Treasury; confers powers and imposes duties on the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) to promulgate additional regulations; creates a right of action by an employee and by the secretary, specifying fees and costs, limitations and money recovered by the secretary; and imposes penalties. Provides for legislative intent and for definitions. Directs L&I to establish the Family and Medical Leave Program, stipulating that the department shall pay family and medical leave benefits as specified in this act no later than two years following the establishment of the program. Specifies required documentation, notice of approved claim, information sharing, confidentiality and cooperation among departments. Details the department’s powers and duties to fulfill its responsibilities under this act. Directs the secretary to establish a system for an administrative complaint and appeals process. Provides for eligibility for family and medical leave benefits, including basis for receipt of benefits, employment and income eligibility requirements, proof of wages, interaction with the Worker’s Compensation Act and the Unemployment Compensation Law, filing of benefits claim, medical certification, qualifying act of violence certification, married or domestic partners employed by the same employer, regulations and determination of eligibility. Outlines the duration of benefits. Provides for taking nonsequential leave, stating that nonsequential leave may not result in a reduction in the total amount of family and medical leave to which a covered individual is entitled beyond the amount of leave actually taken and that nothing in this section shall be construed to enable a covered individual to take more leave than allowed under section304. Establishes employment protections. Provides for the coordination of benefits. Establishes a chapter relating to administration and procedures, providing for employer notice to employees, employer acknowledgment of leave request, public display of notice and employee notice to employer. Asserts that a covered individual is disqualified from receiving benefits for one year if the individual is determined by L&I to have willfully made a false statement or misrepresentation regarding a material fact, or willfully failed to report a material fact, to obtain benefits under this act. Provides for if benefits under this act are paid erroneously without fault, or for a claim that is subsequently rejected after benefits are paid. Provides for if a determination or proof of wages is a factor in disqualification or incorrect payment of benefits. Allows a self-employed person to elect coverage under this act for an initial period of no less than three years upon meeting specified requirements. Details that a self-employed person who has elected coverage may withdraw from coverage within 30 days after the end of a three-year period of coverage or at other times as L&I may prescribe, and upon filing a written notice to the department, the self-employed person’s withdrawal from coverage shall take effect no later than 30 days after filing the notice of withdrawal. Stipulates that an employer who violates the requirements of sections 308, 309 or 501 shall be subject to the penalties under 29 U.S.C. § 2617 (relating to enforcement). Provides for judicial review. Further provides for the Family and Medical Leave Fund, including deposit of money, continuing appropriation, limitations on fund and other deposits. Provides for an annual report submitted by L&I to the chair and minority chair of the House and Senate Labor and Industry committees, specifying what the report shall include and directing the department to make the report available on its publicly accessible website. Directs the department to conduct a public education campaign, allocate at least $500,00 from the fund to annually pay for a public education program and make outreach information available in English, Spanish and other languages. Establishes the Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Act Advisory Board to assist in the implementation of the program and ensure effective public outreach, outlining who the board shall be composed of, board member terms, quorum, meetings, public access and expenses. Asserts that proposed regulations shall be submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin no later than one year after the effective date of this subsection. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 602) The Medicaid Care Transition Program Act establishes the Medicaid Care Transition Program within the Department of Human Services (DHS) and imposes duties on DHS. Directs DHS to establish policies and procedures that require responsible entities to establish care transition units responsible for working directly with hospitals to identify appropriate post-acute placements for individuals awaiting transfer within 180 days of the effective date. Requires DHS to submit a report to the chair and minority chair of the House Health Committee, House Human Services Committee and Senate Health and Human Services Committee, further providing for contents of the report. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 663) Act prohibiting health mandates and requirements by specified federal and nongovernmental health organizations. Provides the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) shall have no jurisdiction to implement rules, regulations or laws in the Commonwealth. Effective immediately.

(PN 662) Amends the Regulatory Review Act, further providing for procedures for subsequent review of disapproved final-form or final-omitted regulations. Prohibits agencies from re-issuing regulations or promulgating regulations unless the new or revised regulation is authorized by a law enacted after the date the concurrent resolution is approved or deemed to be approved by the governor or after the date when the General Assembly overrides the governor's veto of the concurrent resolution. Allows committees to report a concurrent resolution to initiate the repeal of any regulation currently in effect. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 672) Amends Title 35 (Health & Safety), in public safety, providing for limits on opioid prescriptions. Provides a prescribing limit of 100 morphine milligram equivalents of opioids per day or an opioid in an amount that would cause the patient's total amount of opioids to exceed 300 morphine milligram equivalents of opioids per day. Provides for exceptions for the medical judgment of the provider and provides that a prescriber who violates the act will be subject to administrative penalties by the provider's board. Provides a sunset of July 1, 2024. Effective immediately.

(PN 629) The Regulatory Sandbox Program Act establishes the Regulatory Sandbox Program, the Regulatory Relief Office and an advisory committee; and provides for their powers and duties. Establishes the Regulatory Relief Office within the Governor's Office, directing the office to appoint a director that will report to the governor. Establishes the duties and discretionary powers. Establishes the Regulatory Sandbox Program, further providing for membership, terms, chair, quorum, advice and recommendations, staff, compensation and override of applicable agency disapproval. Establishes the Regulatory Sandbox Program within the Regulatory Relief Office, further providing for applications for the program. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 711) Amends the Public Employe Relations Act, in strikes, providing for health care benefits during strikes by prohibiting a public employer from discontinuing a public employe's health care benefits during the period that the public employe is engaged in a strike. Effective 60 days.

