Shapiro signs Borowski bill to remove duplicative health centers, streamline public health spending
Rep. Lisa Borowski December 19, 2023 | 2:22 PM
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Dec. 19 – Gov. Josh Shapiro last week signed H.B. 1131 into law as Act 50 of 2023, a measure that allows for more efficient spending on public health by authorizing the removal of duplicative public health centers. The bill was introduced by state Rep. Lisa Borowski, D-Delaware, and is her first piece of legislation to be signed into law.
“Removing state-run health services in counties where they’re no longer needed because the county has taken on the responsibility of managing public health on its own will not result in residents losing any services – instead, their hard-earned dollars will be freed up for other efforts to improve health outcomes,” Borowski said. “I’m grateful to Senator Tim Kearney for calling my attention to this simple yet substantial change to policy that’s more than 25 years old.”
"House Bill 1131 will save Pennsylvania's Department of Health from duplicating existing services in Delaware County and will allow them to reinvest those services toward areas of greater need,” state Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, said. “This bill demonstrates our commitment to fiscal responsibility and sound management of taxpayer dollars."
Act 87 of 1996 required the Department of Health to run at least one state health center in every county in perpetuity, without accommodation for counties that would eventually establish their own health departments and health centers after enactment. The requirement had become an unnecessary redundancy, as counties like Delaware and Lackawanna established their own successful public health departments and treatment centers.
Borowski said the new law only applies to counties that have established or are in the process of establishing a county health department approved under the Local Health Administration law and ensures no health services will be lost.
Public health centers play an integral role community safety by providing services such as communicable disease surveillance and investigation, immunization services, testing and treatment of certain conditions, and home visiting.