[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6106526,"mediaKeyId","2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e","parentId",2780564,"title","Committee advances Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act after debate over enforcement and impact","audioSeconds",1089,"startMs",2334000,"endMs",3423000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e&start=2334&end=3423","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e/thumbnail_2334000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6106526/Pennsylvania/Committee-advances-Healthcare-Workplace-Violence-Prevention-Act-after-debate-over-enforcement-and-impact","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106526-99abda08e4242e027e4589cb16f585c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395650&Signature=Hzb2fphqTXannIsJHLABUgpGWRsHf3KoRLHpVbyywAoISnKeHyZ6pdjwfuLhxwCNRxztj18NDp1s2L5EDKoOhidmASo8aahROSJEfVdpGmZfLi~AyHqOC~Xw52qVYeC80VIFM32LhCCc4uI01gf8SGBgAVh8sSap4LiHg~MjjK0Hn3k~DyBLncwAx0rYU9Hu1xJqHy~BTLwR1W3GqAj4nrujJh96iwwx9aT2ojNByjauDuvszmX6wmE8DdkR6~QzfqcnqwGUjLjLrTaKQs14QRyI474aow3NG3rTThsxwLDG0BkfP3uXygihuy-4NCllp~jg6rMcfIHofMSHwuib8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pennsylvania House of Representatives","date","2025-03-26T21:11:51.547Z","article","The House Labor & Industry Committee on March 25 reported House Bill 926 out of committee after debate over whether the measure would prevent high-profile attacks and discussion of the Department of Labor and Industry's enforcement powers.

Sponsor Representative Krueger framed the bill as Pennsylvania's first healthcare workplace-violence prevention statute and cited recent incidents in the state, including the Feb. 22, 2025, shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York and a June attack on an EMT at Crozer Chester Medical Center. \"These are only 2 of the many stories that are before us today,\" Krueger said, and she cited federal statistics and a 2024 member survey showing rising reports of workplace violence.

House Bill 926 would require health facilities to establish violence-prevention committees, develop written prevention plans, protect employees from retaliation for reporting incidents and give the Department of Labor and Industry enforcement authority, including inspection and subpoena powers, as described in committee testimony.

Representative Grove offered amendment A00210 to expand required records to include emails and internal communications and to increase retention from three to five years. Grove said the amendment \"aligns with the governor's administration on policy on record retention\" and cited prior concerns about deleted emails. Committee debate produced mixed reactions: proponents said the bill gives frontline workers a voice and tools to reduce workplace risk, while opponents said committees and reporting requirements would not have prevented the York shooting and warned the measure could add burdens and paperwork to facilities.

The committee voted on amendment A00210 by roll call; recorded yes votes included Grove, Anderson, Burger (designation), Bernstein (designation), Cooper, D'Orsay, Ecker (designation), Fink, Gleim, Jones, Reichert and Rossi. The amendment failed and did not become part of the bill.

On final passage, the committee recorded yes votes from Dawkins; Brennan; Donahue; Jeroll; Green; Haddock; Kincaid; Kojewski; Mursky (by designation); Miller; O'Meara; Scott (by designation); Siegel (by designation); Young (by designation); and Anderson. Recorded no votes included Grove; Barger (designation); Bernstein (designation); Cooper; D'Orsay; Ecker (designation); Fink; Gleim; Jones; Reichard; and Rossi. The chair announced, \"The bill passes.\" The committee reported House Bill 926 as committed.

Supporters said the bill would standardize prevention steps, require risk assessment with frontline staff participation and protect employees who report incidents. Detractors questioned whether the statutory requirements would have prevented rare, unpredictable violent acts and raised concerns about administrative burden and the scope of inspection and subpoena authority given to a state agency.

The bill will proceed through the legislative process; committee testimony did not include an implementation timetable or a fiscal estimate for compliance or enforcement costs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Labor & Industry Committee -- March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 926 would require health-care facilities to form workplace-violence prevention committees, create prevention plans, protect reporters from retaliation and give the Department of Labor and Industry enforcement powers; an amendment to expand record retention failed and the bill passed on a recorded vote.","taxTitle","Labor & Industry, House of Representatives, Legislative, Pennsylvania","taxId",29245,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6106529,"Committee approves expansion of equal-pay law to cover race and ethnicity, adds pay-transparency and higher penalties",1735,588000,2323000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e&start=588&end=2323","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e/thumbnail_588000.jpg","/articles/6106529/Pennsylvania/Committee-approves-expansion-of-equal-pay-law-to-cover-race-and-ethnicity-adds-pay-transparency-and-higher-penalties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106529-cdd17d7ef3d928bb00f02cbf504fbaba/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395650&Signature=ljrmYEC5BAL7bTdXneBfzt5~Yi1kAilIqOwaEWTctCFu8p6b9OVeivdjP-~BXPcnvt82vx5a8dLgAqsk1pVG93judQiAtBzhia~2JRofTp9hvmtany-66JLYXFCvS3g-el-PhmmJ8gLIPisO8wO8NP-Uv~5ieLhj7GqpPQnKqjSCAr5jDyrcnPOrm4a2z11kaf5~YotZPin4EyJDW5mJhfe-nFoIoho5ZdswIjH9httrQ273KwV2tLGUmi7nCVAIG28sVaVnP3ZsmkT2txm1nlH9cMlyFfd~BMZDdc5ULyq0xZf4Z80IqWTxFjxYwTUN2SiS1CCT5fk7J0DiQKZKKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Labor & Industry Committee voted March 25 to report House Bill 630, which would modernize the state's equal-pay law to extend wage-discrimination protections to race and ethnicity, add pay-transparency measures and protections against retaliation, and increase penalties for violations.