(PN 1928) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, adding a chapter to provide for certified medication aides; and imposing duties on the Department of Health (DOH). Provides definitions. Specifies the qualifications an individual must meet to be a certified medication aide and asserts that to practice as a certified medication aide, an individual must meet the qualifications and be certified by an instruction. Allows a certified medication aide to administer, oral, transdermal, ophthalmic, otic, inhaled or topical medication to a resident of a long-term nursing facility under the supervision of a physically on-site registered nurse or licensed practical nurse authorized by a registered nurse, detailing what applies. Specifies what a certified medication aide may not do. Directs DOH to develop a medication aide training program for an individual to become a certified medication aide, which may be offered by a long-term care nursing facility. Adds that a long-term nursing care facility shall contract with an instructor approved by the department prior to operating an authorized training program. Requires DOH to include input from industry stakeholders on the development and implementation of the program. Directs the department to consult with the State Board of Nursing to determine if a number of hours completed in the medication aide training program may be credited to a student in a practical nurse education program under the Practical Nurse Law. Outlines what the program must include. Requires the department to issue certification to an individual to practice as a certified medication aide under specified circumstances. Strikes out language providing for reauthorization. Adds language providing for the renewal of certification. Stipulates that authorization to practice as a certified medication aide shall be valid in any long-term care nursing facility. Allows DOH to revoke or suspend a certified medication aide’s certification, or otherwise sanction a certified medication aide, for outlined reasons. Allows the department to revoke a certification and/or require a certified medication aide to take educational courses for a reason listed under the subsection relative to certification sanction authorization. Stipulates that DOH may impose a civil penalty not exceeding $500 on the facility for each incident in which the certified medication aide engages in conduct that constitutes a basis for discipline and that no disciplinary action against a certified medication aide shall prevent or otherwise prohibit DOH from annotating a nurse aide for abuse, neglect or misappropriation. Details the reasons DOH may suspend or terminate a long-term care nursing facility’s medication aide training program. Provides for the employment of certified medication aides, outlining authorization, competency review, reporting, computation and registry. Directs the department to submit an annual report, specifying who shall receive the report, the contents of the report and the filing of the report. Allows DOH, in consultation with the Department of State, to promulgate regulations as necessary to implement this chapter. Effective in one year. (Prior Printer Number(s): 695, 1180, 1460)     (PN 1460) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for certified medication aides; and imposing duties on the Department of Education (PDE). Provides definitions and adjusts the definition of “instructor” to a registered nurse approved by the department to train and certify medication aides under section 804-C. Adds definitions for “nurse aide: and “pro re nata medication.” Replaces language under qualifications to include a nurse aide currently listed on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry and not have had a certification revoked, has at least 1,000 hours of experience working as a nurse aide in a single long-term care nursing facility during the previous two years, received a formal written recommendation for certified medication aide training by the Director of Nursing of the long-term care facility and submitted the recommendation to the department. Replaces language in section 803-C subsection (a) relating to permissible medication delivery to read that a certified medication aide may administer under the supervision of a physically on-site registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, oral, transdermal, ophthalmic, otic, inhaled or topical medication to a resident of a long-term care nursing facility and outlines the requirements. Makes technical adjustments. Adds to the list of impermissible medication delivery to include administration of the first dose of any new medication, calculation or adjustment of a medication dose prescribed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant, delegation of the administration of medication and the administration of medication without the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse authorized by a registered nurse who is physically on-site and available. Adds that prior to operating a training program, a long-term care nursing facility must contract with an instructor approved by the department. Adds to the program requirements that it must include a minimum of 80 hours of classroom instruction and training, including a minimum of 20 hours of skills and demonstration which should include 10 hours of clinical observation and skills demonstration under direct supervision and ten hours in a skills demonstration laboratory. Makes technical adjustments. Provides that the Department of Health (DOH) issues certification to an individual to practice certified medication aide. Strikes language related to reauthorization. Establishes renewal of certifications no less than every two years or by the last day of the 24th month from the date of the prior certification and outlines renewal requirements. Strikes language pertaining to the suspension of medication aide training program. Outlines the reasons for which DOH may revoke or suspend a certified medication aide’s certification. Provides for sanctions. Adds to the reporting requirements a completed competency review and any act committed by a certified medication aide that qualifies for discipline in a long-term facility. Establishes filing deadlines for the annual report to be five years beginning one year after the effective date. Allows the department in consultation with DOH and the Department of State to promulgate regulations as necessary. Effective in one year. (Prior Printer Number(s): 695, 1180) (PN 1180) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for certified medication aides. Provides definitions for certified medication aide, department, instructor, long-term care nursing facility and medication aide training program. Imposes duties on the Department of Education (PDE). Requires individuals to be a nurse aide with a valid listing on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry, have at least one year of consecutive experience working as a nurse aide in a single long-term care nursing facility and to have successfully completed the medication aide training program and met the requisite training and competency evaluation requirements. Specifies the training program shall fulfill the requirements for training a certified medication aide for assisted living residences and personal care homes. Certified medication aides may administer medication to residents of a long-term care nursing facility. Outlines impermissible forms of medication delivery. Tasks PDE with developing a medication aide training program for certification. PDE shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly. Effective in 180 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 695) (PN 695) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, providing for certified medication aides. Provides definitions for certified medication aide, department, instructor, long-term care nursing facility and medication aide training program. Imposes duties on the Department of Education (PDE). Requires individuals to be a nurse aide with a valid listing on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry, have at least one year of consecutive experience working as a nurse aide in a single long-term care nursing facility and to have successfully completed the medication aide training program and met the requisite training and competency evaluation requirements. Certified medication aides may administer medication to residents of a long-term care nursing facility. Outlines impermissible forms of medication delivery. Tasks PDE with developing a medication aide training program for certification. PDE shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 746) Amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act providing for disclosure of complaints filed against physicians. Provides that a physician shall not be required to disclose a complaint filed against the physician with the board to any person or entity if the board determines that no disciplinary or corrective action against the physician is necessary and the complaint file is closed without any disciplinary or corrective action against the physician. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 747) Amends the Medical Practice Act providing for disclosure of complaints filed against physicians. Provides that a physician shall not be required to disclose a complaint filed against the physician with the board to any person or entity if the board determines that no disciplinary or corrective action against the physician is necessary and the complaint file is closed without any disciplinary or corrective action against the physician. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1286) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), in public safety, providing for urine drug screenings in general acute care hospitals to include testing for fentanyl and xylazine and requires positive testing to be reported to the Department of Health (DOH) through the Pennsylvania Electronic Disease Reporting System (PA-NEDSS) and specifies testing shall be part of urine screening. Provides that DOH shall develop and communicate xylazine education materials. Effective in 60 days (Prior Printer's Number: 752, 929). (PN 929) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), in public safety, providing for urine drug screenings in general acute care hospitals to include testing for fentanyl and xylazine and requires positive testing to be reported to the Department of Health through the Pennsylvania Electronic Disease Reporting System (PA-NEDSS). Effective in 60 days (Prior Printer's Number: 752). (PN 752) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), in public safety, providing for urine drug screenings in general acute care hospitals to include testing for fentanyl and requires positive testing to be reported to the Department of Health through the Pennsylvania Electronic Disease Reporting System (PA-NEDSS)

(PN 756) The Medical Freedom Act prohibits the state government or any political subdivision from imposing a vaccination on an individual without the individual's consent. Also prohibits an employer from taking any adverse employment action against an individual who declines a vaccination. Provides if the commonwealth or a political subdivision recommends an individual receive a vaccination, the official or entity shall provide notice that the recommendation is not mandatory in each oral or written statement made. Effective immediately.

