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House approves bill to broaden eligibility for certified poultry technicians, allow on‑farm testing
Summary
The Pennsylvania House passed a bill that would let workers legally present in the U.S. become certified poultry technicians and allow certified technicians to perform testing on the farms where they work; the measure passed on a 161‑41 vote.
The Pennsylvania House passed a bill identified in the record as House Bill 324 (also read once in the record as House Bill 234) on final passage after floor debate, approving language that would allow people who work in the United States legally to become certified poultry technicians and permit certified technicians to conduct poultry testing on the farms where they generally work. The clerk recorded 161 yeas and 41 nays on the final passage vote.
Supporters said the changes are intended to increase the pool of trained samplers and speed the state’s response to highly pathogenic avian influenza. Representative Sara Cipeda Freitas (Berks County), the bill’s sponsor, told the House the measure responds to industry need and will “allow for anyone who works in the United States legally to be able to become a certified poultry technician” and permit on‑farm sampling that current law prohibits.
Opponents raised two central concerns on the House floor: that the bill replaces language requiring U.S. citizenship with a broader “legally here in the United States” standard, and that some statutory language may expand the Secretary of Agriculture’s quarantine authority. Representative Borowitz (Clinton County) warned the bill removes a citizenship requirement and questioned what she described as a strengthening of quarantine authority, asking whether the change would allow state officials to enter private property and depopulate flocks without clearer limits. Representative Zimmerman (Lancaster County) also said the bill expands the reach of unelected agency officials and opposed the measure for that reason.
Members who supported the bill pointed to recent avian flu outbreaks and the practical need for more qualified samplers. Representative Mao (Adams County), who identified himself as co‑chair and said he grew up on farms, noted recent depopulations he said were occurring in the Commonwealth and urged members to approve the bill so there would be “more people we have taking these samples.” Representative Guzman (identified in the record as the gentleman from Birx) spoke in support, saying he is the son of an immigrant who worked in poultry facilities and urging opportunities for advancement.
The chair issued multiple procedural warnings during the debate directing members to “stay on subject,” including a formal warning to Representative Borowitz when her remarks strayed into broader critiques of public officials. Members debated whether the bill’s language actually alters existing quarantine authority; proponents said it addresses workforce shortages for urgent disease control, while opponents said the change should be clarified before expanding agency authority.
On the vote the clerk recorded 161 yeas and 41 nays. The House passed the bill “finally” and the clerk announced it would be presented to the Senate for concurrence.
The transcript contains inconsistent bill numbering in the reading and in the sponsor’s remarks; the House record twice identified the measure numerically with different three‑digit numbers. The final passage and vote totals above are taken from the clerk’s recorded vote on the floor.
