Women’s Health Caucus

The PA Agenda for Women’s Health covers a broad range of proposals that advance three principle goals to enhance the health and well-being of women, families, and our communities.

Safety & Dignity

View Legislation →

Women should have the right to feel safe wherever they are. We support legislation that advances women’s safety, protects their privacy rights and respects their individual dignity.

Protections of personal privacy and dignity

  • Expanding intimate images statute
  • Addressing the issue of “sextortion”
  • Fighting “street harassment”
  • Ensuring reasonable accommodations for woman incarcerated during pregnancy
  • Strengthening protections against sexual harassment in the workplace

Protection for Victims of Intimate Partner violence

  • Eliminating cellphone policies that hamper victims’ efforts to escape
  • Enabling domestic violence victims to avoid leases
  • Giving public housing  victims of  stalking or domestic or sexual violence a right to relocate to other public housing

Governor Wolf’s “It’s on Us” campaign against campus sexual violence

  • Ensuring online/anonymous reporting
  • Removing disincentives to reporting, e.g.  providing institutional amnesty for reporting
  • Sexual education and affirmative consent
  • Comprehensive anti-violence policy

Economic Security

View Legislation →

Women deserve a fair opportunity to work and to earn a living wage to care for themselves and their families.

Fair Wages & Income

  • Raising the minimum wage
  • Closing Pennsylvania’s wage pay gap
  • Applying the minimum wage to tipped workers
  • Retirement security for widows.

Eliminate Obstacles to Work

  • Ensuring paid family and medical leave for working families
  • Helping lift working families out of poverty
  • Establishing a Women Veterans Task Force
  • Ensuring reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers and nursing mothers
  • Promoting access to affordable child care

Access to Health Services across the Life Span

View Legislation →

Women have unique healthcare needs and are often the primary care providers in most households. They must be able to grow and build healthy families, when and if they choose to do so, with access to family planning, maternal and neo-natal health care.  

Protecting access to reproductive healthcare

  • Protecting broad access to the most effective family planning services.
  • Ensuring the availability of accurate, scientific information and medical independence in the patient/provider relationship

Maternal/neo-natal Health

  • Call for consumer protections in health insurance so all Pennsylvanians have coverage for essential care like maternity care, mental health services, and dental and vision care for children.
  • Encourage screening and treatment for post-partum depression
  • Support access to doulas and midwives to reduce rates of infant and maternal mortality

Support Care for Diseases Disproportionately Impacting Women

  • Protecting state funds dedicated to breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment
  • Promote respite care for caregivers

 

 

Bills of Interest for Women’s Health Caucus Members

Safety and Dignity Legislation

Protecting Personal Privacy and Dignity

HB 962 (Davis/Donatucci) – Safe Campuses Act

Sponsors: Davis, Donatucci, Kinsey, Driscoll, Readshaw, Millard, Freeman, Hill-Evans, Caltagirone, D. Costa, Schweyer, Roebuck, Pashinski, Schlossberg, Day, Briggs, Frankel, O’Brien, Bullock, Dean, Neilson, Solomon, DeLuca, Murt, Kortz, V. Brown, Galloway, Fitzgerald, Rothman, Daley, Boyle, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Schwank- Safe Campuses Act

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1633 (Hill-Evans) – Task force on campus intimate partner violence and sexual assault

Sponsors: Hill-Evans, Frankel, Dean, O’Neill, D. Costa, Kinsey, Readshaw, Freeman, V. Brown, Warren, Millard, Davis, Caltagirone, Thomas, Donatucci, Rothman, Daley, Boyle, O’Brien, Briggs, Youngblood, Kortz, McCarter, Schweyer, Wheatley, Roebuck, Fitzgerald, Comitta, Madden, Kim and Rozzi

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1705 (Murt) – Dating Violence Education

  • Sponsors: Murt, Boback, V. Brown, Daley, Dean, Driscoll, Hill-Evans, Kinsey, Schweyer, Sims, Watson and Bradford
  • Cosponsor memo here.

HR 444 (Daley & Murt) – Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the implementation of Act 45 of 2010 (shackling of pregnant women in state and county custody)

Sponsors: Daley, Murt, Dean, Solomon, Readshaw, Davis, Schlossberg, Kinsey, D. Costa, Schweyer, O’Brien, D. Miller, Warren, Watson, Thomas, Youngblood, Freeman, Sims, Hill-Evans, Sturla, Kortz, M. Quinn, Bullock, Frankel, Caltagirone, Donatucci and Bradford

Cosponsor memo here.

