The Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, in downtown Harrisburg.

Following is a listing of executive and legislative action from Jan. 18 and the week of Jan. 20. Both houses of the General Assembly were in recess at press time, with the Pennsylvania Senate scheduled to reconvene Monday and the state House of Representatives set to return to session Feb. 3.

Budget Preview

Giving a preview of his upcoming budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf on Jan. 22 said the fiscal year 2020-21 spending plan would demonstrate his commitment to protecting vulnerable Pennsylvanians by proposing to expand comprehensive training for direct care workers, reduce waiting lists for care, and increasing staff in specific service areas, including child welfare, among other key investments.

The budget recommendations Wolf outlined propose investments in several human service programs to ensure vulnerable populations have access to needed services to promote health and well-being, many of which mirror the recommendations of the Council on Reform, established as part of a July executive order.

"Pennsylvania has a long history as a leader in caring for its vulnerable residents, including children, seniors, veterans, adults facing domestic violence and Pennsylvanians of all ages with mental health concerns or physical or intellectual disabilities, or other challenges," Wolf said.

"Every Pennsylvanian deserves an opportunity to thrive, and that's why making investments in our services for vulnerable populations is a priority of mine for the upcoming budget."

Among the proposals is additional funding of $1 million to expand the legal services program that provides assistance to low-income individuals and families. Those services would include emergency protective services for victims of abuse without consideration of income and consultation, advice, assessment, negotiation and representation for clients under 125% of the federal poverty level.

Human Trafficking

The House on Jan. 22 approved a comprehensive package of bills targeting the practice of human trafficking, designed to guarantee the well-being of victims, protect their privacy and make it safer for them to testify against their abusers.

Legislation in the package would increase penalties for anyone knowingly patronizing a victim and anyone connected to trafficking victims. Other bills would assist victims and aim to increase resources and protections.

"Human trafficking is a horrendous crime, and we need to raise public awareness as well as arm prosecutors and law enforcement with every tool possible to take down traffickers and protect victims," House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said. "We must expand the criminal offense for patronizing a victim of trafficking and ensure that all human trafficking, regardless of the age of the victim, is a first-degree felony."

Human trafficking has been defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or purchase of persons for the sole purpose of exploitation. According to a statement from Pennsylvania House Republicans, more than 1,200 human trafficking cases have been reported in the state since 2007.

The package of human trafficking bills, which now move on the Senate for consideration, included the following:

• Senate Bill 60, sponsored by Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York, would provide for increased penalties regarding human trafficking and patronizing a victim of sexual servitude; classifying the offense would increase to a first-degree felony.
• House Bill 161, sponsored by Rep. Barry Jozwiak, R-Berks, would reclassify the trafficking of infants to a first-degree felony.
• House Bill 2174, sponsored by Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Washington, would prohibit defendants from using a human trafficking victim's past sexual victimization and allegations of past sexual victimization as "evidence" in any prosecution-related human trafficking.
• House Bill 2175, sponsored by Rep. Meghan Schroeder, R-Bucks, would expand the list of offenses where an expert may testify about the dynamics of sexual violence and victim responses to sexual violence.
• House Bill 2176, sponsored by Rep. Marci Mustello, R-Butler, would strengthen current law by adding certain prohibited activities that, if committed, constitute the crime of unlawful contact with a minor.
• House Bill 2177, sponsored by Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny, would expand the list of sexual offenses requiring offenders to attend and participate in a Department of Corrections program of counseling and therapy designed for incarcerated sex offenders.
• House Bill 2178, sponsored by Rep. David Rowe, R-Union, would require the courts to consider whether a party or member of that party's household has been convicted of human trafficking prior to awarding child custody to that party.

Family Law

For her work on issues relating to family law, Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Luzerne, was recently recognized by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Toohil received the PBA award during the association's family law section winter meeting at the Hotel Hershey on Jan. 18. It read, "In recognition of your exceptional contributions to family law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

Toohil, an attorney who earned her law degree from Penn State's Dickinson School of Law in 2008, was the prime sponsor of Act 102 of 2016, which shortened the length of the separation period that is required in Pennsylvania prior to entering into a no-fault divorce from two years to one year in order to lessen the traumatic impact on any children involved.

"Since my election to the House of Representatives, my top priority has been to improve the lives of Pennsylvania's children and families, either as vice chairman of the Children and Youth Committee or as the sponsor of effective legislation. I am extremely gratified that our work is making a difference," Toohil said.

Hospital Closures

Following the September closure of Hahnemann University Hospital, state Reps. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, and Joe Hohenstein, D-Philadelphia, announced they have introduced legislation that would help support the communities and staff impacted by sudden closures.

The representatives said House Bill 2242 would help change that. It would require hospitals to provide written notice of intent to close within 180 days. Current law only requires 90 days.

The operators of Hahnemann University Hospital filed for bankruptcy in June 2019. The level one trauma center served around 40,000 emergency room patients each year while in operation.

"Since the announcement in June 2019 that Hahnemann would close its doors for good, the process that followed was swift, offering patients and employees little to no options in the aftermath," Cephas said in the statement, describing the closure as "devastating."

She said community concerns need to be given consideration in business decisions by health care companies.

"Hospital owners view closures and acquisitions purely as business as usual but ignore how vital these hospitals truly are to the lives of medical staff, patients and public health," she said.

"There is also no thought in how these actions would impact the local economy and jobs. That needs to change."

HB 2242 was referred to the state House of Representatives' Health Committee on Jan. 21.