b'PACEP Advocacy UpdateBy Bigley and Blikle, LLC STATE BUDGET UPDATENURSE SCOPE OF PRACTICE The Commonwealths long, hot summerDespite a late spring stakeholders process continues with no state budget enacted. that promised to lead to legislative action The General Assembly remained in votingby June 30, the effort collapsed when session until mid-July, and then returnedthe nursing organizations walked away to Harrisburg in mid-August, but a finalfrom the table. PACEP worked with others budget accord was not reached. Onin the House of Medicine to advance July 14, the majority House Democratslimitations on APP independent practice pared down Governor Josh Shapiros $54and other patient safeguards.The process billion proposal to approximately $49.9was initiated by House Professional billion and passed HB 1330 on a mostlyLicensure Committee Chair Frank Burns party line vote of 105-97.In an effort(D, Cambria). In June, Chair Burns made Jonathan P. Bigley to jumpstart negotiations and to sendit clear to all stakeholders that he would Partner, Bigley & Blikle a strong message on fiscal restraint, theadvance legislation if a compromise was majority Senate Republicans strippedreached. Instead of working with the all but $12 million for rape crisis centersHouse of Medicine to reach a deal, the from HB 1330s provisions and reportednursing organizations opted to leave the the bill from Senate Appropriationsnegotiating table and conduct a media Committee by a 16-6 margin on Julyadvocacy campaign during the summer 16. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittmanmonths to improve their legislative reconvened the Senate nearly a monthstanding. Whether that effort was later and on August 12, passed on a partysuccessful is yet to be seen. Chair Burns is line vote SB 160, a nearly $46 billionclearly unhappy the stakeholders process spending plan that is exactly the same asdid not produce agreed to legislation and the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 state budget. may not be willing to be pushed anymore The gap separating the Republicanson the issue.and Democrats seems now set at approximately $4 billion. In the dog days of summer, no one in Harrisburg believes cooler heads will prevail and resolve this budget impasse. While most state services continue and state employeesChairmanreceive their pay while no state budgetFrank Burns is adopted, Commonwealth contractors, school districts, and others will begin to feel the financial pinch by September.PATIENT PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE TAKE HOME LEGISLATION Sponsored by Montgomery County Senate MajorityDemocratic State Representative Ben Leader Joe PittmanSanchez, HB 446 PN 2021 allows patients to be discharged with the unused portion of these medications when 8 PACEP News | Summer 2025'