HARRISBURG – Legislation to improve cancer treatment access was signed into law this week, according to Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37).

Act 39 of 2024 – the companion bill to Robinson’s Senate Bill 954 – will provide Pennsylvanians better access to personalized treatments following a diagnosis of cancer and other specific diseases through biomarker testing and precision medicine. Biomarker testing looks for biological changes at a molecular level, helping to detect cancer and other conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease to ensure patients get the right treatment option, and predicts the growth and spread of disease.

“It was an honor to work with Rep. Mullins to write legislation with the shared goal of improving cancer treatment access,” said Robinson. “Act 39 of 2024 is a significant step forward in ensuring that patients receive the most effective, personalized treatment options available. By expanding access to biomarker testing and precision medicine, we can detect diseases and tailor treatments to the individual needs of each patient. It addresses critical disparities in care, ensuring that all Pennsylvanians have access to these life-saving advancements.”

The law takes effect in 60 days.

CONTACT:
Allison Dutrey

HARRISBURG – Legislation to increase access to health care sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-46) was passed by the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee today.

Senate Bill 25, as amended, would allow qualified Advanced Practice Registered Nurses-Certified Nurse Practitioners (APRN-CNPs) to practice primary health care in rural counties independent of a physician after fulfilling a three-year, 3,600-hour collaboration agreement with a physician. Current law requires nurse practitioners to practice under a collaboration agreement at all times.

“In rural counties, people must travel significantly farther to access care and there is rarely public transportation. It can be very difficult and even impossible for people to access the health care they need, particularly as people age and tend to need care more often,” Bartolotta said.

The bill uses the Center for Rural PA’s definition of rural, which is when the total population of a county divided by the total number of square land miles yields a population density fewer than 291 people per square mile.

More than 3.4 million Pennsylvanians live in rural areas, where nurse practitioners are twice as likely – compared to physicians – to practice.

According to recent findings, the number of patients seen by nurse practitioners per week would increase by almost 1,800 if Pennsylvania adopted full practice authority.

The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

CONTACT: Katrina Hanna, 717-787-1463

HARRISBURG – In a decisive move to enhance transparency with entities that receive public benefits, the Senate of Pennsylvania approved legislation that would bring the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) under the state’s Right-to-Know Law, according to the measure’s sponsor, Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York). The legislation aims to provide public access to information about how taxpayer dollars are utilized by organizations that participate on the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS). 

The PSBA, a private nonprofit organization supporting elected school board directors, has staff members who enjoy the same benefits as public school teachers through PSERS. Phillips-Hill contends that this affiliation justifies subjecting the association to the same transparency requirements as public entities. 

“This legislation is a crucial step to ensure that all entities that receive public benefits are transparent and accountable.” Phillips-Hill said. “The public deserves to know how their tax dollars are being spent.” 

The Senate’s decision comes shortly after the House of Representatives narrowly approved a measure that would mandate new school directors to undergo training by the PSBA. This sequence of events underscores the critical timing and importance of the Senate’s legislative approval. 

Phillips-Hill’s legislation aligns with a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that classified the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) as a public entity subject to the Right-to-Know Law. The court’s opinion highlighted that since the PIAA receives tax dollars and funds from public schools, its classification as a state-affiliated entity was legitimate and essential for ensuring transparency in its use of public funds. 

Phillips-Hill argues that if the PSBA staff benefit from the public pension program, they should be held to the same transparency standards as public school employees. 

The Senate’s approval of this measure represents a significant advancement in promoting transparency and accountability in the use of public resources within the education sector. 

The legislation now awaits further action in the House of Representatives.

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HARRISBURG – The Senate unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) to allow Fort Indiantown Gap police officers to be Act 120 certified under the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).

Currently, police officers at Fort Indiantown Gap complete all the same certification requirements but are never assigned numbers by MPOETC. This can prevent them from being able to transfer to another police department without retaking the exam.

“At a time when police officers are desperately needed, my bill would eliminate an unnecessary burden for them. The change would help recruiting efforts at Fort Indiantown Gap,” Gebhard said. “With the passage of my bill, the Fort Indiantown Gap police department would finally be treated like every other municipal police department, school police department and the Capitol Police.”

Senate Bill 1228 is similar to a bill that allowed automatic certification for school police officers. It now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT: Alex Gamble

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania state Sens. John Kane (D-9) and Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27) and state Reps. Robert Matzie (D-16) and Tom Mehaffie (R-106) today announced the relaunch of the Nuclear Energy Caucus.

“Nuclear energy has powered Pennsylvania’s homes and businesses for decades with reliable, carbon-free electricity,” the members of caucus said. “We are relaunching the bipartisan, bicameral Pennsylvania Nuclear Energy Caucus to ensure we keep this tried-and-true clean energy contributing to our baseload power for generations to come.”

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of the nuclear power industry, with the first commercial nuclear power plant beginning operations in 1957 in Shippingport. Pennsylvania’s eight nuclear reactors at four facilities today produce one-third of all electricity generated in the commonwealth.

America’s nuclear power plants faced significant economic and financial challenges in the 2010s, which led to the premature closure of many nuclear plants across the country, including Three Mile Island near Harrisburg in 2019. A Joint State Government Commission report on nuclear energy found the closure resulted in an 8% reduction in Pennsylvania’s nuclear energy output and hundreds of lost jobs.

The commission’s report also studied small modular reactors (SMRs), which are innovative fission-based units that are constructed in factories and shipped to sites to be joined together, producing emission-free power 24 hours a day. The technology is expected to be commercially viable as early as 2030.

“Now is the time for Pennsylvania to build safeguards—not barriers—to move quickly to construct SMRs,” the members said. “By preparing now, we can ensure that Pennsylvania’s energy past is also our energy future.”

Culver Media Contact: Betsy Reichenbach
717-787-8928

Kane Media Contact: Drew Henderson
484-861-4686

Matzie Media Contact: Liane Leshne
978-549-1868

Mehaffie Media Contact: Jennifer Fitch
717-260-6563