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House passes companion to Matzie bill that would require automated external defibrillators at utility and electrical linework job sites

(Oct 21, 2026) Rep. Robert F. Matzie

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – The Pennsylvania House today passed S.B. 1328 – companion legislation to state Rep. Rob Matzie’s bill that would mandate the availability of automated external defibrillators at utility and electrical linework job sites in Pennsylvania. Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced his companion bill with state Rep. Jason Ortitay to address a major gap in the law and ensure that workers on some of the highest-risk job sites have access to lifesaving medical equipment. “When seconds count, AEDs save lives,” Matzie said. “Using them immediately on site after cardiac arrest dramatically increases survival compared to situations that rely on EMS arrival alone. It’s why we mandate these devices in schools, hotels, health clubs and coal mines. “But there is a critical gap in the law – there’s no similar requirement for AEDs to be available at utility and linework job sites, even though these are some of the most dangerous jobs around. We introduced this legislation in conjunction with the Senate bill passed today to address that gap and ensure that our workers have the protections they need when doing the essential work that keeps our lights on. I was glad to see the bill move forward and will push to ensure it gets to the governor’s desk.” “Line workers routinely work on energized electrical systems, at Read more

 

Benham bill classifying 911 dispatchers as first responders to become law

(Oct 21, 2026) Rep. Jessica Benham

Legislation recognizing telecommunicators, expanding access to benefits heads to governor’s desk Read more

 

Bill promoting early colorectal cancer detection heads to governor’s desk

(Oct 21, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – Legislation ( H.B. 1123 ) that would require health insurance policies to cover colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 45 with no cost-sharing is headed to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk for his signature. House Bill 1123 would update current law to reduce the age at which colorectal cancer screenings are covered from 50 to 45, update the guidelines referenced in the law to the most recent edition, and update the tests covered by insurance to those recommended by those guidelines. The bill was introduced by state Rep. Pat Gallagher, D-Phila., who is a survivor of colorectal cancer. “As a survivor of colorectal cancer, I know firsthand the impact that early detection and proper care can have on an individual's journey through the labyrinth of cancer,” said Gallagher. “This legislation is not just about updating insurance coverage; it's about saving lives and ensuring that no one has to face the challenges of colorectal cancer alone and that every Pennsylvanian, regardless of their circumstances, can access the screenings that could make all the difference.” Current insurance law requires health insurance coverage for routine colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 50, but that requirement is based on American Cancer Society standards published in 2008. Several other states have updated to the more recent American Cancer Society guidelines from 2018, which Read more

 

Legislation to unleash local bridge funds passes PA Senate, heads to governor’s desk

(Oct 21, 2026) Rep. Nate Davidson

“This bill is a commonsense solution that shifts our bridge maintenance strategy from reactive to proactive,” said Davidson. “County commissioners and local officials live in these communities and know their roads and bridges far better than anyone in the Capitol. The money is already sitting there in local accounts; this legislation simply cuts the red tape so local leaders can put those dollars to work and keep our drivers safe before a bridge reaches the brink of failure.” Read more

 

Briggs announces Judiciary Committee advances warrant requirement, transit protections and court security review

(Oct 21, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Tim Briggs, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that the committee has approved three measures aimed at protecting private property rights and improving safety for public transit workers, passengers and people who work in or visit local courts. “These measures address important protections for Pennsylvanians — on their property, on public transit and in their local courts,” Briggs said. “Each takes a practical step toward making sure people’s rights and safety are respected.” Briggs said the following bills will now head to the full House for consideration: Senate Bill 1431 , sponsored by Sen. Daniel Laughlin, would require Pennsylvania Game Commission personnel to get a valid warrant before entering private property outside of buildings, whether or not the land is posted against trespassing. The bill would add a warrant requirement to the sections of Pennsylvania’s Game Code governing commission personnel and enforcement officers. Current law gives Game Commission personnel broad authority to enter private land outside of buildings, including property marked with no-trespassing signs. Senate Bill 210 , sponsored by Sen. Joe Picozzi, would make it a felony to attack transit workers, physically threaten them with immediate serious injury or death or interfere with their work in a way that injures or kills someone else. The bill Read more

 

Adjusted curfew for youth EMS volunteers to become law

(Oct 21, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – The Pennsylvania Senate yesterday passed H.B. 2014, which would adjust the current curfew rules for minors volunteering with emergency services. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Greg Scott, D-Montgomery, allows minors to engage in training and firefighting activities until 10 p.m. any night of the year. “The number of Pennsylvania residents volunteering for their local fire companies has been in steady decline since the 1970s,” Scott said. “We’re in crisis. Many of our emergency response organizations are chronically understaffed and unable to respond efficiently to calls. This bill helps position us to grow our volunteer base, starting with our youngest volunteers.” Under the state’s Child Labor Act, minors can engage in training or firefighting activities until 10 p.m. the night before a school day. Yet on weekends, holidays and over summer academic breaks, that curfew is only 9 p.m. Scott said that this updated curfew will help support the pipeline of trained volunteers needed to respond to community emergencies. “The restrictions in the old law are arbitrary and only added a barrier for some companies to adequately train new volunteers,” Scott said. “Making the curfew 10 p.m. year-round is a small change that can make scheduling and holding trainings easier on many volunteer-run outfits. That can Read more

