Morgan Rose’s Law will expand epilepsy knowledge, help prevent deaths
Rep. Lisa Borowski November 12, 2026 | 11:39 AM
High-res photos from the event can be viewed and downloaded here.
HARRISBURG, Nov. 12 – State Rep. Lisa Borowski, D-Delaware, and state Rep. Ann Flood, R-Northampton, were joined by epilepsy advocates at the Pennsylvania Capitol on Monday to celebrate the enactment of their bipartisan bill, which will expand the understanding of and help prevent sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
Following the event was a ceremony with Gov. Josh Shapiro, where he signed the bill into law as Act 55 of 2026 and met the Delaware County family who helped inspire the lawmakers to introduce the measure, which requires coroners to investigate and report cases of SUDEP. SUDEP is a leading cause of death among epilepsy patients with uncontrolled seizures.
Act 55 is known as “Morgan Rose’s Law” in memory of Morgan Rose Hosbach, a 23-year-old woman from Ridley Township who died from SUDEP in 2022. Her parents, Colleen and John Hosbach, now live in Middletown Township, part of Borowski’s legislative district.
“This has been an almost four-year process. It was through [the Hosbachs] that I learned of the challenges that individuals and families face after an epilepsy diagnosis: the uncertainty, the worry, and the efforts to seek and get real answers about what the diagnosis means,” Borowski said. “From these conversations and outreach to stakeholders, we introduced legislation hoping to make a difference. Today, we celebrate making a difference.”
Borowski and Flood sponsored the bill to improve awareness, strengthen reporting, and help prevent future tragedies after learning about the Hosbachs’ advocacy following their daughter’s death; the Hosbachs say neither they nor Morgan were told about SUDEP or its risk factors at any point after she was diagnosed with epilepsy at age three.
Flood’s young daughter died in her sleep from SUDEP right before Christmas in 2007.
“When I had spoken to the coroner, and her neurologist, that was the first time I had ever heard of SUDEP. In the four and a half years that Lauren was alive, not one time did anybody ever mention to me that this was a possibility,” Flood said. “Families should be made aware of SUDEP, and now, with technology, there are resources available to help detect when seizures are happening and alert families, school nurses … anyone who can get there in a timely manner and keep a death from happening.”
“No family should have to learn about SUDEP after losing someone they love,” Colleen Hosbach said. “SUDEP awareness should become a routine part of epilepsy care, not an afterthought. I often think about Morgan and how different things might have been if someone had sat down with her and our family and explained SUDEP.”
“My pleasure of serving as both the elected coroner of Montour County as well as the current president of PSCA has allowed me to help educate coroners across the state on SUDEP deaths,” said Scott Lynn, president of the Pa. State Coroners’ Association. “To be honest, I was not aware of it until we began collaboration with Rep. Borowski. Since that time, over the past four years, I’ve had two SUDEP deaths that we’ve investigated and placed on the death certificate.”
“The passage of Morgan Rose’s Law represents progress in recognizing SUDEP, improving reporting, and bringing awareness to the dangers associated with epilepsy,” said Rena Loughlin, Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania. “We cannot bring back the people we’ve lost, but we can honor them by educating others, advocating for change, and helping prevent future tragedies.”
“The passage of Morgan Rose’s Law is an important step of bringing attention to epilepsy and SUDEP,” said Sarah Kuhns, Epilepsy Association of Western & Central PA. “Improving how these deaths are investigated and reported will help families better understand the risk factors. People should not hear about SUDEP after a death.”
The act amends Title 16 (Counties) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to require that certain death investigations involving a seizure or epilepsy include an inquiry into whether SUDEP was a direct cause of death. If the investigation yields evidence consistent with SUDEP, coroners will be required to list SUDEP as the cause of death on the individual’s death certificate. Upon completion of the investigation, coroners also will be required to provide the next of kin with contact information for third-party organizations that study, track and analyze SUDEP deaths.