(PN 759) The Pharmaceutical Transparency Act providing for pharmaceutical transparency; establishing the Pharmaceutical Transparency Review Board and providing for its powers and duties; establishing the Pharmaceutical Transparency Review Fund; provides for the prescription drug product impact by the act; provides for penalties. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 765) Amends Title 35 (Health and Safety) establishing the Telemedicine Prohibited for Medication Safety Program. Defines the terms and phrases health care professional, risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, and telemedicine. Prohibits a health care professional from using telemedicine to administer or communicate with a patient in Pennsylvania regarding a medication for which the United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 930) Amends the Clinical Laboratory Act, further providing for definitions and for exemptions and providing for advertisements for laboratory tests and for source plasma donation center; and abrogating a regulation. Adjusts the title of section 1 for definitions. Adds definitions for “plasma,” “plasmapheresis” and “source plasma donation center.” Adjusts the definition for “diagnostic laboratory testing” to include testing or procedures performed for the purpose of screening, diagnosing, predisposing, managing or treating a physical or mental condition or disease and includes germline genetic and genomic testing. Provides that source plasma donation centers may collect source plasma through plasmapheresis if the center complies with federal requirements governing the collection of source plasma and operation of a clinical laboratory, including laws governing donor screening and monitoring, staff qualifications, responsibilities, supervision and training and duties in a center and clinical laboratory. Makes editorial changes Effective immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 784) (PN 784) Amends the Clinical Laboratory Act, providing for advertisements for laboratory tests if for diagnostic testing, the testing is performed by the clinical laboratory, the clinical laboratory is a covered entity or business associated, the clinical laboratory does not make a claim about the reliability and validity of the testing, the clinical laboratory discloses that the diagnostic test or procedure may not be covered by health insurance; allows the department to prohibit the use of a clinical laboratory's advertisement to solicitation if the department determines the laboratory testing poses a public threat. Effective immediately.

(PN 812) Amends the Regulatory Review Act providing for proposed regulations and procedures for review and for final-form regulations and final-omitted regulations and procedures for review; and providing for state agency regulatory compliance officers. The bill provides that in the case of a citation of state statutory authority, the citation must be to a provision of the statute that explicitly states that the agency may promulgate regulations for the specific purpose cited in the statement of need for the regulation. Provides that the estimates of direct and indirect costs shall be prepared by the Independent Fiscal Office and submitted to the agency for inclusion in the regulatory analysis form and shall include an estimate of the annual costs to be used to determine whether the regulation is an economically significant regulation. Further provides that at any time prior to 24 hours before the commission's meeting to consider a regulation, a committee may notify the commission and the agency that the committee disapproves or intends to further review the final-form regulation, and, if notified by a committee, the commission may not approve or disapprove the regulation for a period of 30 days or nine legislative days, whichever is longer. Requires each state agency to designate an employee as the agency's regulatory compliance officer to develop agency policies and initiatives to educate the regulated community regarding the implementation of new or amended statutes. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 816) The Office of Health Equity Act codifies the Office of Health Equity; provides for the Office of Health Equity Advisory Committee; requires the Department of Health to promulgate any rules, regulations or policies necessary to implement the act. Effective immediately.

(PN 1670) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for telemedicine. Strikes out all said language providing for the Telemedicine Act and adds a chapter to Title 40 to provide for telemedicine. Removes “and reimbursement” from the section title. Provides several definitions. Adds a definition for “Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).” Revises definitions for “health care facility,” “medical assistance or MA,” “medical policy,” and “remote patient monitoring.” Outlines provisions for insurance coverage of telemedicine, providing a general rule and for applicability and construction. Revises the general rule for medical policy that is offered, issued or renewed. Establishes what needs to apply for an MA or CHIP managed care plan payment to be made on behalf of enrollees for medically necessary health care services provided through telemedicine. Provides an insurer shall pay or reimburse a participating network provider for covered health care services delivered through telemedicine and pursuant to a health insurance policy in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract as negotiated between the insurer and the participating network provider. Provides a contract that includes payment or reimbursement for covered health care services delivered through telemedicine may not prohibit payment or reimbursement solely because a health care service is provided by telemedicine. Reimbursement payment or reimbursement may not be conditioned upon the use of an exclusive or proprietary telemedicine technology or vendor. Provides the MA or CHIP managed care plan shall pay a participating network provider for covered health care services delivered through telemedicine in accordance with the terms and conditions of both: the contract negotiated between the MA or CHIP managed care plan and the participating provider; and the agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS). Effective in 90 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 824, 981, 1590)     (PN 1590) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), in regulation of insurers and related persons generally, providing for telemedicine. Strikes out all said language providing for the Telemedicine Act and adds a chapter to Title 40 to provide for telemedicine. Provides several definitions. Outlines provisions for insurance coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine, providing a general rule and for applicability and construction. Establishes what needs to apply for a Medical Assistance (MA) or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care plan payment to be made on behalf of enrollees for medically necessary health care services provided through telemedicine. Directs the MA or CHIP managed care plan to reimburse a participating network provider for covered health care services developed through telemedicine in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract as negotiated between the MA or CHIP managed care plan, the participating network provider and the agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS). Provides for MA and CHIP coverage applicability and construction. Stipulates that a health care provider providing health care services through telemedicine shall be subject to the same standard of care that would apply to the health care services in an in-person setting. Effective in 90 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 824, 981) (PN 981) The Telemedicine Act authorizes the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards; and provides for insurance coverage of telemedicine. Provides definitions, amending the definition of “insurer” to include the Insurance Company Law, making editorial changes to the definitions of “participating network provider” and “telemedicine” and striking the definition of “provider to provider consultation.” Requires each licensure board to regulate health care providers under their jurisdiction to ensure the use of telemedicine is consistent with the provider's scope of practice and services. Authorizes the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards. Establishes and outlines insurance coverage for telemedicine. Provides definitions for the act. Details compliance with the act's provisions. Provides for evaluation and treatment, specifying the requirements, applicability and standard of care. Provides for reimbursement of telemedicine, making editorial changes to the provisions relating to insurance coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine. Provides for Medical Assistance (MA) and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. Provisions relating to insurance coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine and relating to MA and CHIP coverage are effective in 90 days. The remainder of the act shall take effect immediately. (Prior Printer Number(s): 824) (PN 824) The Telemedicine Act requires each licensure board to regulate health care providers under their jurisdiction to ensure the use of telemedicine is consistent with the provider's scope of practice and services. Authorizes the regulation of telemedicine by professional licensing boards. Establishes and outlines insurance coverage for telemedicine. Provides definitions for the act. Details compliance with the act's provisions. Provides for evaluation and treatment, specifying the requirements, applicability and standard of care. Provides for reimbursement of telemedicine. Provides for Medical Assistance (MA) and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. Provisions relating to insurance coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine and relating to MA and CHIP coverage are effective in 90 days. The remainder of the act shall take effect immediately.