Caltagirone – Free Feminine Hygiene Products in Prisons

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 547 (Sen. Schwank) – Dating and Sexual Violence Prevention Education

Sponsors: Schwank, Costa, Hughes, Blake, Fontana, Brewster, Yudichak, Tartaglione, Rafferty, Farnese, Boscola, Mensch, Browne, and Sabatina

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1615 (Sims/Daley) – Sex Education and Affirmative Sexual Consent

Sponsors: Sims, Daley, Frankel, Schlossberg, Sturla, Davis, O’Brien, Solomon, DeLuca, Donatucci, Rozzi and McClinton

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1038 (Warren) – Age Restriction for Marriage License

Sponsors: Warren, Davis, Solomon, Madden, Staats, Daley, Briggs, Driscoll, Rozzi, Hill-Evans, Gillen, Schweyer, Kulik, Kinsey, Neilson, Schlossberg, Harper, Dean, Frankel, Boyle, O’Brien, McCarter, Wheatley, Donatucci, Kim and D. Miller

Cosponsor memo

HB 1687 (Harkins) – Healthy Workplace Act

Sponsors: Harkins, Freeman, Thomas, V. Brown, Kinsey, Schlossberg, Rozzi, O’Brien, Caltagirone, Pashinski, Roebuck and Sims

Cosponsor memo here.

Madden – Expanding sexual harassment protections in the workplace

Cosponsor memo here.

Krueger-Braneky: Protections for victims of sexual harassment by members of the PA General Assembly

Cosponsor memo here.

Protection for Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

HB 903 (Murt) – Increased penalties for invasion of privacy

Sponsors: Murt, Boback, V. Brown, D. Costa, Gillen, Kinsey, Nelson, Readshaw and Watson

Cosponsor memo here.

Dean – Rental protections for victims of domestic violence

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1632 (Hill-Evans) – Cancelling phone contracts for victims of domestic violence

Sponsors: Hill-Evans, Samuelson, Freeman, Schweyer, Schlossberg, J. Harris, Caltagirone, Dean, Frankel, Solomon, Kinsey, Millard, Bullock, Youngblood, Barrar, V. Brown, Neilson, D. Costa, DeLuca, Rozzi, Daley, Davis, Boyle, O’Brien, Briggs, Rabb, McCarter, Wheatley, Roebuck, Fitzgerald, Comitta, Donatucci, Madden and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1211 (Boback) – Waiving document fees for domestic violence victims

Sponsors: Boback, Baker, Dean, V. Brown, Schlossberg, O’Brien, D. Costa, Rozzi, Murt, Longietti, Sims, Caltagirone, Helm, Phillips-Hill, Ward, Marsico, Frankel, Toohil, Ortitay, Farry, Gabler, Freeman, Schweyer and Gillen

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 919 (Haywood, Bartolotta, and Schwank) – Relocation for domestic and sexual violence victims in public housing

Sponsors: Haywood, Bartolotta, Schwank, Sabatina, Fontana, Rafferty, Hughes, Farnese, Yudichak, McGarrigle, Costa, Killion, Vulakovich, Tartaglione, Blake, Stefano and Browne

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 313 (Boscola) – Cancelling shared phone contracts for victims of domestic violence

Sponsors: Boscola, Costa, Hughes, Fontana, Farnese, Schwank, Browne, Mensch, Brewster, Haywood, Tartaglione, Baker, Bartolotta, Rafferty, Reschenthaler, and Vulakovich

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 999 (Schwank) – Prohibiting Non-Disclosure Agreements

Sponsors: Schwank, Williams, Leach, Fontana, Browne, Tartaglione, Hughes, Haywood, Brewster, Farnese, Street, Yudichak, Costa, Boscola, Rafferty, Blake, Killion and Sabatina.

Cosponsor memo here.

Farnese – Require Members of General Assembly to Reimburse Public Funds Used to Settle Sexual Harassment Cases

Cosponsor memo here.

It’s On Us

Boback – Expanding Office of Safe Schools to postsecondary

Cosponsor memo here.

Frankel – Online and Anonymous Reporting

Cosponsor memo here.

Dean – Amnesty Policy for Reporting Campus Sexual Assault

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1921 (Daley) – Affirmative Consent

Sponsors: Daley, Dermody, Dean, Davis, Thomas, Kinsey, Boback, Rothman, Frankel, Schweyer, Schlossberg, Hill-Evans, Caltagirone, Rozzi, O’Neill, Warren, Murt, Roebuck, Madden, McCarter, Neuman, Youngblood, D. Costa, Topper, Watson and McClinton

Cosponsor memo here.