 

Neilson applauds passage of Road Work Safety Zone legislation

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

House Bill 2336 will require the Pennsylvania Transportation Department to educate prospective drivers about safety in work zones and the related penalties. PennDOT must also include at least one question relating to safe driving in work zones on the Pennsylvania driver’s license exam. Read more

 

Green bill to make parking fees transparent headed to governor’s desk

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 20 – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Roni Green, D-Phila., that would require transparency of residential parking fees for tenants has been approved by the Pennsylvania state Senate and is headed to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk for his signature. House Bill 344 would require landlords to define parking availability and the associated fees to prospective tenants before they sign a lease. Green said transparency is needed so people aren’t stuck with unexpected parking fees after moving into a new home. Read more

 

Fiedler celebrates House passage of utility rate transparency bill

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct 20 - Today, H.B. 2584, a bill to create a user-friendly public utility rate case record, passed the PA House with unanimous support. State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., introduced the bill as a companion to a Senate bill (S.B. 1254), sponsored by state Sen. Michele Brooks, R-Crawford/Mercer/Lawrence. The bill would direct the Public Utility Commission to create a centralized, searchable database containing information on all utility rates under the commission’s jurisdiction. Currently, information relating to utility rate increases is accessible only on a case-by-case basis on various pages of the PUC’s website. “As utility bills continue to rise month after month, electric customers deserve to know how those decisions were made — without having to spend countless hours researching and tracking down information,” Fiedler said. “This is a practical change that gives Pennsylvanians more access to information that should already be accessible to them.” Last month, the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee unanimously approved the bill with an amendment clarifying the exemption for telecommunications carriers. The bill has no known opposition and is supported by the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate. “I appreciate Representative Fiedler introducing H.B. 2584, companion legislation to my S.B. 1254, and am thankful the House Read more

 

Khan’s bipartisan legislation to protect nurses and healthcare workers passes General Assembly

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

The bill now heads to Gov. Josh Shapiro's desk to be signed into law Read more

 

PA House passes first-ever e-scooter regulations

(Oct 20, 2026) Rep. Emily Kinkead

Bipartisan legislation for safe and responsible use of e-scooters advances to Senate Read more

 

Bipartisan bill to prohibit excessively loud ads on streaming services passes PA House

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 20 – On Monday, the PA House passed H.B. 2790, a bill to prohibit excessively loud ads on streaming services, with overwhelming bipartisan support, 189–14. “This bill is simple: what you set is what you should get,” said co-sponsor state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler , D-Phila. “As a lawmaker and as a parent, it’s frustrating for the video you’re watching to be interrupted by an ad at a much louder volume than the original video. I’m glad that we’re one step closer to giving Pennsylvanians the control they deserve with this House vote.” “Whether you live in Philadelphia or Allegheny County, nobody wants commercials blasting through their television, computer, or phone louder than the show they’re watching,” co-sponsor state Rep. Jeremy Shaffer , R-Allegheny, said. “This is commonsense consumer protection that brings streaming services in line with the standards we’ve had for traditional television for years. I’m pleased to have worked with Representative Elizabeth Fiedler in a bipartisan manner to address an annoyance that affects families across Pennsylvania.” While the FCC currently regulates television advertising volume through the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, the law doesn’t apply to internet-based streaming services. The CALM Act went into effect Dec. 13, 2012. Similar Read more

 

Community Violence Prevention, Transportation, Economic Development, and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Oct 20, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Community Violence Prevention, Transportation, Economic Development, and Additional Grant Opportunities for your District Read more

 

Steele supports House passage of bill to ban cell phones in schools

(Oct 19, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

A proposal championed by state Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, to restrict cellphone use in Pennsylvania schools passed the PA House today on a bipartisan vote, a key step in the process for enacting the legislation in time for the 2027-28 school year. Read more

 

PA House Communications & Technology Committee hears testimony about frontier AI bills

(Oct 19, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 19 – The PA House Communications & Technology Committee today held a hearing on two bills that would regulate safety practices for the most capable “frontier” AI models. Read more

 