(PN 866) Amends Title 35 (Health & Safety), providing for disclosures for certain products. Adds further definitions. Establishes labels for gene therapy product requirements. Provides for the enforcement of the act through the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services. Establishes that upon written request of a resident, an entity that produces, sells or distributes a product with the capacity to infect an individual with a disease or to expose an individual with genetically modified material, including vaccines, gene therapies, drugs and medical interventions, to provide all information related to the ways in which individuals who dot directly obtain or use the product may be exposed to the product. Adds that the information should be provided within 21 days after receipt of the written request. Requires informed consent to be obtained by an entity making a product available in Pennsylvania that could infect, transmit or be absorbed in an individual. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 895) Amends the PA Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Act, further providing for Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority; and, in Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Fund, further providing for money in fund. Decreases the term duration to three years. Strikes language related to a member leaving the board prior to the completion of the term. Adds that a board member specified in subsection (b) (7) serves for a term of two years and is not eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms. Adds that a board member specified under (b) (8) services for a term of four years and is not eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms. Adds that if a board member leaves prior to the completion of their term, a new member is appointed within 60 days of the seat becoming vacant. Appropriates $2.5 million from the General Assembly. Makes technical adjustments. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 944) The Statutory Construction of Wage and Hour Laws Act provides for statutory construction of Pennsylvania wage and hour laws. Provides issues and findings from the General Assembly on the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Minimum Wage Act of 1968. Describes the construction of the Minimum Wage Act of 1968.  Establishes this act should not be construed to modify or repeal the Prohibition of Excessive Overtime in Health Care Act or preempt Federal law like The Minimum Wage Act. Provides that all acts, regulations and all parts of them are abrogated as they are inconsistent with this act. Effective in 30 days.

(PN 894) Amends the Fiscal Code, providing for FQHC primary care workforce initiative; and making an appropriation. Adds further definitions. Establishes the Federal Qualified Health Center (FQHC) primary care workforce initiative within the department. Appropriates $2.5 million to the department for grants awarded under this section. Adds that the grant awards rewarded by the department are equal amounts to each FQHC in Pennsylvania that is enrolled in the initiative as a stipend to support a preceptor or student. Effective immediately.

(PN 924) Amends the Medical Marijuana Act, in program, to provide and amend definitions for the act. Further providing for program established to specify the medical marijuana tracking database to include two-way communication between the database and the tracking system with immediate access by the Department of Health (DOH) and dispensaries, provide that DOH shall define and publish within 30 days of the effective date guidelines for and monitor the advertising and marketing of medical marijuana and provide that an Office of Medical Marijuana shall be established by DOH to oversee the Medical Marijuana Program. Further providing for confidentiality and public disclosure, for lawful use of medical marijuana and for unlawful use of medical marijuana. Requires grower/processors to develop and implement a recall plan for defective products that impact public health. Amends language throughout to enProvides requirements for dispensaries to provide marijuana to patients. Inserts a definition for accredited medical school. Provides for termination of contract. Further providing for applicability to indicate new and temporary regulations shall be transmitted for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Effective in 30 days.

(PN 1006) The Health Facility Employee Violence Prevention Act requires health facilities to create workplace violence prevention committees to create, administer and review programs relating to the prevention of workplace violence. Provides for annual evaluations, reports and training. Requires mandatory reporting of instances of workplace violence. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 1028) Amends the Medical Marijuana Act, in patients, to provide for cultivating cannabis for personal use. Allows patients over 21 years of age who have resided within the commonwealth for at least 30 days to cultivate cannabis for personal use, contingent upon certain requirements. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1033) The Medical Debt Collection Protection Act provides for medical debt collection protection; and imposes duties on the Department of Health (DOH). Specifies definitions. Provides for screening for insurance, program eligibility and patient status. Details protections including for indigent patients, qualifying personal event, settlement offer, costs of collection action, health insurance appeals and noncompliance. Asserts that a health care provider shall post on its publicly accessible internet website price information and provides for the minimum contents that price information shall include. Establishes communications, specifying bill information, availability of information, receipts for payments and accessibility and notice. Provides for uninsured patients, payment plans, remedies and enforcement. Establishes medical debt settlement conferences, providing what shall apply to them. Details that a waiver by a patient or other consumer of any protection provided by or any right of the patient or consumer in accordance with this act is void and may not be enforced by any court or any other person. Provides exemptions. Authorizes the department to promulgate or adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out this act. Establishes temporary regulations, minimum stands governing the requirements of this act and permanent regulations. Provides that the provisions of this act are severable. Sections 1, 2, 14 and 16 are effective immediately. The remainder of this act is effective in 180 days.

(PN 1046) The Reducing UV Exposure in Children Act provides for sunscreen and sun-protective measures in schools and youth camps. Presents legislative findings and declarations. Inserts definitions for operator, school and youth camp. Provides for sun-protective measures in schools and youth camps and allows schools and youth camps to implement sun-protective measures and allow for sun-protective clothing. All schools may incorporate instruction in the common school grades four through twelve utilizing existing, free resources on skin cancer prevention and including information about skin cancer. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1080) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, to provide for violations otherwise specified in the schedule of civil penalties under paragraph (1) and to require the licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder to make written application to the commissioner for expungement no earlier than five years following the final disposition of the disciplinary record. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1144) Amends The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing that an insurer or medical assistance (MA) or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care plan that amends, delivers or renews a health insurance policy or an agreement with the Department of Human Services (DHS) on or after Jan. 1, 2024, shall include biomarker testing as a covered benefit. Specifies that biomarker testing shall be covered for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management or ongoing monitoring of an insured or enrollee's disease or condition when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence. Further provides for coverage for biomarker testing. Establishes that an insurer shall submit a report to the Insurance Department and details what an MA or CHIP managed care plan shall submit to DHS by Jan. 31 of the following year. Specifies several definitions. Effective in 60 days.

