Pennsylvania HB 1901: An Act amending the act of June 30, 2011 (P.L.81, No.18), known as the Pennsylvania Web Accountability and Transparency (PennWATCH) Act, further providing for searchable budget database and for administration.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2370
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1901
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SCOTT, MAYES, CARROLL, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HOHENSTEIN AND D. WILLIAMS,
SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for the Office of Health Equity; establishing the
Health Equity Advisory Committee; and imposing duties on the
Department of Health.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of
Health Equity Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Advisory committee." The Health Equity Advisory Committee
established under section 5(a).
"Commonwealth agency." As follows:
(1) Any of the following:
(i) The Governor's Office.
(ii) An executive agency.
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(iii) The office of Lieutenant Governor.
(iv) An independent agency.
(v) An independent department.
(vi) An organization established by the Constitution
of Pennsylvania, a statute or an executive order that
performs or is intended to perform an essential
governmental function.
(2) The term does not include:
(i) The General Assembly or an office or agency of
the General Assembly.
(ii) A court or other agency of the unified judicial
system.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Executive agency." As follows:
(1) An office, department, authority, board, multistate
agency or commission of the executive branch of the
Commonwealth that is subject to the policy supervision and
control of the Governor.
(2) The term includes:
(i) The Department of Aging.
(ii) The Department of Agriculture.
(iii) The Department of Banking and Securities.
(iv) The Department of Community and Economic
Development.
(v) The Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources.
(vi) The Department of Corrections.
(vii) The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
(viii) The Department of Education.
(ix) The Department of Environmental Protection.
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(x) The Department of General Services.
(xi) The department.
(xii) The Department of Human Services.
(xiii) The Department of Labor and Industry.
(xiv) The Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs.
(xv) The Department of Revenue.
(xvi) The Department of State.
(xvii) The Department of Transportation.
(xviii) The Insurance Department.
(xix) The Pennsylvania State Police.
(xx) A board or commission of an entity enumerated
under this paragraph.
"Health disparities." Preventable differences in the burden
of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal
health that are experienced by a population in comparison to
another population.
"Health equity." The absence of unfair and avoidable or
remediable differences in health among population groups,
whether those population groups are defined socially,
economically, demographically or geographically.
"Independent agency." As follows:
(1) A board, commission, authority, agency or other
entity of the Commonwealth that is not subject to the policy
supervision and control of the Governor.
(2) The term includes:
(i) The Board of Claims.
(ii) The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
Commission.
(iii) The Milk Marketing Board.
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(iv) The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency.
(v) The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
(vi) The Pennsylvania Game Commission.
(vii) The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
(viii) The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
(ix) The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.
(x) The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
(xi) The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
(xii) The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
(xiii) The State Civil Service Commission.
(xiv) The State Ethics Commission.
(xv) The State Tax Equalization Board.
(xvi) An entity subject to the policy supervision
and control of an entity enumerated under this paragraph.
(3) The term does not include:
(i) The General Assembly or an office or agency of
the General Assembly.
(ii) A court or other agency of the unified judicial
system.
"Independent department." Any of the following:
(1) The Department of the Auditor General.
(2) The Treasury Department.
(3) The Office of Attorney General.
(4) A board or commission of an entity under paragraph
(1), (2) or (3).
"Municipality." As defined in 53 Pa.C.S. § 5602 (relating to
definitions).
"Office." The Office of Health Equity established under
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section 3(a).
"Personal identifying information." A document,
photographic, pictorial or computer image of an individu