HAP's Latest News

The Pennsylvania General Assembly today sent Governor Wolf a spending plan for the remainder of the fiscal year 2020–2021 budget. During May of this year, lawmakers enacted an interim state budget that funded government programs for five months and fully funded education.

Last night, the state Senate voted on a measure proposed by Senator Lisa Baker (R–Luzerne), which would protect providers and facilities, the business community, and education entities from frivolous COVID-19 lawsuits. Today the state House of Representatives approved the measure by a vote of 104 to 98, sending the bill to Governor Wolf.

As legislators work to finalize the details of the 2020–2021 state budget, the Senate Democrats elected their leadership team for the 2021–2022 legislative session. There are two new members of the Senate Democratic leadership team.

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania congratulates the Senate Republicans and House Democratic leaders whose peers today chose them to serve as their respective caucus leaders for the 2021-2022 legislative session.

In Harrisburg today, the House Committee on Aging and Older Adult Services held an informational hearing on the effectiveness of the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program (RRHCP). Chaired by Representative Gary Day (R-Lehigh), the committee which oversees policy concerning the aging population heard testimony from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, hospitals and health systems representing the Southwest and Northeast regional RRHCPs, and organizations representing long term care facilities.

In Harrisburg today, Pennsylvania House Republicans held internal elections to determine who will lead their caucus during the 2021-2022 legislative session. While most of the leadership team will remain familiar, there were two changes with Representative Mike Reese (R-Westmoreland) taking on the role of Caucus Chair and, new to leadership, Representative Martina White (R-White) will serve as Caucus Secretary.

Today, Governor Wolf held a press conference about the General Election, elaborating about the delay in counting mail-in ballots, adding that Pennsylvania may not know the final tally of votes today, but will ensure that all ballots are counted to guarantee a fair election in the state.

As a follow up to a hearing held late September, members of the House Health Committee heard from representatives of the pharmaceutical and health care communities about the progress of COVID-19 vaccine development and treatments available to patients who have been hospitalized.

In what was deemed as the largest virtually attended broadband hearing of the 2019–2020 legislative session, on Tuesday more than 30 stakeholders joined the state Senate Communications and Technology Committee Broadband Public Roundtable, to discuss federal and state perspectives on broadband access and the impact of COVID-19 on access to health care and other services.

The Pennsylvania Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee today approved two HAP-supported bills that would improve health care by modernizing the commonwealth’s laws governing physician assistants.