SB 962 - (PN 1172) Amends Mental Health Procedures Act, providing for involuntary examination and treatment of substance use disorders. Provides for both voluntary and involuntary treatment of substance abuse disorders. Provides definitions. Defines applicability of the act to those who have experienced a drug overdose event and are construed as mentally ill or severely mentally disabled under the act. Provides for immunity from prosecution for those who have received voluntary or involuntary treatment under the act. Provides for involuntary emergency examination and treatment authorized by a physician or substance use disorder treatment provider, authorized via a warrant issued by the county administrator or authorized via an application by a physician, substance use disorder treatment provider or other authorized person who has personally observed conduct showing the need for the examination. Provides for emergency examinations with and without a warrant. Details the examination and determination of need process for emergency treatment. Provides for notification of rights at the emergency examination. Provides for the duration of emergency examination and treatment. Provides for extended involuntary emergency treatment certified by a judge or a medical review officer. Provides for the appointment of counsel and scheduling of an informal hearing in such case. Provides for an informal conference on the extended emergency treatment application. Provides for the contents of a certification for extended involuntary treatment. Provides for the filing, service, and effect of a certification for extended involuntary treatment and allows for a petition to the court of common pleas. Provides for the duration of extended involuntary emergency treatment. Prohibits court-ordered involuntary treatment from exceeding 90 days. Provides procedures for and the ability to petition against court-ordered involuntary treatment. Provides procedures for initiating court-ordered involuntary treatment for those not in involuntary treatment. Provides procedures for initiating assisted outpatient treatment for persons already subject to involuntary treatment. Provides procedures for initiating assisted outpatient treatment for persons not in involuntary treatment. Provides for professional assistance for whom a hearing has been ordered to assist the person in connection with the hearing. Provides for hearings on petition for court-ordered involuntary treatment. Provides for determinations and orders in directing treatment of a person in an approved facility as an inpatient or an outpatient, or a combination of the treatment as the director of the facility will determine. Provides for the duration of court-ordered involuntary treatment. Provides for additional periods of court-ordered involuntary treatment and provides for authorization and notice. Provides for the transfer of persons in involuntary treatment. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1253) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in food protection, directing the Department of Health to establish a food allergy awareness program to require a public eating or drinking place to prominently display a poster in the staff area that provides information on food allergy awareness, include a food menu notice to a customer of the customer’s obligation to inform a server about the customer’s food allergy. Directs the department to develop the poster. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1254) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture), in food protection, to direct the Department of Health to establish a food allergy awareness program that will require a public eating and drinking place to designate a manager who is knowledgeable regarding issues concerning food allergies and food preparation and require each food employee to review material that the department will prepare on food allergy issues. Requires each licensor to require a minimum knowledge of food allergy issues as a condition for licensure. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1677) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to provide for pharmacy benefit managers contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing definitions of “brand effective rate,” “effective rate contract,” “generic effective rate,” “patient steering,” and “spread pricing”; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations to assert that a scrivener error made by a pharmacy not attributed to fraud, waste, or abuse that is discovered during an audit of the pharmacy by the pharmacy benefit manager shall result in the pharmacy benefit manager recouping the dispensing fee for that particular transaction, not the entire amount of the medication received by the patient; and revises chapter to provide for pharmacy benefit manager contract requirements and prohibited acts. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1314) (PN 1314) Amends the Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act, further providing for title of act to provide for pharmacy benefit managers contract requirements and prohibited activities; in preliminary provisions, further providing for the short title of the act to be known as the Community Pharmacy Protection Act and for the definitions of brand effective rate, effective rate contract, generic effective rate, patient steering and spread pricing; in pharmacy audits, further providing for limitations to assert that a scrivener error made by a pharmacy not attributed to fraud, waste, or abuse that is discovered during an audit of the pharmacy by the PBM shall result in the PBM recouping the dispensing fee for that particular transaction, not the entire amount of the medication received by the patient; and adding a chapter to provide for pharmacy benefits manager contract requirements and prohibited acts. Provides for contract provisions, prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager from conducting or participating in spread pricing and prohibits a pharmacy benefit manager from conducting or participating in patient steering. Provides for duties of the department. Establishes a PBM hired for the State Employee Health Plan shall have a transparent reimbursement methodology based on the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost guidelines developed under section 604(3) and dispensing a fee equal to or greater than the maximum prevailing fee for service or PACE rate in this commonwealth. Provides for reports by PBM. Effective in 60 days.  

(PN 1325) Amends the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, further providing for prohibited acts and penalties to add language to include the smoking of a small amount of marihuana in a public space. Defines public space, small amount of marihuana and smoking. Provides that any person who violates the clauses of subsection (a) is guilty of a summary offense and upon conviction thereof shall be ordered to pay a fine not exceeding $25, any person who violates clauses (21)(iv) of subsection (a) is guilty of a summary offense and upon conviction thereof shall be ordered to pay a fine not exceeding $100 and a conviction under this subsection shall not trigger application of the mandatory license suspension provisions under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1532(c). Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1316) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in minors, providing for the offense of trafficking drugs containing fentanyl to minors; and imposing a penalty. Establishes a general rule. Provides that a person convicted under subsection (a) shall not be sentenced to a term of imprisonment fixed by the court at not less than 20 years and not more than 40 years. Specifies the authority of the court in sentencing. Provides for an appeal by the commonwealth. Asserts that assets against which a petition seeking forfeiture has been filed and is pending or against which the commonwealth has indicated an intention to file a petition seeking forfeiture shall not be subject to a fine under this section. Defines minor. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1347) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in forgery and fraudulent practices, providing for the offense of unauthorized dissemination of artificially generated impersonation of individual. Defines and grades the offense of disseminating artificially generated impersonations of an individual without authorization. Establishes allowable defenses, applicability, construction and definitions. Effective in 90 days.

