24 New PA Laws That Go Into Effect In 2021

A handful of new Pennsylvania laws will go into effect in 2021.

The new laws tackle everything from health care and environmental precautions, to professional licensing, law enforcement training, overtime rules and more.

Here's a look at some of the new laws in Pennsylvania in 2021:

House Bill 30: Increases the optional organ donation check-off contribution for vehicle owners renewing a car's registration to help stabilize the Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 90 days.

House Bill 64: Allows professional licensing boards and commissions within the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs to permit their licensees to carry over continuing education credits in excess of the number required for biennial renewal. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 440: Expands on the state’s Clean Slate law by removing an obligation to pay any outstanding court-ordered financial obligations before eligible cases can be sealed. Any restitution owed for convictions committed is not waived. The bill also requires that when a person receives a pardon, that record is automatically sealed and if they receive a not-guilty verdict the record is expunged. Signed Oct. 29, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 770: Amends requirements regarding the education, training and registration of pharmacy technicians. The bill is called a "commonsense approach" to requiring specific requirements for pharmacy technicians in the state. Under the law, technicians will register with the State Board of Pharmacy and will be required to have a high school diploma, complete a board-approved training program, and pass a criminal background check. Previously, Pennsylvania was one of only four states that did not regulate pharmacy technician positions. Signed Nov. 30, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 941: Increases transparency regarding pharmacy benefit manager pricing practices, specifically with regard to the state's Medicaid program. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 942: Revises the composition of membership of the commonwealth's Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 1342: Expands vision screening requirements and standards for children prior to admission to school for the first time. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House bills 1439 and 1696 require health insurers that want to offer comprehensive health insurance coverage in Pennsylvania to verify that they have completed and fully documented analyses of their efforts to provide mental health and substance-use coverage that is comparable to physical health services with respect to cost sharing, in- and out-of-network coverage, and other treatment limits. Signed Oct. 29, applies to all insurance policies offered, issued or renewed after Dec. 31, 2021.

House Bill 1564: Requires counties to properly assess the value of manufactured homes during a county-wide reassessment. Signed July 1, with some portions going into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

House Bill 1617: Makes changes to the act known as the Liquor Code regarding the treatment of malt or brewed beverages and allowing for the conversion of a hotel license to a restaurant license upon application to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 1662: Renames the Methadone Death and Incident Review Act as the Medication Death and Incident Review Act and expands the scope of the Act to cover all medications approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 90 days

House Bill 1808: Requires the conversion of post-use polymers through advanced recycling to comply with applicable EPA and DEP regulations and revises applicable definitions. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 1984: Makes it possible for the victim of rape or sexual assault to terminate the parental rights of the person who committed rape or sexual assault that resulted in the birth of a child. Signed Oct. 29, to take effect in 60 days.

House Bill 2293: Requires any utility that delivers natural gas liquids through high consequence areas to make the utility's emergency response plan available, upon written request, to certain state and emergency management officials. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 60 days.

Senate Bill 395: Amends the act entitled "An act granting to the Governor of the Commonwealth the sole authority for regulating the display of the flag of the United States from any public ground or building and from any ground or building of certain other institutions," further providing for display of the POW/MIA flag. Signed Nov. 3, to take effect in 60 days.

Senate Bill 530 amends the Public School Code regarding attendance for students convicted or adjudicated delinquent of sexual assault of another student. Signed Nov. 3, to take effect in 60 days.

Senate Bill 976 allows the establishment of commerce courts and veterans' courts. Signed Nov. 3, to take effect in 60 days.

Senate Bill 983: Expands and revises the health screening requirements for newborns. Signed Nov. 25, to take effect in 180 days.

Senate Bill 1193: Provides funding for the PA Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff Education and Training Board. Takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

Senate Bill 1281, which rebrands the state's “Steer Clear Law” to the “Move Over Law" and clarifies how motorists should react when approaching or passing an emergency response area. Signed Oct. 29, to take effect in 180 days.

Here are some additional changes to expect in Pennsylvania in 2021:

Health Care

In 2019, Gov. Wolf signed House Bill 3, which creates an online health insurance exchange operated by the state in lieu of the federal government. At the time, the governor said he expected the exchange to be operational by January 2021.

The exchange, called Pennie, is now functional with the Open Enrollment Period running through Jan. 15, 2021. You can learn more here.

Overtime Rules

Pennsylvania’s overtime rules were amended in late 2019. As part of those changes, the salary threshold in order to be exempted from overtime will be updated in three phases. The first increase went into effect in Oct. 2020. On Oct. 3, 2021, that threshold will go up to $780 per week, or $40,560 annually.

Criminal History Record Information Act

Some elements of Senate Bill 637 will go into effect in early 2021. The bill amends the Criminal History Record Information Act to require that boards only withhold a license for convictions that are directly related to the practice of the occupation. The nature of the offense, the amount of time that has passed since conviction, evidence of the applicant's fitness to practice the occupation, and other relevant factors will be weighed prior to withholding a license. Some portions of the law, signed by Gov. Wolf on July 1, went into effect immediately and others go into effect 180 from the date signed.