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Govt. Affairs

RCPA is delighted to share our 2023 Year in Review! We’re confident that this review will provide you with valuable insights, and inspire you as we highlight some of our significant achievements. This past year, we have embarked on groundbreaking initiatives and celebrated remarkable successes, all thanks to our collective efforts. As we step into 2024, we remain optimistic about reaching new heights together, and hope this review fuels your enthusiasm for what we can all accomplish in the coming year.

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Not seeking re-election:
 Rep. Paul Schemel (R–Franklin) (State House of Representatives – D90)
 Rep. Rob Mercuri (R–Allegheny) (State House of Representatives – D28)
 Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R–Lehigh) (State House of Representatives – D187)
 Rep. John Galloway (D–Bucks) (State House of Representatives – D140) – Elected as Magisterial District Judge in Falls Township
 Rep. Patty Kim (D–Dauphin) (State House of Representatives – D103)
 Rep. Jim Marshall (R–Beaver) (State House of Representatives – D14)
 Rep. Mark Rozzi (D–Berks) (State House of Representatives – D126)
 Rep. George Dunbar (R–Westmorland) (House of Representatives – D56)
 Sen. John DiSanto (R–Dauphin) (State Senate – D15)
 Sen. Mike Regan (R–Cumberland) (State Senate – D31)
 Rep. Donna Oberlander (R–Clarion) (State House of Representatives – D63)
 Sen. Jim Brewster (D–Allegheny) (State Senate – D45)

Members seeking different seats/offices:
 Rep. Patty Kim (D–Dauphin) (State House of Representatives – D103) – Running for State Senate – D15
 Rep. Rob Mercuri (R–Allegheny) (State House of Representatives – D28) – Running for U.S. House of Representatives – D17
 Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R–Lehigh) (State House of Representatives – D187) – Running for U.S. House of Representatives – D7
 Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D–Erie) (State House of Representatives – D3) – Running for State Treasurer
 Rep. Mark Rozzi (D–Berks) (State House of Representatives – D126) – Running for State Auditor General
 Rep. Jarred Solomon (D–Philadelphia) (State House of Representatives – D202) – Running for State Attorney General
 Rep. Malcom Kenyatta (D–Philadelphia) (State House of Representatives – D181) – Running for State Auditor General
 Rep. Craig Williams (R–Delaware) (State House of Representatives – D160) – Running for State Attorney General
 Rep. Dawn Keefer (R–York) (State House of Representatives – D92) – Running for State Senate – D31
 Rep. Nick Pisciottano (D–West Mifflin) (State House of Representatives – D38) Running for State Senate – D45

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Image by Werner Moser from Pixabay

On November 7, 2023, RCPA submitted comments to the Department of Labor’s Hour and Wage Division regarding the proposed rule “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees (RIN 1235-AA39).” While we understand the need to modernize and update the Fair Labor Standards Act exemption regulations, RCPA strongly urges DOL to re-examine the proposed new salary threshold in a manner that considers the unique pressures on health care providers, as well as regional variations in the cost of living and average salary for human services providers. As currently written, the proposal unfortunately does not consider the implications of current health care funding for safety net services. Thus, the current proposal would have a potentially devastating effect on health care organizations serving low-income individuals with serious and complex disorders and disabilities, resulting in the need for service cutbacks and program closures.

You can read the full comments here.

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A breakdown of election’s yesterday’s results has been announced. Some of the major election results are as follows:

  • PA Supreme Court
    Daniel McCaffery (D) won against Carolyn Carluccio (R).
  • PA Superior Court
    Jill Beck (D) won one of two open seats. Timika Lane (D) is currently ahead in the second open seat race.
  • PA Commonwealth Court
    Matthew Wolf (D) won against Megan Martin (R).
  • Philadelphia Mayor
    Cherelle Parker (D) won by approximately 46% against David Oh (R). Mayor Elect Parker will be Philadelphia’s first female mayor.
  • Allegheny County Executive
    Sara Innamorato (D) will be the new County Executive. Innamorato will be the first woman to hold the Allegheny County Executive position.

A recap of the County Commissioner races throughout the Commonwealth may be found at Politics PA.

On Tuesday, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order to create a Behavioral Health Council. The council aims to bring together state leaders, local governments, and community providers to develop a statewide action plan to address any gaps in access, affordability, or delivery of services, with the goal of removing silos across state agencies, health care providers, payers, state and local government sectors, and decreasing the wait time for services for Pennsylvanians in need.

Charged with setting the agenda for behavioral health under the Shapiro Administration, the council will be comprised of 33 members and include a diverse array of stakeholders with representation from state, county, and local governments, the provider community, advocacy groups, and individuals with lived experiences. A list of Council members is available online.

The executive order also creates an advisory committee that will share with the council industry knowledge, expertise, reports, findings, and feedback from the communities they serve to assist members in their work to improve the delivery of services. Read the complete press release.