(PN 1435) Amends the Overdose Mapping Act, further providing for definitions and for establishment and design to assert that the Department of Health (DOH) shall coordinate with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to ensure that real-time overdose reporting entered by an EMS provider into an information technology platform, other than the overdose information network, is promptly transferred to the overdose information network; and adding a section to provide for entry requirements for EMS providers. Adjusts the title of section 1 and defines “Authorized Users” as law enforcement officers, permitted users of the Overdose Information Network, as determined by the PSP, who are required to report overdoses and suspected overdoses to the network and EMS providers who are required to report overdoses and suspected overdoses to an information technology platform. Specifies reporting by EMS providers, information reported and other reporting requirements. Provides for exemption for an EMS provider who does not possess the necessary reporting technology from the 72-hour requirement under subsection (a) and must report the information under subsection (b) as soon as practicable. Effective in six months. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1348) (PN 1348) Amends the Overdose Mapping Act, further providing for the definitions of EMS provider and information technology platform and for establishment and design to assert that the Department of Health (DOH) shall coordinate with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to ensure that real-time overdose reporting entered by an EMS provider into an information technology platform, other than the overdose information network, is promptly transferred to the overdose information network; and adding a section to provide for entry requirements for EMS providers. Specifies reporting by EMS providers, information reported and other reporting requirements. Effective in six months.

(PN 1940) Amends the Vital Statistics Law, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; in death and fetal death registration, providing for pronouncement of death by a practical nurse; and, in records, further providing for fees for copies. Grants a practical nurse the authority to pronounce death, outlining the conditions that must be met. Provides that a practical nurse shall have the authority to release the body of the deceased to a funeral director after notice has been given to the attending physician or certified registered nurse practitioner, if the deceased has an attending physician or certified registered nurse practitioner, and to a family member, as soon as practicable. Asserts that if circumstances surrounding the nature of death are not anticipated and require a coroner's investigation, the practical nurse shall notify the county coroner, and the authority to release the body of the deceased to the funeral director shall be that of the coroner. Specifies that these provisions do not authorize a nurse to determine the cause of death, stating the responsibility for determining the cause of death remains with the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or the coroner. Outlines what shall apply to training. Provides that a practical nurse and an employing agency of a practical nurse acting in good faith and in compliance with the provisions of this act, the regulations of the State Board of Nursing and the regulations of the Department of Health shall be immune from liability claims by reason of pronouncing death. Defines the term “practical nurse.” Provides a list in which no fee shall be charged for certified copies of records or parts thereof, detailing what applicants the fee waiver shall apply to. Further provides for the fee waiver under subsection (d). Defines the term “veteran.” Effective in 60 days. (Prior Print Number(s): 1396) (PN 1396) Amends the Vital Statistics Law, in death and fetal death registration, providing for pronouncement of death by a practical nurse while the patient is in the care of a licensed hospice, the patient has a valid Do Not Resuscitate Order, or practical nurse is conducted a focused assessment to identify the cessation of circulator and respiratory functions. Provides a practical nurse to release the body of the deceased to a funeral director after notice to an attending physician or certified registered nurse practitioner and a family member. Provides for training requirements. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1475) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, in temporary health care services agencies, further providing for definitions, for registration generally and for conditions of registration. Amends the definitions of “health care facility” and “temporary health services agency” to assert that the meaning of “health care facility” is as defined in section 103 and “temporary health services agency” includes an entity that utilizes applications or other technology-based solutions to provide or procure temporary employment of health care personnel in health care facilities. Amends section 802-B(b)(1) relating to forms to add that the application shall include proof of insurance for workers’ compensation, proof of a dishonesty bond for each employee in the amount of $10,000, proof of medical malpractice insurance of not less than $500,000 and any other relevant information that the department determines necessary to properly evaluate the application. Adds a paragraph to section 803-B(a), stating a temporary health care services agency shall only utilize employees of the temporary health care services agency when placing health care personnel in health care facilities and the temporary health care services agency shall be responsible for providing all employee benefits to its health care personnel. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1489) Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses), in public indecency, further providing for prostitution and related offenses. Removes the penalty of the felony of the third degree if the person who knowingly promoted prostitution of another who was human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive or infected with acquired autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus and committed the offense knew that he or she was HIV positive or manifesting AIDS. Provides resentencing guidelines. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1507) Amends Title 66 (Public Utilities), adding a chapter to provide for facilitating access for streamlining telecommunications and establishing the Facilitating Access for Streamlining Telecommunications (FAST) Program within the commission to provide reimbursements for eligible costs. Outlines what the General Assembly finds and declares. Provides several definitions. Allows a pole owner, attacher or preexisting third-party user to seek reimbursement for eligible costs incurred by the pole owner, attacher or preexisting third-party user by submitting an application to the commission, in a form and manner specified by the commission. Specifies what a completed application under this subsection must contain. Asserts that the commission shall review the submitted application and shall determine whether to approve the reimbursement and, if so, the amount of the reimbursement, detailing what shall apply. Directs the commission to provide a pole owner, attacher or preexisting third-party user seeking reimbursement written notice of the approval or denial. Explains that reimbursements shall be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the commission, and the commission shall implement any necessary policy or procedure to administer the program. Provides for pole attachments, including regulation, commission authorization, access and disputes. Asserts that any requirements imposed by the governmental authority having responsibility for restoration of streets, highways or public ways following the installation, maintenance, repair, modification or removal of facilities, whether the requirements are imposed by ordinance, regulation, permit or other means, shall not exceed the restoration standards adopted by the Department of Transportation (PennDOT) as specified in 67 Pa. Code §§ 459.8 and 459.9. Provides authorization and reasonable costs for fees imposed by municipalities. Details that a municipality may not prohibit, or unreasonably discriminate in favor of or against, the use of aerial installations, open trenching, boring or any other installation method for fiber, specifying conditions. Requires an attacher to submit an application to the municipality in which the pole is located or the related work is to be performed and outlines what a completed application under this section must contain. Provides for determination, designation and authority of municipality. Asserts that nothing in this chapter shall supersede, nullify or otherwise alter the requirements to comply with local safety standards, including the Underground Utility Line Protection Law, or safety standards established by the commission. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1509) Amends the Insurance Company Law, in casualty insurance, further providing for billing. Repeals specific provisions under the act that created a registry to be maintained by the Department of Health (DOH) which out-network 911 ambulance companies could select annually from which insurance carrier they would be willing to receive reimbursement. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1496) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, to add a section providing for expungement of disciplinary actions regarding COVID-19 protocols. Directs the Department of State to reinstate any license, registration, certificate or permit that was suspended or revoked specifically for failure to comply with COVID-19 protocols during the disaster emergency related to COVID that began March 6, 2020. Inserts that the bureau may not retain a warning letter issued under an executive action described in subsection (a)(1), (2) or (3) or consider the executive action in a future disciplinary matter. Asserts that the commission shall expunge the disciplinary record of a licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder if the imposition of discipline was for a violation of executive action described in subsection (a)(1), (2) or (3) at no cost to the licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder within 30 days of the effective date of this subparagraph and provide notice of the expungement to the licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder. Effective immediately.

