Legislation

HB 1261: Protecting firefighters and communities from toxic forever chemicals in foam. A proposal that would prohibit the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of foam containing PFAS beginning in 2026 except in specific circumstances. Our proposal would allow fire companies to utilize their state grant funding to mitigate the small cost of disposal of PFAS-laden foam and direct the Office of the State Fire Commissioner to work with the Department of Environmental Protection to ensure the safe handling and disposal of the prohibited foam. Violations of the prohibition would result in fines to benefit firefighter training.

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HB 2183: Under current regulations by the PA Public Utility Commission (PUC), energy providers must give residential customers a fixed-rate option, also known as budget billing. Fixed rates provide customers with stability and predictability in budgeting for energy costs and can even shield customers from sudden changes in energy rates in the market. Customers who do not renew their fixed-rate contract are then provided with a variable rate, which can increase or decrease according to market conditions and thus make it difficult to predict monthly bill and budget expenses. The PUC requires that customers are twice provided renewal notices before a fixed-rate contract expires. This legislation enshrines important consumer protections into law, as well as create additional notification requirements after a fixed-rate contract has ended to ensure that customers are made aware of changes to their energy bills.

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HB 1430: Young people deserve greater protections against the harmful tactics used by social media platforms during this highly sensitive period of development. I ask that you please join me in supporting this legislation to improve social media protections and encourage positive mental health for young users of these platforms. This bill would prevent individuals under the age of 16 from becoming an account holder on a social media platform, unless the minor has the express consent of their parent or legal guardian. Additionally, a parent or legal guardian would be given the ability to supervise the minor’s account, including viewing privacy settings and giving the minor the option of providing notifications to the parent or legal guardian if the minor reports a person or an issue to the social media platform. Lastly, this bill protects individuals under the age of 18 from data mining and targeted advertisements based on the minor’s age, gender, or interests.

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As incidents of school violence and self-harm increase, early intervention is critical. Research shows these trainings reduce at-risk behaviors and improve school safety and inclusion. The Student Safety and Violence Education (SAVE) Act would require schools to provide at least one hour, or one standard class period, of annual instruction for students in grades six through twelve on suicide prevention and violence prevention, and for students in grades K through 12 on social isolation. Students and staff would learn to recognize warning signs of depression, suicide, and self-injury, understand proper reporting procedures, and identify behaviors that may indicate risk to oneself or others. Similar programs have been enacted in Georgia, Louisiana and Ohio and are supported by Sandy Hook Promise.

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HB 588: This bill seeks to help reduce the abuse of older adults by providing education and resources to assist nurses in recognizing and reporting the abuse of older Pennsylvanians. It would require one hour of the currently mandated 30 hours of board-approved continuing education for nursing license renewal to focus on recognizing the signs of and reporting older adult abuse.

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HB 357: We must do everything we can to help families of fallen first responders as they move forward without their loved ones. That is why I introduced legislation to exempt surviving spouses and minor children of first responders who died in the line of duty from the Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax. This legislation will honor the sacrifice of our brave

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HB 334: Teachers, nurses, and law enforcement officers are of vital importance in keeping Pennsylvania safe, healthy, and prepared for the future. Unfortunately, these professions all suffer from worker shortages. It is my hope that this tax credit program will help ease employee shortages and ensure Pennsylvania communities stay healthy and vibrant.

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HB 1882: The two simple steps of enlarging reverse mortgage font size and requiring branch managers to be licensed as mortgage originators will improve transparency, reduce deception, and assist senior citizens in making fully informed financial decisions in coordination with professionals.

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HB 636: The length of review that the State Veterans’ Commission is required to conduct for disabled veterans’ “determination of need” for property tax exemptions will be extended from every five years to every 10 years. It would require the reviews to occur less often and reduce the overall paperwork needed, while still maintaining the integrity of the program for the families who need it the most.

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House Bill 2017 is bipartisan legislation that would put the following safeguards in place:

• Require social media companies to monitor the chats of two or more minors on the platform and notify parents or legal guardians of flagged sensitive or graphic content.
• Strengthen proof-of-age verification on social media platforms by requiring consent from a parent or legal guardian for anyone younger than 16 to open a social media account and notify parents or legal guardians if a child under 16 opens a social media account without consent.
• Prohibit data mining for users under the age of 18 and allow any individual to request the deletion of data that was mined while they were under the age of 18.

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A bill to equip financial institutions and fiduciaries with the necessary tools to identify, report and prevent the financial exploitation of older adults and care-dependent individuals. Brian’s mother was recently defrauded even though her bank was fully aware of the transaction.

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Legislation to support Pennsylvania veterans exposed to the dangerous herbicide “Agent Orange” and other toxic chemicals during their service, and make March 29 Vietnam Veterans Day in Pennsylvania.

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Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Munroe (D-144), along with State Representatives Lisa Borowski (D-168) and Tim Brennan (D-29), issued a co-sponsorship memoranda on Wednesday that details soon to be introduced legislation to enhance the state’s Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act (SATEC).

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Bipartisan legislation to permit police officers to count time from a previous law enforcement job toward their pensions at their current job. House Bill 1910 would require local governments and regional police departments to allow police officers to buy back up to five years of prior service to count towards their pension.

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House Bill 1786 continues to ensure women in both Pennsylvania and our neighboring states that their personal health choices remain between the patient and their medical provider.