New laws in Pa. add to low count of enacted legislation in 2023

Oct. 26—HARRISBURG — Seven bills that passed through both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly were signed into law this week, bringing the total count to 19 this year as October draws to a close — hardly a torrid pace.

Power in Pennsylvania's government is divided with Democrats holding the House, Republicans controlling the Senate and Shapiro, a Democrat, in the governor's office.

The structure isn't the norm in the Keystone State as Republicans more often than not have controlled both chambers across decades, but it isn't unprecedented. In any scenario, be it a government divided or aligned, this year's rate of creating new laws is unusually low.

In 2022, Gov. Tom Wolf's final year in office, there were 98 bills that became law through October. In 2015, his first year in office, there were 56. Republicans controlled the House and Senate throughout Wolf's eight-year tenure.

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, too, saw his party control both chambers during his lone four-year term. Through October in 2011, his first year, 83 bills became law. The count surged to 204 at that same point in his final year of 2014.

Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, presided over a divided government in his last term just as Shapiro began his own stay in office. Again, through October, there were 60 new laws in 2007 and 102 in 2010, Rendell's first and last year of his second and final term.

So, what's new in terms of successful legislation?

Pennsylvania's ambulance providers won a long fight with House Bill 1351, which became Act 15 of 2023. The bill was introduced by Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, providers will be reimbursed by Medical Assistance for all loaded miles, eliminating a rule where reimbursement didn't begin until after the 20th mile traveled with a patient on board.

The law reauthorizes Quality Care Assessments on hospitals for five years. The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania estimates hospitals, regardless of their tax status, pay more than $1 billion in assessment fees based on their inpatient and outpatient revenue. About 70% of the funds are returned along with matching federal dollars to offset costs for patients with Medical Assistance, or Medicaid, according to the association.

Act 15, which took effect immediately, also freezes the Medicaid case-mix rate as a stop-loss for some nursing homes that were losing money as a result, estimated by Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman at 70 nursing facilities that lost approximately $76,000 combined daily due to certain COVID-19 mandates.

And, it continues the Rural Health Redesign Center Authority that was established by law in 2019. The authority is an independent nonprofit that oversees the Rural Health Model, a global budget payment model offered to rural hospitals struggling in the fee-for-service paradigm.

Act 14 guarantees in-state tuition for members of military families enrolled in higher education including community colleges and state-owned universities. The law mandates the tuition rate is set as soon as an enrollment deposit is paid and prevents that tuition from shifting to a higher, out-of-state rate when such families must relocate due to a military reassignment.

Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, introduced the measure as House Bill 804. It didn't receive a single dissenting vote in either chamber, and it takes effect Dec. 22.

Introduced by Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, Senate Bill 621 became Act 17 and authorizes a slew of name changes for roads and bridges honoring military veterans and public servants. It also takes effect Dec. 22 — 60 days from being signed into law.

Act 16 allows the commonwealth to award both the Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal and the Pennsylvania Meritorious Service Medal to foreign citizens and military members from countries allied to the U.S. Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Adams/Franklin, introduced the measure as Senate Bill 141. It takes effect immediately.

Senate Bill 851 from Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria/Clearfield/Centre became Act 19. The law reauthorizes Pennsylvania's School Bus Stop-Arm Camera program — automated traffic enforcement intended to catch drivers illegally passing stopped school buses.

The program is extended for one year and will undergo extensive changes including a requirement that school entities enter into an agreement with a primary police department to certify all violations caught on the cameras. The renewal is effective immediately while remaining changes take effect Dec. 22.

Fees for dog licenses and kennels were raised under Act 18, introduced by Sen. Elder Vogel, R-Lawrence/Butler/Beaver, as Senate Bill 746. It's been a while since those fees increased — about 30 years for the licenses and nearly 60 years for kennels.

The added $3.6 million in revenue is intended to improve dog law enforcement. The fee for an annual license could reach as high as $10 by 2027 plus $1.70 currently set for service fees charged by county treasurers. Lifetime licenses will be set at $49 plus $3.70 in fees. Discounts on licenses for dogs that are spayed or neutered will be phased out, however, discounts are in place for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The law takes effect Jan. 24, 2024.

Lastly, there's Act 13, introduced as House Bill 404 by Rep. Dane Watro, R-Schuylkill/Luzerne. The law prevents U.S. military members from forfeiting current licenses and registration from the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture in the event they're called to war or deployed during a national emergency. They'd also be exempt from requirements for continuing education or in-service training. It takes effect Dec. 22.