(PN 1534) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, providing for criminal history background checks. Requires an individual applying for a license, certificate, registration or permit as a health care practitioner to submit a full set of fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), directing PSP to check the fingerprints against records in the Pennsylvania State central repository to obtain a current record of any criminal arrests or convictions. Provides for a national criminal history record check. Allows the appropriate licensing board or licensing commission to refuse to issue a license, certificate, registration or permit to an applicant seeking licensure in accordance with section 3113 (relating to consideration of criminal convictions). Imposes duties on the Department of State (DOS). Establishes that the criminal history record check information obtained under this section shall be exempt from the limitations under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121(B) (relating to general regulations). Defines “health care practitioner” and “license, certificate, registration or permit.” Effective in 180 days.

(PN 1602) Amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, in medical professional liability, further providing for definitions and for expert qualifications. Defines “certificate of merit.” Further provides for general and medical expert qualifications in regard to statements in support of a certificate of merit. Sets requirements for certificates of merit signatures and filings. Requires testifying medical experts to possess a Pennsylvanian unrestricted physician’s license, be engaged in active clinical practice or teaching in the same specialty or subspecialty of the health care provider against whom the medical professional liability action has been brought. Eliminates allowances for retired medical professionals to testify if they retired within the previous five years. Inserts relevant language. Prohibits the court from waiving training, experience and knowledge requirements for a person issuing a statement in support of certificate of merit in a medical professional liability action. Requires a certificate of merit and accompanying statement to include the contact information and curriculum vitae of the medical professional issuing the statement. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 1614) Amends Title 65 (Public Officers), in lobbying disclosure, further providing for definitions, for registration, for exemption from registration and reporting, for prohibited activities, for administration and for penalties; and making an editorial change. Provides several definitions. Provides for political consultants and any affiliates registering or terminating with the Department of State (DOS). Revises the section for reporting to expense reporting. Provides for exemptions from expense reporting. Revises the section on prohibiting activities, providing for the addition of political consultants to regulations. Revises the section for penalties, providing that notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, a lobbyist subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct promulgated by the Supreme Court shall only be disciplined for a violation of this chapter as permitted by such rules and nothing in this chapter shall be construed as restricting the board's authority to discipline an attorney at law who is acting as a lobbyist, political consultant or principal. Provides in the section for administration, subsection on inflation adjustment, provides that DOS shall, by June 1 of every odd-numbered year, submit adjusted amounts to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This act shall take effect as follows: the amendment or addition of 65 Pa.C.S. § 13A07(f)(x), (xi) and (xii) shall take effect January 1, 2025, or immediately, whichever is later. Section 9 and section 8 of this act shall take effect immediately. The remainder of this act shall be effective in 60 days.

