Keeping PFMA members apprised of state and federal developments

October 15, 2024

News and Updates

NEXT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CONFERENCE CALL

Nov. 20

10:15 a.m.

Notes from the most recent call (9/25) are available here.

If you have items you’d like to discuss for the next call, or to register, please contact us.

Join our committees!

The latest issue of Spectrum is available! Click on the cover to download the digital edition.

We're excited to have leaders from the Consumer Brands Association, FMI and NACS, as well as representatives from both the parties of the state Senate and House to provide updates for the food and beverage industries.

Meet our speakers and find the full agenda below.

PFMA Election Preview

With Election Day fast approaching PFMA has put together a preview of some of the notable races we are monitoring in Pennsylvania. Check it out at this link.

Reminder: We will be featuring an election update on Day 2 of our Fall Legislative Conference on October 30th at Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey, with PA political experts Chris Nicholas and TJ Rooney on hand to share their prognostications on everything from the Presidential election to the state House and Senate races that will determine the balance of power in Harrisburg.

Learn more about Chris and TJ, and all of our scheduled panelists, here, and register for the Fall Legislative Conference at this link.

If you are interested in a race not listed here, for example in a district home to a particular facility or location you operate in PA, please email us either the district or address for your request and we will ask Chris and TJ to include a specific update on the 30th.

PFMA's Sustainability Committee will hold its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd at 2pm via Teams.

Scheduled Agenda:

Welcome/Introduction
Committee Chair Patrick Iannotti, Price Chopper
Legislative Update
Mike Howells, PFMA
HB 2624 – Statewide Single-Use Plastic Prohibition
SB 144 - Legislation targeting PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams, amended in House committee with language that may impact the use of certain substances in gas station fire suppression systems.
Featured Discussion - Decarbonization and the Food Sector: What it means and how businesses can capitalize
Adam Shorey, Therm
Misc/Other Business

If you are not a member of the Sustainability Committee and would like to participate, please contact us and we will send you a calendar invite.

Pa. small businesses eye expansion into international marketplace

The Shapiro Administration is providing $800,000 to help Pennsylvania’s small businesses grow and expand into the international marketplace.

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) will assist eligible companies with export development. The DCED is accepting applications through its Global Access Program (GAP). Applications will be accepted until available funding is depleted.

“The Shapiro Administration is making meaningful investments to help position Pennsylvania as an economic leader, and the Global Access Program is another tool that is helping us do just that,” David Briel, DCED Deputy Secretary of International Business Development, said in a statement. “Pennsylvania businesses have a great deal to offer to the world, and we’re helping them expand their global reach so they can thrive.”

According to a release, GAP is aimed at providing flexibility and encouraging approved applicants to innovatively use funds to meet their specific international marketing needs. Companies can use funds for overseas and domestic trade show participation, foreign market sales trips, translation/interpreter fees, and shipping sample products.

The DCED funding was awarded through the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) State Trade Expansion Program. Companies are eligible to apply for the funding if they are export-ready and in good standing according to SBA standards.

DCED Global Access Program

PFMA signs stakeholder letters in support of bipartisan WOTC legislation; opposed to Warehouse and Ergonomics Bill

PFMA signed a coalition letter in support of H.R. 6833, the Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act, which would make the WOTC more effective in achieving the goals of providing job opportunities and on-the-job training for individuals, including eligible veterans, SNAP recipients, individuals with disabilities, second chance workers, and long-term unemployed individuals so they can have a pathway to remaining in the workforce.

The letter is available to review here (.pdf).

As a member of the Coalition for Workplace Safety, PFMA also signed a letter to a letter to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in opposition to the “Warehouse Worker Protection Act.” Despite the bill’s name it is farther reaching than just warehousing facilities. The legislation would explicitly authorize troubling federal ergonomics regulations covering numerous workplaces.

Institutional Wholesaling Training Opportunity 2024

via Department of Agriculture

Registration for Institutional Wholesale Training on December 10th and 11th, 2024 in the Keystone Conference Center at the Pennsylvania is open.

Learn to assess profit potential and competitive pricing for institutional sales. Shift from direct-to-consumer to bulk sales with ease.

Legislation Tracker

State Legislation

The state House and Senate return to session on October 21.

HB 2084 - Approved in the Senate - 10/9/24

Would establish a Prescription Drug Virtual Manufacturing License.

SB 1320 - Approved in the Senate - 10/8/24

Lays out a regulatory framework for virtual currency under the oversight of the

Department of Banking and Securities.

HB 2412 - Approved in the House - 10/8/24

Legislation establishing an employee misclassification working group

HB 2624 - Introduced and referred to House Consumer Protection Committee - 10/8/24

Prohibition on single-use plastic bags in retail establishments.

SB 1232 - Approved by House Labor and Industry Committee - 10/7/24

Provides for payment of workers compensation by direct deposit.

SB 144 - Amended and approved by House Veterans Affairs - 10/2/24

Restricts PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam. Would prohibit the sale/distribution of Class B firefighting foam that contains an intentionally added PFAS chemical beginning January 2026, and prohibit its use entirely beginning January 2027.