Sims – Campus report cards on sexual assault

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1922 (D. Miller) – Comprehensive anti-violence policy for K-12 schools

Sponsors: D. Miller, Kinsey, Dean, Rabb, Frankel, Davis, Schweyer, Ortitay, Readshaw, Schlossberg, Hill-Evans, Dermody, Deasy, Rozzi, Murt, Boback, Roebuck, Pashinski, DeLuca, Thomas, and D. Costa

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 870 (Sen. Hughes) – Expanding the Office of Safe Schools to postsecondary institutions

Sponsors: Hughes, Fontana, Brewster, Farnese, Baker, Browne, Yudichak, Mensch, Rafferty, and Costa

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Baker – Online and anonymous reporting

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 871 (Sen. Schwank) – Amnesty Policy for Reporting Campus Sexual Assault

Sponsors: Schwank, Leach, Sabatina, Fontana, Brewster, Farnese, Baker, Browne, Yudichak, Rafferty, Hughes, Costa and Tartaglione

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Williams – Affirmative Consent

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Haywood – Anti-Violence/Anti-Bullying Policies in Schools

Cosponsor memo here.

Economic Security Legislation

Fair Wages & Income

HB 931 (Donatucci/Bullock) – Equal Pay Legislation

Sponsors: Donatucci, Bullock, Driscoll, Kinsey, Schweyer, Freeman, J. Harris, Dermody, Caltagirone, Boback, Youngblood, Boyle, D. Miller, Frankel, Deasy, Davis, Davidson, McClinton, Solomon, Watson, V. Brown, Roebuck, Readshaw, Fitzgerald, McCarter, D. Costa, Krueger-Braneky, Hill-Evans, Toohil, Thomas, Conklin, Sims, Kim, Rozzi, Daley, O’Brien, Briggs and Wheatley

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1243 (Sims/Davis) – Equal Pay Legislation

Sponsors: Sims, Davis, J. Harris, Dean, Schweyer, Donatucci, Frankel, Caltagirone, McCarter, W. Keller, Thomas, Kinsey, D. Miller, Bullock, Driscoll, V. Brown, D. Costa, Solomon, O’Brien, Readshaw, Boyle, Schlossberg, Hill-Evans, DeLuca, Goodman, Deasy, Galloway, Daley, Briggs, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo: here.

SB 578 (Williams) – Equal pay

Sponsors: Williams, Leach, Farnese, Fontana, Yudichak, Brewster, Street, Haywood, Costa, Schwank, Hughes, Boscola, Browne, Blake and McIlhenny

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1520 (Kim) – Raising the minimum wage

Sponsors: Kim, Caltagirone, Dean, Briggs, Rabb, Solomon, Dermody, Schlossberg, Carroll, Samuelson, Youngblood, Hanna, Frankel, Sturla, DeLissio, Markosek, Warren, V. Brown, Galloway, Donatucci, Matzie, Madden, Freeman, D. Costa, Kortz, Daley, Harkins, Comitta, Fitzgerald, McClinton, Kinsey, Goodman, Davis, Bullock, Thomas, Wheatley, Roebuck, Hill-Evans, Driscoll, DeLuca, Pashinski, O’Brien, Flynn, Ravenstahl, McNeill, McCarter, Mullery, Kulik, Neilson, Vazquez, Krueger-Braneky, J. Harris, Boyle, Haggerty, Deasy, W. Keller, Cruz, Wheatley, Sims, Bradford and Kirkland

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 150 (Leach) – Raising the minimum wage

Sponsors: Leach, Fontana, Costa and Hughes

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 163 (Tartaglione) – Raising the tipped minimum wage

Sponsors: Tartaglione, Leach, Fontana, Schwank, Costa, Haywood, Hughes, and Street

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 12 (Tartaglione) – Raising the minimum wage

Sponsors: Tartaglione, Leach, Brewster, Fontana, Costa, Yudichak, Haywood, Schwank, Hughes, Street, Browne and Farnese

Cosponsor memo here.

HR 584 (Hill-Evans and Schweyer) – Study on income inequality

Sponsors: Hill-Evans, Schweyer, Dean, Youngblood, Donatucci, J. Harris, Sims, Kinsey, Caltagirone, Pashinski, Wheatley, Frankel, Rozzi, Freeman, Vasquez, V. Brown, Driscoll, McCarter, Roebuck, Bradford, Sturla, Dermody, Fitzgerald, D. Miller, Schlossberg, Thomas, Bullock, Davidson, Readshaw, and Kavulich

Cosponsor memo here.

