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STATE LEGISLATION OF INTEREST TO NAMI – PA

April 2002

  • Legislation marked in bold indicates bills that are under active consideration either by a committee or the full House or Senate. These bills should receive your immediate attention. If you have concerns or views on the bills, please communicate them to NAMI PA.
  • Legislation marked in red reflects activity since the last report.
  • Bill Information: To access a copy of any of the bills mentioned below, go to: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/ Then, click on "Session" and then click "Electronic Bill Room." Follow the prompts for accessing the actual bill. At this site, you can obtain the complete text of the bill, view the cosponsors, and review the latest legislative activity.
  • NAMI Position: If NAMI PA has formed an opinion on a particular bill, that information will be provided in the description of the bill in the chart below.
  • If you would like additional legislative information or information on the bills mentioned below, please contact James W. Jordan, Jr., Executive Director of NAMI PA.

Bill No.

Sponsor

Description

Date

Action

 

Senate

 

 

 

 

SB161

PN167

Bell (R-Chester)

Amends the Crimes Code to delete requirement for mental health check prior to obtaining a firearms license

01/30/01

Senate Judiciary

SB242

PN234

Mowery (R-

Cumberland)

Age of consent for minors

 

Issued resolved through DPW administrative action.

02/02/01

 

04/03/01

04/30/01

Public Health & Welfare

Reported

Amended

Re-referred to Approp.

SB266

PN268

Mellow (D-Lackawanna)

Establishes the MH and MR Facility Security Act

02/05/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB278

PN279

Greenleaf (R-Mont.)

Amends the Public School Code to establish school violence programs and require policies for drug and alcohol violators

02/05/01

Education

SB279

PN280

Greenleaf(R-Mont.)

Amends the Public School Code to require substance abuse prevention programs

02/05/01

Education

SB 300

PN 343

Costa (R-

Allegheny)

The FairX Prescription Drug Bill” establishes a single PBM for all state pharmaceutical programs, includes prior authorization and rebates, and allows seniors over age 65 to purchase drugs at the PACE price.

03/28/01

 

 

 

 

 

06/29/01

Reported from Senate Aging and Youth Committee (note: intention is to recommit to Aging & Youth for hearings)

Tabled

SB541

PN561

Earl (R-Erie)

Establishes the Genetic Testing Confidentiality Act, allowing certain disclosure to county MH/MR facilities

02/20/01

Judiciary

SB 542

PN 562

Schwartz (D-Phila.)

Prohibits an insurer from denying or limiting health insurance coverage based on genetic information, from requesting or requiring a person to obtain or disclose genetic information, and from disclosing genetic information without the written consent of the individual

02/20/01

Introduced and Referred to Senate Banking and Insurance Committee

SB659

PN700

Kukovich(D-Westmore.)

MH/MR Staff Member Loan Forgiveness Program

03/19/01

Education

SB700

PN1032

Murphy (R-Pitts.)

Establishes step therapy and therapeutic interchange for state prescription drug programs

05/21/01

Aging & Youth

SB 762

PN 854

O’Pake (D- Berks)

The Pharmaceutical Reform Act establishes a statewide PBM, requires all drug companies that sell prescription drugs to Commonwealth to enter into a rebate agreement, includes prior authorization, establishes a Prescription Drug Advisory Committee

04/03/01

Referred to Senate Public Health and Welfare

SB888

PN1213

Mowery (R-

Cumberland)

Establishes the Pa. Assisted Living Act, requires licensing of facilities and assessment of psychosocial needs

06/18/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB900

PN1061

Hughes (D-Phila.)

Establishes the “Breaking the Silence Grant Program”

05/29/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB917

PN1865

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Creating a MH court division within the Court of Common Pleas

NAMI PA supports this legislation in general, but is working with the committee to include certain felony offenses that are non-violent.  The bill as currently written prohibits persons charged with a felony from being eligible for MH court. 

06/04/01

12/03/01

04/19/02

04/15/02

Judiciary

Public HearingNAMI PA provided testimony

Reported w/amendments

Referred to Appropria.

SB918

PN1083

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Establishes a minimum wage for direct care workers

06/04/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB919

PN1084

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Amends the Mental Health Procedures Act to require written after care programs

06/04/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB920

PN1085

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Establishes a grant program for Empowerment of MH Clients and Family Members

06/04/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB922

PN1074

Orie (R-Allegheny)

School Violence Prevention Act, requires schools to develop violence prevention plans

06/04/01

Education

SB991

PN1201

Greenleaf (R-Mont.)

Amends the MH Procedures Act to add a section on Assisted Outpatient Treatment

06/14/01

Public Health & Welfare

SB 1022

PN 1274

Conti (R-Bucks)

PACE reform, including best price, rebates, Medicare Managed Care Fair Share Program

06/27/01

Referred to Senate Aging and Youth

SB 1036

PN 1293

O’Pake (D-Berks)

Prescription Drug Fair Pricing Coalition, rebates, prior authorization

08/13/01

Referred to Senate Aging and Youth

SB1057

PN1296

Greenleaf (R-Mont.)

Sexually Violent Predators Act, establishes a civil procedure for involuntary commitment

08/31/01

Judiciary

SB1077

PN1338

Greenleaf (R-Mont.)

