Christian Employers Alliance

Keith S. Harris

This bill requires producers of batteries or products containing batteries to participate in a "battery stewardship program" to ensure the "proper handling, recycling, and end-of life management of used batteries" and provide free collection of all covered batteries. Producers who do not participate in the program are prohibited from selling or distributing batteries or products in the state that are covered under the bill.

Expanding Government Overreach and Hiking Consumer Costs by Requiring Battery Producers to Join a "Battery Stewardship Program".

This bill stipulates that transactions that require a consumer to opt-out of a service, rather than opt-in, are unfair or deceptive practices, unless certain criteria are met. Under the bill, a "negative option plan" or a service that the consumer must opt-out of, is only permissible if the consumer is informed of how to cancel a service, is provided the automatic renewal offer terms and information, is guaranteed that the seller will notify the consumer before the automatic renewal occurs, and more.

Growing Government Overreach Through New Mandates on Consumer Renewal Transaction Requirements.

This bill establishes new bonding and training requirements for natural gas and energy generation suppliers who provide person-to-person sales to residential consumers. Under the bill, suppliers are required to maintain an additional bond or other security of $1 million. The bill also imposes training and education requirements on suppliers and allows the Public Utilities Commission to order refunds be provided to customers for violations of these requirements.

Hiking Utility Costs by Imposing New Training and Bonding Mandates on Natural Gas and Energy Suppliers that Provide Person-to-Person Sales.

This bill, the "Employee Misclassification Working Group Act," expands the ability of the state to investigate "employee misclassification" by allowing the Department of Revenue to provide tax information to offices within the Department of Labor and Industry. Under the bill, certain offices, such as the Bureau of Labor Law Compliance and the Office of Unemployment Benefits Policy, may request information for "assessing or investigating employee misclassification." The bill also establishes the Employee Misclassification Working Group "to coordinate enforcement strategies."

Growing Government Overreach by Expanding the Ability of the State to Investigate "Employee Misclassification".

This bill prohibits the state and local governments from banning or restricting individuals and businesses from accepting digital assets as a method of payment. The bill also ensures the ability to maintain custody of digital assets using a digital wallet, and prevents additional taxes or fees on a digital asset based solely on its use as a method of payment. Additionally, the bill clarifies that it is lawful to connect to a blockchain protocol and to transfer a digital asset on a blockchain protocol.

Promoting Innovation and Preventing Government Overreach by Protecting the Use of Digital Assets and Blockchain Protocols.

This bill, the "Hauler or Broker of Food Processing Residuals Certification Act," requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a certification program for haulers and brokers of food processing residuals (FPRs). Under the bill, haulers and brokers are prohibited from transporting or applying FPRs in the state unless they have obtained a certification. To become certified, haulers are required to complete an approved training program, as well as complete 6 hours of continuing education every 3 years.

Driving Up Consumer Costs by Requiring Food Processing Residual Haulers and Brokers to be Government-Certified.

This bill reduces the waiting period for expungement of most juvenile misdemeanors, from 5 years to 2 years. Oppose is the ACI’s position based on the cornerstone of Community.

Threatening Public Safety by Allowing Juvenile Criminal Records to be Expunged After Just 2 Years Instead of 5.

This bill provides cost-of-living adjustments for most Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) and Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) recipients who retired prior to July 2, 2001. These increases range between 15% and 24.5% of current annuities and, according to the bill's fiscal note, this is estimated to add $946.7 million in unfunded liabilities.

Worsening Pennsylvania's Unfunded Pension Liability Through Fiscally Irresponsible Cost-of-Living Adjust for Beneficiaries.

This bill, the "Consumer Data Privacy Act," provides consumers with various rights related to the access, accuracy, deletion, and security of their personal data by companies. To enforce these rights, companies are required to limit data collection, implement security measures, provide mechanisms for consumers to revoke consent and gain access to their data, display clear privacy notifications, and more.

Expanding Government Overreach by Imposing Costly New Mandates Through the "Consumer Data Privacy Act".

This bill, the "Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act," prohibits nearly all noncompetition agreements in the state entered into by health care practitioners and employers. However, the bill does allow noncompete agreements of up to 1 year if the employee was not dismissed.

Infringing Private Contracting Rights and Reducing Employment Opportunities in Healthcare by Banning Noncompetition Agreements.

This bill codifies into state law the Obamacare provision that prohibits health insurers from setting annual or lifetime limits on the dollar value of any core benefit for an enrollee.

Lifetime Ratings by Policy Category