Committee staff described the bill as a modernization of equal-pay law. Representative O'Mear, a cosponsor, said the measure was timely: \"Today is actually Equal Pay Day in 2025... It's March 25,\" she said, noting the date marks how far into the year women must work to match men's prior-year earnings. O'Mear said the bill would also limit employers' use of prior salary when setting a new hire's pay and cited national wage gaps and recent settlements as reasons to act.

Opponents in committee, including Representative Joebs, argued the bill would create regulatory burdens that harm employers. Representative Gleit (committee member) relayed the Department of Labor and Industry's statement that the agency had not received an equal-pay complaint in over 20 years, and said federal and state laws already prohibit discrimination. Several members framed the debate around enforcement cost, business compliance and differing lived experiences.

After debate, the committee took a roll-call vote. Recorded yes votes included: Dawkins; Brandon; Donahue; Jeroll; Green; Haddock; Kinkade; Kojewski (by designation); Mursky; Miller (by designation); O'Meara; Scott (by designation); Siegel (by designation); and Young. Recorded no votes included: Grove; Anderson; Barker; Bernstein (designation); Cooper; D'Orsay; Ecker (designation); Fink; Gleim; Jones; Reichard; and Rossi. The chair announced, \"The bill passes.\" The committee then reported House Bill 630 as committed for further consideration.

Committee discussion cited federal laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission's investigatory role, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act as part of the broader legal context raised by members. Supporters urged the bill as a tool to address pay gaps, including a cited figure that women earn \"about 80 cents to the dollar\" compared with men and a sponsor statement that some mothers earn roughly $10,000 less than comparable fathers.

No amendment was adopted in committee. The bill will proceed to subsequent legislative steps for additional consideration.","House Bill 630, which would modernize state equal-pay law to extend wage-discrimination protections to race and ethnicity, passed the House Labor & Industry Committee after a recorded roll-call vote.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":80,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6106534,"Committee advances bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to coroners and medical examiners",305,283000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e&start=283&end=588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2780564-ad39fdecc4bd63b284c6cc6f69d2a63e/thumbnail_283000.jpg","/articles/6106534/Pennsylvania/Committee-advances-bill-to-extend-line-of-duty-death-benefits-to-coroners-and-medical-examiners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6106534-2f5f55cca809a72704848ab002834564/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395650&Signature=lqS38FT6uSqsRrdHQimlIeAE4Jz39q3jjk-9kHsuhC8iYTHt7VChJHxjRe7Yz38CBBvuf50XUuUgJc7DumHyEbL5D9gLu8mxESo2Wg0S5s~RW8nt4xNiShZwo7Guw-JLzBoltej86btXOtU4Lf22CS7-WbkIzZdhNxMNZSKqCawzF5UF-bAXIknQqU2SyIdoHHH8rFUlo~s2AqtQJk0D7FbZjlQ82N~HsrIq~1IYw2MexFJ4j3zvwHtO~3tHr9aeza~HoLpLqYBzzaueO3TMdDnrbxFDoptq626BCWXMYGqGD~yb2EkZLNNJLx2ce--34YphlSwqJiAgigCjVPmPwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Labor & Industry Committee on March 25 reported House Bill 569 out of committee to provide line-of-duty death benefits to county coroners, deputy coroners and medical examiners.

Prime sponsor Representative Ham told the committee the measure would amend Act 101 of 1976, the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act, to add coroners to the list of public servants eligible for the benefit. \"It's a simple piece of legislation. It provides line of duty death benefits to our county coroners, our deputy coroners, and our medical examiners,\" Ham said.

The bill drew supportive remarks from both sides of the aisle. Representative Gleim cited risks coroners faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and said the bill deserved support. Representative Bridal, who said she had worked with coroners as a county solicitor, and Representative Barker, who reported coroners in her district supported the change, both urged approval. Cochair Representative Grove described the bill as \"good\" and said he expected no negative votes from his side.

Chairman Dawkins moved the bill with Representative Rossi making the motion and a second recorded as \"Representative Robert.\" After discussion, Dawkins said, \"Hearing no negative votes, we report House Bill 569 is reported as committed from the House and Labor Industry Committee.\" The committee did not take a roll-call tally on the record during that announcement.

If enacted, the bill would align coroners' survivors' benefits with those available to other first responders under Act 101; the legislation did not specify benefit amounts or effective dates in committee testimony.

Representatives who spoke on the bill included Ham (prime sponsor), Gleim, Bridal, Barker, Grove and Dawkins, among others. No amendments or formal floor vote counts were recorded in the committee for this item; the committee reported the bill as committed for further consideration.","The House Labor & Industry Committee voted to report House Bill 569, which would add county coroners, deputy coroners and medical examiners to the Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act after debate over enforcement and impact

Committee approves expansion of equal-pay law to cover race and ethnicity, adds pay-transparency and higher penalties

Committee advances bill to extend line-of-duty death benefits to coroners and medical examiners