(PN 1701) Amends Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed)), in powers and duties, adding a section to provide for continuing education tracking system. Directs the bureau to implement an electronic or cloud-based continuing education tracking system for use by each licensing board and licensing commission to which a licensee, registrant, certificate holder or permit holder is required to provide proof of continuing education compliance for license, registration, certificate or permit renewal in a practice act. Outlines system requirements. Requires the bureau to develop a plan for implementation of the continuing education tracking system no later than 60 days after the effective date. Requires the bureau to ensure that the continuing education tracking system is operational no later than 18 months after the effective date, allowing the bureau to contract with a third party entity to establish the system. Provides for use of system and for construction. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1707) Amends Title 40 (Insurance), adding a chapter to provide for electronic notice of insurance practices. Provides scope and construction of chapter and definitions. Provides for the delivery of insurance notices or documents, outlining provisions for transactions, effect of delivery, consent from covered persons, consent from plan sponsors, duties of plan sponsors and duties of insurers for health benefit plans. Establishes requirements for changes in hardware or software. Stipulates the affect, validity and enforceability of insurance notices or documents. Provides for the withdrawal of consent, detailing procedures, legality, effect and noncompliance. Provides for prior consent for electronic delivery of insurance notices or documents. Outlines alternative methods of delivery. Establishes limitation on civil liability. Provides for the delivery of insurance policies and endorsements. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1821) Amends the Medical Practice Act, further providing for several definitions, for respiratory therapists, for perfusionist, for genetic counselor and for prosthetists, orthotists, pedorthists and orthotic fitters to assert that in assessing the moral character of an applicant with a criminal conviction, the board shall conduct an individualized assessment per 63 Pa.C.S. § 3113 (relating to consideration of criminal convictions); adding a section to provide for medical imaging professionals, radiation therapists, radiologist assistants and trainees; further providing for licenses and certificates and general qualification to insert that in assessing the moral character of an applicant with a criminal conviction, the board shall conduct an individualized assessment per 63 Pa.C.S. § 3113 (relating to consideration of criminal convictions); repealing provisions relating to radiologic procedures and education and training required; and repealing section 16.4 of the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act. Provides that it shall be unlawful for an individual who is not licensed to perform or offer to perform medical imaging, radiation therapy or radiography procedures on a human body for diagnostic purposes or to provide guidance during medical interventions or practice as a medical imaging professional, radiation therapist or radiologist assistant beginning two years after the effective date. Establishes the requirements an applicant must meet for the board to issue a license as a medical imaging professional, a radiation therapist or a radiologist assistant. Directs a medical imaging professional to only perform the functions of the modality in which they have received education, training and certification by a medical imaging certification organization. Allows a radiation therapist to use ionizing radiation to deliver radiation therapy treatments and perform treatment simulation using a medical imaging modality and shall execute treatment plan procedures and dosimetric calculations as prescribed by a licensed physician. Outlines the scope of practice for a radiologist assistant. Requires the board to issue a license under this section to an individual practicing as a medical imaging professional, radiation therapist or radiologist assistant if the individual meets all the specific requirements within two years of the effective date. Provides provisions for the use of title for an individual who holds an active license under this section. Provides for temporary licensure for trainees. Outlines what the licensure requirements under this section shall not apply to. Details authorizations and restrictions. Establishes guidelines for license renewal and professional liability. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1834) Amends the Medical Marijuana Act, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in patients, further providing for prohibitions; in miscellaneous provisions, further providing for protections for patients and caregivers and providing for enforcement and civil actions; and promulgating regulations. Defines “essential functions,” “impaired,” “safety-sensitive position” and “under the influence.” Removes certain prohibitions. Amends the subsection on employment for protections for patients and caregivers, removing certain language and providing language for instances for employee protection. Establishes guidelines for employers, employees and job applicants related to drug testing. Outlines the circumstances under which disclosure of medical marijuana use may be required for safety-sensitive positions. Specifies how medical marijuana should be treated regarding unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation laws. Provides that the Secretary of Labor and Industry shall promulgate regulations necessary to enforce section 2103(b) and allows a complainant to only bring a civil action after all administrative remedies are exhausted. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1831) The Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act provides for violence prevention committees in health facilities, for duties of committees, for workplace violence reporting requirements and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I); and imposes fines and administrative penalties. Provides several definitions. Directs each health facility to establish a violence prevention committee to establish, review, administer and provide guidance about a program relating to the prevention of workplace violence at the health facility. Outlines the composition of each committee. Imposes duties on each committee, directing them to perform an initial risk assessment based on the analysis of incidents of the prior five years and then annually thereafter, as well as an evaluation of the factors that may put an employee at risk of workplace violence. Details what those factors shall include, but not be limited to. Provides for the quarterly review of all incidents of workplace violence. Outlines the preparation of a report from the risk assessment evaluation and establishment of a written violence prevention program. Requires a committee to provide appropriate employee training to employees at the time of hire and annually thereafter. Establishes guidelines for the reporting of workplace violence and asserts that a report of an incident of workplace violence that is submitted to management or a health facility shall be provided to a committee within 72 hours of the submission of the report. L&I to levy an administrative fine on a health facility that violates this act or any regulation adopted under this act, specifying the fine shall be between $1,000 and $10,000 for each violation. Allows L&I to order a health facility to take an action that L&I deems necessary to correct a violation of this act, including payment of restitution to an employee, a directive to change a policy or procedure or a director to remedy prohibited retaliation. Provides for if a health facility has engaged in conduct that causes or maintains a substantial risk of further workplace violence. Outlines reports to the department. Provides provisions for subpoenas and inspections. Details the effect on collective bargaining agreements. Directs L&I to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this act. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 1925) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure), in matters affecting government units, further providing for limitations on damages relating to actions against commonwealth parties and for limitations on damages relating to actions against local parties. Asserts that in cases involving permanent dismemberment or death case damages arising from the same cause of action or transaction or occurrence or series of causes of action or transactions or occurrences shall not exceed $1 million in favor of any plaintiff or $2 million in the aggregate. Strikes out language providing for insurance benefits. Stipulates that in cases involving permanent dismemberment or death case damages arising from the same cause of action or transaction or occurrence or series of causes of action or transactions or occurrences shall not exceed $1 million in the aggregate. Amends section (c)(2)(ii) to replace $1,500 with $10,000. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1845) (PN 1845) Amends Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure), in matters affecting government units, further providing for limitations on damages relating to actions against commonwealth parties and for limitations on damages relating to actions against local parties. Asserts that in cases involving permanent dismemberment or death case damages arising from the same cause of action or transaction or occurrence or series of causes of action or transactions or occurrences shall not exceed $1 million in favor of any plaintiff or $2 million in the aggregate. Provides that if a claimant receives or is entitled to receive benefits under a policy of insurance other than a life insurance policy as a result of losses for which damages are recoverable, the amount of benefits shall be deducted from the amount of damages that would be otherwise recoverable by the claimant. Stipulates that in cases involving permanent dismemberment or death case damages arising from the same cause of action or transaction or occurrence or series of causes of action or transactions or occurrences shall not exceed $1 million in the aggregate. Amends section (c)(2)(ii) to replace $1,500 with $10,000. Effective in 60 days.

(PN 1956) Amends the Health Care Facilities Act, adding a chapter to provide for hospital price transparency and for prohibition on collection action of debt against patients for noncompliant hospitals. Provides several definitions. Requires hospitals to provide via internet and hard copy upon request all standard charges for all hospital items or services and standard charges for a limited set of shoppable services. Provides a list of standard charges. Provides a list of shoppable services. Establishes reporting requirements including each time a hospital creates or updates a list to submit to the department and the department submits to the Legislation Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Requires annual reporting requirements for the department and what the report shall include and must be attested by an authorized executive of a hospital or health system. Requires the department to make all reports and lists available on its publicly accessible website within 60 days of receipt of each report. Provides complaint procedures for alleged violations. Permits the department to issue a written notice to the hospital stating a violation has been committed by the hospital, providing examples of where the department is required to do so. Establishes sanctions and penalties, specifying the grounds for sanctions. Permits the department to impose civil penalties and provides monetary values depending on the number of incidents. Asserts that a hospital that is sanctioned for a third or subsequent offense shall be ineligible to receive a payment from the uncompensated care payment program under Chapter 11 of the Tobacco Settlement Act for the fiscal year following the third or subsequent offense. Provides for audits, general government appropriations, administrative proceedings and judicial appeals. Establishes machine-readable format requirements. Requires notice and disclosure of facility fees. Requires the department to report annually on the progress of Chapter 8-C’s implementation and administration and who the report shall be submitted to. Provides for regulations. Adds Chapter 8-D for the prohibition on collection action of debt against patients for noncompliant hospitals, providing several definitions. Provides that a hospital that violates the requirements under Chapter 8-C on the date when an item or service is purchased from or provided to a patient by the hospital may not initiate or pursue a collection action against the patient or patient guarantor for a debt owed for the item or service. Permits the patient or patient guarantor to initiate civil action if a patient believes a hospital is in violation of the requirements of Chapter 8-C on the date when an item or service is purchased from or provided to the patient and the hospital takes a collection action against the patient or patient guarantor. Describes when a hospital is in non-compliance. Provides that nothing in the section shall be construed to prohibit a hospital from billing a patient, patient guarantor or third-party payor, including a health insurer, for an item or service provided to the patient in a manner that is not in violation of this chapter; or require a hospital to refund a payment made to the hospital for an item or service provided to the patient if no collection action is taken in violation of this chapter. Effective in 180 days.

(PN 996) Resolution urging the Department of Human Services (DHS) to submit a state plan amendment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide reimbursement for emergency medical services for the nontransport of Medicaid patients.

(PN 1272) Directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the various workforce development programs administered by commonwealth agencies. (Prior Printer Number(s): 1153) (PN 1153) Resolution requesting that the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) conduct a program evaluation to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of workforce development programs administered by various commonwealth agencies.