HB 1609 — An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in Commonwealth budget procedures, providing for essential service payments during budget impasse.

PRINTER'S NO.   1924

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1609
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY M. BROWN, KRUPA, K.HARRIS, GUENST AND COOPER,
        JUNE 13, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, JUNE 16, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled
 2      "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the
 3      executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the
 4      Executive Department thereof and the administrative
 5      departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof,
 6      including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or
 7      Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or
 8      authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative
 9      departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and
10      duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative
11      officers, and of the several administrative departments,
12      boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the
13      Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive
14      and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of
15      certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and
16      other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards,
17      and commissions; providing for the regulation of pari-mutuel
18      thoroughbred horse racing and harness horse racing
19      activities, imposing certain taxes and providing for the
20      disposition of funds from pari-mutuel tickets; and
21      prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation
22      of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of
23      certain departments, boards and commissions shall be
24      determined," in Commonwealth budget procedures, providing for
25      essential service payments during budget impasse.
26      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
27   hereby enacts as follows:
28      Section 1.    The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known
29   as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a
 1   section to read:
 2      Section 626.    Essential Service Payments During Budget
 3   Impasse.--(a)   If the General Appropriation Act is not enacted
 4   by July 1 of any fiscal year:
 5      (1)   The Secretary of the Budget shall, in consultation with
 6   the Secretary of Human Services, the Secretary of Drug and
 7   Alcohol Programs, the Secretary of Aging and the secretary of a
 8   department that provides other essential services, certify to
 9   the State Treasurer the line items and amounts paid for
10   essential services and other essential services from each of
11   their departments during the prior fiscal year and the amounts
12   so certified are hereby appropriated from the General Fund to
13   the respective departments for those purposes.
14      (2)   The Department of Human Services, the Department of Drug
15   and Alcohol Programs, the Department of Aging and any department
16   that provides other essential services may submit requisitions
17   to the State Treasurer for the payment of the essential services
18   and other essential services to a human services organization,
19   county or other intermediary organization from the
20   appropriations made under paragraph (1), provided that the
21   amount paid does not exceed the amount paid during the prior
22   fiscal year.
23      (b)   The amount paid from the General Fund under subsection
24   (a) between July 1 and the effective date of the General
25   Appropriation Act for that fiscal year shall be credited against
26   the corresponding appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
27   for that fiscal year.
28      (c)   An appropriation made under subsection (a) in any fiscal
29   year shall immediately lapse when the General Appropriation Act
30   for that fiscal year is enacted.

20250HB1609PN1924                    - 2 -
 1      (d)   The Secretary of the Budget and the State Treasurer
 2   shall expedite payments under this section consistent with their
 3   powers and duties in the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176),
 4   known as "The Fiscal Code."
 5      (e)   The Secretary of the Budget shall submit a report to the
 6   Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the Appropriations
 7   Committee of the House of Representatives by June 15 of each
 8   year indicating any services that will be deemed essential by
 9   the Governor to protect public health and safety during a
10   potential budget impasse.
11      (f)   As used in this section, the term "essential service"
12   means any service for which payment was made during the previous
13   fiscal year from Federal and State appropriations to the
14   Department of Human Services, the Department of Drug and Alcohol
15   Programs and the Department of Aging for the following:
16      (1)   Domestic violence.
17      (2)   Mental health services, including grants to counties or
18   other county-based human services included under the Human
19   Services Block Grant, exclusive of capital improvements.
20      (3)   Behavioral health services or other county-based human
21   services included under the Human Services Block Grant.
22      (4)   Intellectual Disabilities - Community Base Program,
23   including grants to counties for noninstitutional programs or
24   other county-based human services included under the Human
25   Services Block Grant, exclusive of capital improvements.
26      (5)   Payments and services to counties for children and youth
27   programs and for the care of delinquent and dependent children
28   under section 704.1 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21),
29   known as the "Human Services Code." The payments and services
30   shall include an aggregate child welfare needs-based budget

20250HB1609PN1924                  - 3 -
 1   allocation that the Department of Human Services may use to fund
 2   contracts for adoption services and to pay for assistance to
 3   counties in meeting Federal reimbursement documentation
 4   requirements.
 5      (6)     The Human Services Development Fund.
 6      (7)     Medical assistance payments for outpatient services,
 7   exclusive of outpatient services provided through capitation
 8   plans.
 9      (8)     Payments to counties for drug and alcohol addiction
10   treatment services under section 2334.
11      (9)     Any other funds for which the county provides services
12   on behalf of the Commonwealth.
13      (g)     As used in this section, the term "other essential
14   services" means services for which payment was made during the
15   previous fiscal year from Federal and State appropriations that
16   the Governor deems essential during a budget impasse for public
17   health and safety. The term does not include an essential
18   service.
19      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1609PN1924                    - 4 -