Legislation & Policy Watch

PACCA and its Lobbyists are monitoring the following bills. (Updated December 20, 2019).

(R) Republican (D) Democrat (F) Freshman ?

Bill Number and Status	Primary Sponsor	Content

HB 309, PN 0911 Removed from table, Dec. 17, 2019. On House calendar for second consideration on Tuesday, 1/7/2020	Mehaffie, Thomas L.(R) Dauphin County(Part)	An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, further providing for definitions and providing for Keystone STARS Program participants; and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, further providing for definitions and for fees and providing for Keystone STARS Program participants. Would require programs to post STAR level on their web-site; provide information in writing to parents at application and enrollment about their STAR level; require posting of STAR level on a public facing window or at the entrance.
HB 2026 Status: Referred to Environmental Resources And Energy, 11/14/2019	Isaacson, MaryLouise (D) Philadelphia	Would lower the acceptable limit of lead in playground soil in the Commonwealth to 200 ppm from the EPA’s limit of 400 ppm.
SB 934, P.N. 1393 Status: Referred to Health And Human Services, 11/12/2019	Laughlin, Daniel (R) Erie	Would require the Department of Human Services to include the inspection of all smoke detectors in their annual inspection of child care facilities. In addition, the smoke detectors shall be interconnected so that if one is triggered, they all go off. The locations where the smoke detectors are installed will need to meet current code and follow it as it changes. All battery powered smoke detectors must be equipped with the 10 year lithium powered batteries. Lastly, if a smoke detector is found to have been tampered with or disabled, the child care facility will face a penalty.
SB 935 P.N. 1364 Referred to Labor And Industry, 11/12/ 2019	Laughlin, Daniel (R) Erie	Would require Family Child Care Homes to have a smoke detector on each floor and in the basement. The smoke detectors on each floor and in the basement of the family child care home shall be interconnected via hardwire, Bluetooth connectivity or any other means that allows for communications between the devices. The smoke detectors may be powered by a nonreplaceable lithium battery listed by Underwriters Laboratories that is warranted for ten years and should sound an alarm when activated that is audible to persons in the facility's indoor child care space with all intervening doors closed. Where this type of detector is utilized, the facility owner of this detector shall keep the proof and date of purchase of the detector in the facility's fire drill logs. Would also require FCCH to have a portable fire extinguisher rated for class B fires in the kitchen and other cooking areas and meet the exiting requirements for an R-3 occupancy and licensure under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3290 (relating to family child day care homes).
HB 1831 Status: H discussed during public hearing - House Children and Youth 10/29/19	Jozwiak, Barry (R) Berks	Would amend the Human Services Code that would exempt municipal recreation programs from the definition of “child day care center” because it is prohibitively costly or even impossible for those facilities to be certified as a day care facility.
HB 345 Status: Referred to Health, 2/1/ 2019	Cruz, Angel (D) Philadelphia	Would require the Department of Human Services, in conjunction with the Department of Health, to develop guidelines for managing a child with a life-threatening food allergy. These guidelines would include reasonable accommodations to be made in child care centers to limit exposure to food allergens by children. Child care centers would be required to establish a food allergy policy in accordance with the guidelines and provide a notice of the policy to each enrolled child’s parent or guardian.
HB 215 Status: Referred to Health, 1/28/ 2019	Cruz, Angel (D) Philadelphia	An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for lead testing; and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, providing for lead testing. Would require child care centers or family child care homes water, paint, dust, and soil to be tested for lead. The department shall not issue an initial license or renew a license for maintaining, operating and conducting a child care center or family child care home if the lead certification and lead inspection indicate levels in excess of the levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
SB 39 Status: Referred to Senate Health & Human Services Committee 1/11/2019	Schwank, Judith L. (D) Berks County (Part)	An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for lead testing in children's institutions; and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, providing for lead testing in child day care centers and family child care homes. Requires lead testing in child day care centers and family child care homes.