Worker co-op legislation passes Senate, heads to governor’s desk

(Oct 19, 2026) Rep. Rick Krajewski

HARRISBURG, Oct. 19 – Legislation ( H.B. 135 ) introduced by state Rep. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., unanimously passed the Pennsylvania Senate today (50-0) and will now head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. “This is commonsense, bipartisan legislation which will make it easier to start a worker cooperative,” Krajewski said. “Co-ops allow workers to wholly own the products of their labor and promote values of democracy, sustainability, and self-determination. Co-ops are proven viable business models and we should do what we can to support workers.” H.B. 135 would lower the number of workers required to form a cooperative from five to three, opening the door to more potential cooperatives to form. Under existing law, would-be cooperative entrepreneurs often choose instead to start LLCs. If they wish to become a worker cooperative later, it requires a burdensome and cost prohibitive refiling process. “This is a small change which will have a huge impact for start-up and conversion worker-owned and democratically run cooperative businesses,” wrote Corey Reidy, Cooperative Development Director at the Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance. “More worker-cooperatives will be able to choose the entity which was created for them and will give them the most benefits -- all of which will support the strength of their business and foster further workplace democracy in Read more

 

Fiedler, advocates applaud passage of biggest renewable energy investment in Pennsylvania history

(Oct 19, 2026) Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, Rep. Steve Samuelson

HARRISBURG, Oct 19 – Today, the House passed H.B. 1667, which would reform the existing Pennsylvania Economic Development for a Growing Economy, known as EDGE, tax credit and create a new electric usage fee on data centers. Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., chair of the House Energy Committee, applauded this passage as a win for renewable energy and affordability in the Commonwealth. “This is the largest investment in renewable energy in the Commonwealth’s history,” Fiedler said. “This tax credit will get more clean energy online, which we know will help lower electric bills and improve reliability on a strained grid. We need this urgently to combat the rising cost of electricity, which is causing households all over Pennsylvania a lot of pain. This bill represents one of the biggest environmental wins in Pennsylvania in decades.” "This legislation would impose a fee on the largest energy users, specifically data centers, and turn those revenues into a rebate on the electric bills of average homeowners who are facing rising utility costs," said state Rep. Steve Samuleson, chair of the House Finance Committee. This bill makes a number of changes to the EDGE tax credit: drastically reducing the original allocation for natural gas and reinvesting it in renewable energy like solar and the clean manufacturing sector. Included in the appropriation is $34.7 million available for a Read more

 

O'Mara bill to regulate Flock cameras passes House

(Oct 19, 2026) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

On a bipartisan vote, the state House today approved a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, D-Delaware, to protect drivers’ privacy by regulating the use of automated license plate readers such as Flock cameras by government agencies in Pennsylvania. Read more

 

Pielli’s data center regulation bill passes state House

(Oct 19, 2026) Rep. Chris Pielli

“Since 2020, when data centers started to be constructed, Pennsylvania’s energy costs have risen by over 70%,” Pielli said. “With there being estimates of up to 130 active data centers with an additional 55 data centers being proposed, planned or under construction, this problem will only get worse without proper regulation. If data centers gain public utility status, they will essentially become digital dictators that could preempt local municipal zoning ordinances and reduce communities’ control over land-use decisions. We need to place guardrails on this issue immediately and ensure that Pennsylvanians have a voice in where these data centers are developed.” Read more

 

Effort to enact 'Marnie's Law' launches in General Assembly

(Oct 19, 2026) Southeast Delegation

A new effort was launched in Pennsylvania today to enact “Marnie’s Law,” which would require healthcare providers to be educated on the deadly cancer that killed Emmy-nominated actor Marnie Schulenburg. Read more

 

House passes companion to Matzie bill that would require automated external defibrillators at utility and electrical linework job sites
Oct 21, 2026

Benham bill classifying 911 dispatchers as first responders to become law
Oct 21, 2026

Bill promoting early colorectal cancer detection heads to governor’s desk
Oct 21, 2026

Legislation to unleash local bridge funds passes PA Senate, heads to governor’s desk
Oct 21, 2026

Briggs announces Judiciary Committee advances warrant requirement, transit protections and court security review
Oct 21, 2026

Adjusted curfew for youth EMS volunteers to become law
Oct 21, 2026

Neilson applauds passage of Road Work Safety Zone legislation
Oct 20, 2026

Green bill to make parking fees transparent headed to governor’s desk
Oct 20, 2026

Fiedler celebrates House passage of utility rate transparency bill
Oct 20, 2026

Khan’s bipartisan legislation to protect nurses and healthcare workers passes General Assembly
Oct 20, 2026

PA House passes first-ever e-scooter regulations
Oct 20, 2026

Bipartisan bill to prohibit excessively loud ads on streaming services passes PA House
Oct 20, 2026

Community Violence Prevention, Transportation, Economic Development, and Additional Grant Opportunities
Oct 20, 2026

Steele supports House passage of bill to ban cell phones in schools
Oct 19, 2026

PA House Communications & Technology Committee hears testimony about frontier AI bills
Oct 19, 2026

Worker co-op legislation passes Senate, heads to governor’s desk
Oct 19, 2026

Fiedler, advocates applaud passage of biggest renewable energy investment in Pennsylvania history
Oct 19, 2026

O'Mara bill to regulate Flock cameras passes House
Oct 19, 2026

Pielli’s data center regulation bill passes state House
Oct 19, 2026

Effort to enact 'Marnie's Law' launches in General Assembly
Oct 19, 2026