Amends the Crimes Code to add penalties for sexual offenses by psychotherapists, including mental health counselors and social workers.

10/01/01

Judiciary

SB1089

PN1799

Earll (R-Erie)

Current law requires DNA samples for individuals convicted or adjudicated delinquent for a felony sexual offense.  This law clarifies that the DNA sample may be taken from individuals incarcerated at the time the act was enacted, and that samples may be taken even if they were not drawn in a timely fashion.

10/09/01

11/14/01

12/12/01

 

 

12/12/01

 

03/18/02

 

 

 

03/19/02

03/25/02

Judicary

Passed Sen. (48-0)

Passed House w/amend-ments (198-0)

Sen. Rules & Executive Nominations

Reported from committee  as amended

Senate concurred to House amendments as amended by Senate (needs to go back to the House for another vote)

Referred to House Rules

SR72

PN1020

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Establishing a Jt. State Government Task Force to Study the MH Delivery System

 

NAMI SUPPORTS & presented testimony at public hearing

05/17/01

12/05/01

Public Health & Welfare

Public Hearing-

NAMI PA provided testimony

SR 115

PN1669

Erickson (R-Dela.)

A resolution memorializing the President and Congress to allow the use of federal Medicaid funds for prison drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

10/01/01

01/23/02

01/29/02

02/04/02

Intergovernmental Affairs

Reported as amended

Adopted by Senate

Transmitted

SB1288
PN1697

Orie (R-Allegh.) Amends Older Adults Protective Services Act to require social service workers, adult-care workers, mental health professional and others to report suspected cases of elder abuse. 01/30/02 Referred to Aging &Youth

SB1377
PN1857

Stack (D-Phila.) Creating the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor Loan Forgiveness Program for Commonwealth residents whograduate from institutions of higher education and apply their education to careers as alcohol and other drug addiction counselors in Pa. 04/05/02 Referred to Education

SR 149

 

 

 

 

House

 

 

 

 

HB 1

PN 301

Vance (R-

Cumber-land)

Provides for a single pharmacy benefits manager for certain state programs, prior authorization, rebates, the establishment of the Pa. Extraordinary Prescription Plan, redistribution of prescription drugs within certain health care facilities, etc.

01/30/01

02/05/01

Passed House (191-5)

Referred to Senate Aging and Youth Committee

Note:  Possible hearings

HB29

PN15

Youngblood (D-Phila.)

Allows parents and legal guardians to authorize adult caregivers, via a medical consent form, the right to consent to a MH exam on behalf of a minor

01/23/01

Judiciary

HB49

PN557

Schuler (R-Lancaster)

Dealing with regulation of adult living residences, reporting cases of abuse, & increasing supplemental allowance

05/22/01

05/29/01

Passed House (183-16)

Senate Aging & Youth

HB69

PN54

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Amends the Older Adults Protective Services Act to require social services workers and mental health professionals to report cases of suspected elder abuse

01/23/01

Aging & Older Adult Services

HB77

PN62

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Sexually Violent Predators Act, establishes a civil procedure for the involuntary commitment of sexually violent predators

01/23/01

Judiciary

HB121

PN105

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Allocates 25% of tobacco funds for direct care worker salaries (effectively an inactive bill, tobacco settlement finished)

01/23/01

Health & Human Services

HB131

PN114

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Establishes the Self-help Clearinghouse Act to provide information on self-help programs

01/23/01

Health & Human Services

HB141

PN124

Orie (R-Allegheny)

MH/MR Direct Care Workers’ Minimum Salary Act (reintroduced as SB 918)

01/31/01

Health & Human Services

HB257

PN255

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Establishes a Grant Program for Counties for Empowerment of MH Clients and Family Members (reintroduced as SB 920)

01/29/01

Health & Human Services

HB259

PN257

Orie (R-Allegheny)

Amends the Mental Health Procedures Act to require written after care programs (reintroduced as SB919)

01/29/01

Health & Human Services

HB339

PN1626

Birmelin (R-Waymart)

Community Reparative Disposition Program Act; County MH/MR administrator on panel

04/24/01

04/30/01

Passed House (198-0)

Senate Judiciary

HB344

PN3065

Bishop(D-Phila.)

Amends the Crimes Code to require a MH and D&A evaluation for individuals who are convicted of harassment or stalking

01/31/01

05/01/01

05/17/01

12/11/01

 

01/22/02

Judiciary

Passed House (198-1)

Referred to Sen. Judiciary

Reported from Judiciary with amendments

Rereferred to Sen. Approp.

HB356

PN373

Bishop (D-Phila.)

Amends the D&A Abuse Control Act to allow immediate family members of drug dependent persons to commit them for treatment

01/31/01

Judiciary

HB395

PN412

Bishop (D-Phila.)

Amends the MH/MR Act dealing with confidentiality of records and access to provider policies and practices

01/31/01

Health and Human Services

HB 444

PN 624

Walko (D-Allegh.)

Creates the Pa. Rx Program to reduce prescription drug prices for Pa. residents; creates a Pa. Prescription Drug Advisory Commission to establish maximum retail prices, rebates, prior authorization, and allows the Commonwealth to bring a civil action for injury to any person due to profiteering.

02/08/01