Legislative Update
Rep. Carol Hill-Evans November 18, 2021 | 10:09 AM
To keep you informed, I am highlighting recently introduced bills that I will be following closely. I broke them down into categories so you can find your specific interests. The short descriptions beside each bill are what the bill's sponsor has claimed.
If you click on the link for the bill number, you can find out more information about the bill. If you would like to advocate for the bill, follow the link, then click on the link for which committee the bill has been assigned to. This will bring up information about the chairs and other members of that committee, who you can contact and advocate for or against the bill.
Education
HB1948 would permit a school nurse to act as a secondary caregiver for a child, which will allow the school nurse to administer medical marijuana to the child. The legislation also waives the $50 caregiver fee for school nurses. Currently a parent, guardian or caregiver is permitted to administer medical marijuana to their child on school grounds and must remove any excess medical marijuana from the school premises after administration.
HB726 would provide for disability inclusive curriculum in the public-school code.
HB1954 would provide menstrual hygiene products, at no cost, in each bathroom of public schools serving students in grades 6 through 12.
HB1982 would create grants to help both public and nonpublic schools purchase additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning and sanitizing supplies, and to allow them to make modifications necessary to ensure appropriate social distancing, in the current school year.
HB1997 would require all nonpublic schools to report school violence data annually to the Office of Safe Schools. Currently, all public, technical, charter schools and intermediate units are required to submit school violence reports annually to the Office of Safe Schools in order to help develop effective policies that combat school violence.
Government
HB1950 would allow requests by legislators for poverty impact analysis on specified bills.
HB1951 would task the Department of Human Services with maintaining a system to track intergenerational poverty. The data collected would be analyzed by a commission made up of cabinet members who will use this data to implement policies and programs addressing poverty, public assistance, education, and other issues, as needed, to reduce the rate of childhood and adult poverty.
HB1952 would create a bipartisan committee to identify legacy infrastructure projects throughout Pennsylvania. House and Senate members in each region of the Commonwealth will meet, collaborate, and choose a project for their individual region.
Veterans
HB1953 would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to extend the property tax exemption to Pennsylvania residents who are the surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who was killed in action or missing and presumed dead, or who received a disability rating of 100% by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and subsequently passed away. The legislation would also expand eligibility for this exemption to veterans who served this great Commonwealth and nation regardless of where their sacrifice was made.
HB1964 would establish the Office of Deputy Adjutant General (ODAG) for Veterans’ Affairs to act as an independent office.
HB1978 would expand the composition, powers, and duties of the Pennsylvania State Veterans’ Commission and make changes to the Commission to allow any veteran organization or individual veteran to apply for membership for a four-year term.
Transportation
HB1958 would require PennDOT to create a driver improvement program designed to target our most dangerous drivers. The legislation would be required to reduce points from a driver’s record when points exceed a total of 6 and when any person is convicted of driving 31 miles per hour or more than the speed limit. Additionally, the course would be required when applying for Occupational Limited License and Probationary License and would be a condition for driver’s license reinstatement if an operator’s license is suspended due to an accumulation of points, or excessive speeding. The training course would employ established, effective behavioral psychology principles offered by nationally recognized non-profit organizations. Program providers would have to offer both classroom and eLearning course options for all drivers required to attend and offer a minimum of four to eight hours of training.
HB1972 would establish an adult day-care program to be known as “Community-Based Palliative Care” within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (“DMVA”). It will authorize the DMVA to administer non-hospital specialized medical care in a veterans’ home or with a partner in a related health care facility licensed by the Department of Health, to veterans who are living with a serious illness.
Justice
HB1968 would codify the current medical assistance application assistance provided to inmates who are being prepared for reentry in state law and expand it to other state and federal benefit programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), home heating assistance, long-term living services, and subsidized childcare. The sponsor of the bill advises within three years of their release, roughly 2 out of 3 people are rearrested. The purpose of this bill is to bring our recidivism rate down and remove barriers for healthy reentry
Recreation
HB1974 would require marinas be equipped with at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) and a 911 telephone. Also, it will require each marina to provide instructions regarding the use of the marina and its facilities during staffed and non-staffed hours, including the location and use of all safety equipment.
Workforce
HB1977 would require workers be provided three days of paid leave if they experience a pregnancy loss, such as a miscarriage or stillbirth, unsuccessful fertility treatment, failed adoption or surrogacy arrangement, or medical diagnosis that impacts fertility or a pregnancy.
Family
HB1983 would give renters a choice. If a landlord requires a security deposit, that landlord must not ask for more than two month's rent in advance and must participate in a deposit alternative program such as cash through a schedule of installment payments or lease insurance.
HB2005 would require law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania to record audio and video of all interrogations. The bill would also create a grant program for police departments that do not have the funding to purchase the necessary recording equipment and/or to train personnel in the use of the equipment. The sponsor of this bill believes i would ensure that individuals’ rights are safeguarded during an interrogation, while also protecting our police officers from false allegations of misconduct.
Healthcare
HB2007 would create partnerships between the Department of Health and medical providers to educate women on the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, the biological changes behind the processes and how to talk to family and friends about the processes. The sponsor says data shows 32% of surveyed American women reported feeling there was not enough perimenopause and menopause information available to them.