Eliminating Obstacles to Work

HB 1685 (Daley & Miccarelli) – Workplace accommodations for nursing mothers

Sponsors: Daley, Miccarelli, Dean, Donatucci, Rabb, Samuelson, Solomon, Barrar, Schlossberg, Driscoll, Sims, O’Brien, D. Costa, Davis, Watson, Rozzi, Frankel, DeLuca, Boyle, Briggs, Gillen, McCarter, Wheatley, Kavulich, Kim, DiGirolamo, Murt and McClinton

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1634 (Briggs) – Paid Family Leave

Sponsors: Briggs, Dean, O’Brien, Rabb, Thomas, Driscoll, Schlossberg, Youngblood, Frankel, Kinsey, Solomon, V. Brown, Donatucci, Madden, Daley, Davis, Boyle, McCarter, Wheatley, Kim and Rozzi

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 701 (Donatucci) – Paid Sick Leave

Sponsors: Donatucci, Frankel, Youngblood, Dean, O’Brien, Bullock, Dermody, Galloway, Freeman, Kinsey, J. Harris, Schlossberg, Fitzgerald, V. Brown, Schweyer, Roebuck, Caltagirone, Solomon, D. Miller, Thomas, Pashinski, Daley, Davis, Briggs, Boyle, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 515 (Bullock) – Parental Involvement Leave

Sponsors: Bullock, Youngblood, Caltagirone, Rozzi, Sturla, Donatucci, Freeman, Solomon, Schweyer, McClinton, Frankel, Daley, Davis, Boyle, O’Brien, Briggs, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 862 (Leach) – Paid parental leave

Sponsors: Leach, Fontana and Schwank

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 207 (Hughes) – Paid sick leave

Sponsors: Hughes, Leach, Tartaglione, Farnese, Haywood, Street and Blake

Cosponsor memo here.

HB 1583 (Delozier) – Accommodations for pregnant workers

Sponsors: Delozier, Watson, Donatucci, Murt, Caltagirone, O’Brien, Kinsey, Bullock, Freeman, V. Brown, Schlossberg, Rapp, Davis, J. Harris, Dean, Frankel, D. Costa, Solomon, Staats, Gillen, Rozzi, Daley, Boyle, McCarter, Wheatley, Kim, D. Miller, Pashinski and Sims

Cosponsor memo here.

HBs 1159, 1160, 1161 (Cephas) – Child Care Package

Sponsors: Cephas, Dawkins, Kinsey, Driscoll, Bullock, Schlossberg, Charlton, O’Brien, V. Brown, Roebuck, Sims, Donatucci, McClinton, Frankel, Daley, Davis, Boyle, Briggs, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Schwank – Increase TANF Earned Income Disregard

Cosponsor memo here.

SR 5 (Boscola) – Women’s Veterans Health Care Task Force

Sponsors: Boscola, Vulakovich, Costa, Hughes, Fontana, Farnese, Blake, Schwank, Brewster, Tartaglione, Yudichak, Rafferty, Mensch, and Browne

Cosponsor memo here.

Adopted by the Senate, November 21, 2017

HR 313 (Farry/DeLissio) – Women’s Veteran Health Care Task Force

Sponsors: Farry, DeLissio, Ryan, Dean, Frankel, Murt, Mackenzie, Davis, Ward, Millard, Rozzi, Readshaw, D. Costa, Donatucci, McNeill, Schlossberg, Bullock, Boback, V. Brown, Driscoll, Thomas, O’Brien, Staats, Freeman, Watson, Fitzgerald, Sainato, Goodman, DeLuca, Gillen, Corbin, Pashinski, Baker, Daley, Boyle, Briggs, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.

Comitta – Family Childcare Tax Deduction

Cosponsor memo here.

Women’s Health Care Access Across the Lifespan Legislation

Protecting access to reproductive healthcare

Bradford – Safe access to reproductive healthcare facilities

Cosponsor memo here.

Sen. Farnese – Freedom of access to reproductive health care facilities

Cosponsor memo here.

Boyle – Coverage for infertility treatment

Cosponsor memo here.

SB 148 (Boscola) – Coverage for infertility treatment

Sponsors: Boscola, Hughes, Fontana, Brewster, Haywood, Tartaglione, Browne and Farnese

Cosponsor memo here.

Frankel – Patient Trust Act

Cosponsor memo here.

Rabb – Reproductive Health Equity Act

Cosponsor memo here.

Krueger-Braneky, Boyle and Davis – Expanding Access to Contraceptives

Co-sponsorship memo here.

Support Care for Diseases Disproportionately Needed by Women

HB 562 (Donatucci) – Increased funding for breast and cervical cancer screenings

Sponsors: Donatucci, Driscoll, Millard, J. Harris, Caltagirone, Youngblood, W. Keller, Schlossberg, Kinsey, Goodman, Boback, Murt, Dean, Longietti, V. Brown, Fitzgerald, Barrar, O’Brien, Godshall, Frankel, Readshaw, Kavulich, D. Costa, Freeman, Schweyer, Hill-Evans, Samuelson, Sims, DeLuca, Rozzi, Daley, Davis, Boyle, Briggs, McCarter, Wheatley and Kim

Cosponsor memo here.