The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce is a proud partner of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, which advocates for a competitive and vibrant business climate in Pennsylvania.  Earlier this week, the PA Chamber released updates about pending legislation that will impact businesses in Columbia and Montour Counties and across the Commonwealth.

As a courtesy to our members, we're pleased to share this critical information so that you may engage with the legislative matters that mean the most to you, and so that we can continue to advocate on your behalf.  To share your perspective on these and any other matter that affects the way you do business, please connect with the Columbia Montour Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee by calling 570-784-2522 or emailing Chris Berleth, President at cberleth@columbiamontourchamber.com.

H.B. 78, P.N. 65 – Data Privacy

Description
House Bill 78 would regulate the collection and use of consumers’ personal data by providing consumers with certain rights and requiring businesses to protect and limit the collection of personal data.

Impact on Business
The PA Chamber believes a national framework for data privacy regulation would be preferable to protect consumer data, promote transparency, and provide regulatory certainty in the marketplace. Congress, however, has not yet advanced consumer data privacy legislation and in the meantime, 20 states have adopted a patchwork of data privacy laws. We have advocated that if lawmakers are to advance data privacy legislation at the state level, they look to states such as Virginia and Connecticut, which crafted their laws with input from the business community. Some concerns remain that the low threshold for covered entities (having the data of 50,000 individuals) and short compliance window (6 months) will make it difficult for small businesses. We support an amendment that will be offered in committee to extend the effective date to one year.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
AMEND

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Commerce Committee

H.B. 81, P.N. 32 – Prohibiting Paper Statement Fees

Description
House Bill 81 would amend existing Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to prohibit businesses from charging a fee for paper account statements, creating a new private right of action

Impact on Business
This legislation has broad-reaching implications for the business community, including opening the door to the government getting involved in price-setting and ongoing enhanced fraud concerns when financial statements go through the mail. If enacted, HB 81 designates charging paper account statement fees as an unfair trade practice under Pennsylvania law and creates a new private right of action. Additionally, there is a need for additional exemptions to be included in the bill for already regulated industries. There is a strong likelihood that if enacted, HB81 would face a constitutional challenge due to previous case law in other jurisdictions which established that prohibiting fees for paper billing statements violates the First Amendment rights of businesses.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee

H.B. 43, P.N. 22 – Drilling Permit Notice Requirement

Description
House Bill 43 would require published notice to residents when filing drilling permits.

Impact on Business
This legislation is duplicative and creates other problems and delays in the well-permitting process.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Environmental & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 586, P.N. 595 – Food Processing Residuals

Description
House Bill 586 would require permits and licenses and create reporting requirements for spreading food processing residuals.

Impact on Business
A Food Processing Residual (FPR) is an incidental organic material generated by processing agricultural commodities for human or animal consumption. The food processing industry currently sources FPRs to the agriculture sector to improve soil health and increase yields. Concerns have been raised by both the food processing and agricultural industries that this legislation would make it difficult to maintain this practice.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Environmental & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 597, P.N. 2741 – Residual Food Processing Waste & Certification for FPR Haulers and Brokers

Description
House Bill 597 establishes the hauler or broker of food processing residuals certification program; provides for the transportation of food processing residuals; imposes duties on the Department of Agriculture and the State Conservation Commission; and imposes penalties

Impact on Business
Similar to H.B. 586, concerns have been raised by both the food processing and agricultural industries that this legislation would make it difficult to maintain sourcing FPRs to the agriculture sector

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Agriculture Committee

H.B. 620, P.N. 631 – Municipal Waste Fees

Description
House Bill 620 proposes to increase the Recycling Fee to $5/ton to generate more funds going into the program in support of increased costs and demands for those dollars.

Impact on Business
The proposed increase in the Recycling Fee will raise the cost of essential services provided to Pennsylvania citizens and businesses and only adds to household costs for already-struggling Pennsylvanians as food, utility and gas bills all continue to increase.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Local Government Committee

H.B. 660, P.N. 620 – Mandatory Efficiency Standards

Description
House Bill 660 mandates energy and water efficiency standards to commercial and residential appliances sold in the Commonwealth

Impact on Business
While we appreciate the intent of this legislation, Imposing energy and water efficiency standards that are more stringent than federal levels will create additional costs for many businesses already grappling with inflation, supply chain challenges, and workforce shortages. At a time when businesses and consumers are already facing rising costs in many areas, from food to energy, this bill threatens to further increase prices for everyday goods and services, and exacerbates financial strains already being felt by so many Pennsylvanians.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Energy Committee

H.B. 265, P.N. 210 – Redefining Unemployment Compensation Law

Description
House Bill 265 would grant UC eligibility to various categories of public school employees during the summer months.

Impact on Business
UC is intended to provide temporary wage benefits to workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own as they actively seek new employment. Expanding the law to include new categories of employees who are not unemployed in the traditional sense would fundamentally change the program and dramatically increase costs when Pennsylvania employers already pay some of the highest UC taxes in the country.

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Labor & Industry Committee

H.B. 200, P.N. 561 – Paid Leave Entitlement Program

Description
House Bill 200 would establish the Pennsylvania Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program in which all employers and employees would be taxed to fund a statewide system of wage benefits for individuals to take family or sick leave. Eligible employees would generally be entitled to up to 20 weeks per year to care for themselves or 12 weeks per year to care for a family member.

Impact on Business
This legislation would impose billions in taxes on Pennsylvania employers to create a new entitlement program and require employers of all sizes to adopt a one-size-fits-all mandatory policy related to time off regardless of a company’s size, industry, etc. A “private option” included in the bill is so prescriptive and administratively challenging it’s likely most employers will be prohibited from developing customized leave policies that benefit their employees while still accommodating their own unique staffing requirements

PA Chamber of Business and Industry position:
OPPOSE

STATUS:
Vote Scheduled in House Labor & Industry Committee