State Advocacy

The Pennsylvania Chapter maintains a strong presence in the state capital, communicating with lawmakers and partnering with aligned organizations to advance meaningful healthcare legislation.  We aim to serve as a trusted voice and resource about cardiovascular health across the Commonwealth.

2026 PaACC Legislative Agenda Items:

• Smart Hearts Coalition involvement for AEDs/EAPs
• Counteracting the ARRT initiative for unnecessary licensing of CV techs
• Maternal ABPM coverage
• Fixing Venue Shifting
• Correcting the Patient Test Reporting Act
• Noncompete legislation
• Prior authorization legislation 

Spring 2026 UPDATES

Harrisburg Update

We are entering the final quarter of the 2025-26 legislative session. The House and Senate just completed their spring session and will now be in session every week in June (and possibly a portion of July) until the budget is completed.

 

PA General Assembly

The legislature continues to operate with slim margins between Democrats and Republicans in both chambers, making strong bipartisan support a necessity for every piece of legislation.

Here is the current breakdown:

• House: 100 D - 100 R
• Senate: 27 R – 23 D

There is currently one vacancy in the House:

• Representative Stephenie Scialabba’s (R-Butler) seat will be filled by a special election in August.

Elections

2026 is an election year. All 203 members of the House of Representatives and 25 out of 50 Senators are up for re-election (only even-numbered district seats). In addition, Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis are also up for re-election.

Several legislators announced their plans to resign/retire at the end of session in November 2026 including:

• Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) (State House of Representatives – D-148)
• Rep. Anita Kulik (D-Allegheny) (State House of Representatives – D-45)
• Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) (State House of Representatives – D-100)
• Rep Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) (State House of Representatives – D-88)
• Rep Eddie Day Pashinski (D-Luzerne) (State House of Representatives – D-121)
• Rep David Maloney (R-Berks) (State House of Representatives D-130)

Revenue Collections

The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released their Fiscal Outlook for FY 2025-26 through FY 2030-31. Here’s a brief overview: 

• General Fund surplus projected to be depleted in FY 26-27;
• Rainy Day Fund (currently $4.7 B) projected to be depleted by FY 27-28; and
• FY 25-26 deficit is currently projected at $3.7 B and projected to grow to $7.7 B by FY 30-31.

Legislation

So far this session, over 3,600 bills have been introduced. All introduced bills have until November 30, 2026 to pass through the legislative process and get across the Governor’s desk. If they don’t make it through, they effectively die and must be reintroduced in the following session for future consideration.

As a general note, we continue to monitor bill introductions, track progress, and engage as requested by PaACC. Below are some of the priority issues we are currently engaged in:

Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Health and Safety Act – House Bill 2173 / Senate Cosponsor Memo (Bill # TBD)

Representative Kyle Mullin’s HB 2173 would create licensure and scope of practice for all medical imaging professionals, including the modalities of radiography, nuclear medicine, diagnostic sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and radiation therapy.

This language has been introduced for several sessions. PaACC continues to advocate for exclusions from licensure for members of their own cardiovascular team: cardiac technicians (RCIS/RCES).

The House bill is waiting for consideration by the House Professional Licensure Committee. And once introduced, the Senate companion bill will also likely be referred to its respective Senate Professional Licensure Committee.

Constitutional Amendment allowing the General Assembly to provide for venue – SB 125

In October, Dr. Neerav Sheth, on behalf of PaACC, testified before the Senate State Government Committee in support of Senator Chris Dush’s SB 125. In summary, Dr. Sheth noted (in part): From the cardiology perspective, venue shopping directly impedes patient care. Instead of addressing lawsuits locally, where the incident occurred and where the treating physicians, patients, and medical records reside, doctors must take extensive time away from their practices to travel across the state for depositions, pre-trial proceedings, and court appearances. This causes major delays in care in an already strained healthcare system.

His full testimony can be viewed here (timestamped: 12:37-16:40).  

SB 125 awaits consideration by the Senate State Government Committee.

 

Patient Test Results – HB 409

Representative Bridget Kosierowski’s HB 409 amends the Patient Test Result Information Act of 2018, by clarifying written notice requirements as well as requirements regarding timely disclosure of test results. The objective is to find the balance between providing patients with timely test result information and giving health care providers reasonable time to review test results before they are released.

The bill passed the House with near unanimous support (202-1) and awaits consideration by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Certificate of Merit in Medical Liability Actions – HB 2088 / SB 340

Representative Bryan Cutler’s HB 2088 and Senator Dave Argall’s companion SB 340 would amend the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act by

• Defining and establishing the credentials of a licensed professional who reviews a claim of medical liability;
• Establishing a process where the statement of the licensed professional who has reviewed the claim will be shared with the medical professional defending the claim and will require that the statement is shared at the time of filing the certificate of merit, regardless of whether an attorney or unrepresented party is the person who prepared the certificate of merit; and
• Requiring that the licensed professional be identified, and their curriculum vitae be included as part of the certificate of merit filing.

Both bills await consideration by their respective Judiciary Committees.

 

AEDs at Interscholastic Athletic Events – SB 375 (May 13, 2026 – Signed into law as Act 17)

Senator Rosemary Brown’s SB 375 amends the Public School Code of 1949 by requiring AEDs at all PIAA events and practices. It also requires schools to develop emergency action plans for cardiac-related incidents.

The bill passed the Senate (48-2) and the House (141-59) and was then signed into law as Act 17 of 2026.

 

Closing Comments

We encourage continued engagement with your local legislators (Representatives and Senators), particularly regarding the bills establishing licensure for medical imaging professionals. Phone calls, emails, and visits to district offices all help. Legislators need to hear directly from the experts in their districts!

STATE ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS

2023

Along with the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Pennsylvania College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PaACC is developing a program to enhance ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for pregnant and post partum individuals in Pennsylvania in an effort to reduce the morbidity and mortality.

PaACC joined the National Football League's Smart Heart Coalition to push through Senate Bill 375, that improves education and establishes CPR/AED programs to reduce the incidence of Sudden Cardiac Death in student athletes. 

 

2020

The chapter worked with organizations in the state of Pennsylvania such at the Peyton Walker Foundation and Simon’s Heart via (Act 73-2020) to improve access to education, CPR/AED training, and ECG screening in appropriate individuals to reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac arrest.

PaACC advocated to support modifying the Tobacco Sales to Underage Purchasers (Act 112-2019) to raise the eligible age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.