HB 2393 - Amended and approved by House Env. Resources - 10/1/24

Regulation of food processing residual waste

HB 2594 - Approved by House Env. Resouces - 10/1/24

Certification for food processing residual haulers and processors

SB 153 - Approved by the Senate - 10/1/24

Milk Hauling During Travel Restrictions

HB 759 - Scheduled for House Commerce Committee vote - 10/1/24

Mandates that any company or entity that maintains personal information takes reasonable measures to secure that information from hacking.

HB 2212 - Approved by House Rules Committee - 9/23/24

Alcohol signage legislation

HB 2238 - Approved by House Rules Committee - 9/23/24

Consumer Product PFAS Prohibition

HB 2356 - Approved by House Rules Committee - 9/23/24

Providing for meal breaks or rest periods for employees

HB 2394 - Approved by House Rules Committee - 9/23/24

Sales tax swipe fee legislation

SB 967 - Amended and Approved in Committee - 9/17/24

App-based worker/Portable Benefits Legislation

SB 1058 - Approved in the Senate - 9/17/24

RGGI Regulation Abrogation

HB 2286 - Referred to Senate Ag Committee - 7/12/24

Donated Food Limited Liability Act

HB 2420 - Referred to Senate Education Committee - 7/12/24

Keystone Fresh Act

HB 1977 - Referred to Senate Consumer Protection - 7/12/24

Disclosing Transaction Fees for Credit or Debit Cards

HB 1201 - Re-committed to Senate Comm. & Technology Committee - 7/2/24

Establishes the Consumer Data Privacy Act to give consumers rights when it comes to personal data and to require businesses to protect consumer privacy and limit consumer data collection.

SB 1225 - Re-referred to Senate Appropriations Committee - 6/26/24

PFMA-supported vendor discount expansion

HB 42 - Amended and approved by House Ag Committee - 6/25/24

Increasing Penalties in Lieu of Suspending Milk Dealer Licenses

HB 2357 - Approved by Senate Ag Committee - 6/24/24

Pennsylvania Healthy Food Bucks Program

HB 2277 - Public meeting held by House Env. Resources Committee - 6/24/24

Governor’s Energy Plan: Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS)

SB 1254 - Approved by Senate Comm. & Economic Development Committee - 6/11/24

Gaming Modernization Legislation

SB 580 - Amended and Approved by Senate Labor & Industry Committee - 6/11/24

Family Care Act statewide family and medical leave insurance program.

HB 2196 - Amended on Second Consideration - 6/10/24

Automatic Contract Renewal legislation

HB 2235 - Referred to Senate Labor & Industry Committee - 6/7/24

Meat Packing Protection legislation

SB 1109 - Amended and approved by Senate Labor & Industry Committee - 6/5/24

Legislation to clarify the Unemployment Compensation (UC) Law, regarding claimants who take actions to discourage their own hire in order to continue receiving benefits.

HB 2241 - Amended and approved by House Env. Resources Committee - 6/4/24

Stewardship program for lithium-ion batteries

SB 1203 - Approved by Senate Ag Committee - 6/4/24

Streamlining Regulatory Oversight of the Bottled Water Industry

SB 1229 - Second Consideration - 6/10/24

Dairy Margin Legislation

HB 1615 - Referred to Senate Env. Resources Committee - 5/28/24

Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards legislation.

HB 2278 - Introduced and referred to House Finance Committee - 5/14/24

PFMA-backed expansion of state vendor discount legislation.

For a complete list of state legislation PFMA is tracking, click on the Pennsylvania outline here.

Federal Legislation

Food and Drug Administration Foods Accountability Act (S. 510 3).

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop, submit to Congress, and post on FDA’s website a strategic plan for FDA’s Human Foods Program, including the food-related functions of the Office of Inspections and Investigations.

Food Traceability Enhancement (Act H.R.7563)

Legislation to strengthen compliance with the FDA Food Traceability Rule, to enhance the FDA foodborne illness outbreak investigation process, and for other purposes.

Voluntary Food Climate Labeling Act (H.R. 9808)

Would task the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with creating a voluntary climate label for food products.

RECHARGE Act

Would allow state-owned rest areas to host EV charging stations. This legislation has raised concerns from the nation’s gas stations, truck stops and convenience stores.

Food Supply Chain Capacity and Resiliency Act

Would expand the Department of Agriculture’s Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program to support new investments in America’s food supply chain by providing low-interest loans to businesses investing in food supply chain operations and prioritizes investments in rural or economically distressed areas.

Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act (S.3893)

Would require USDA to issue updated regulations requiring EBT cards to have anti-fraud technology that will be updated every five years and keep pace with security of credit and debit cards. It would phase out the magnetic stripe on a SNAP card so states will have to reissue cards within five years of adoption of new regulations. The state would also be required to provide replacement EBT cards in three days or less to families if their card is stolen or cloned.

Overtime Pay Flexibility Act (H.R. 7367)

Would prohibit the Department of Labor from from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing its proposed rule titled “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees,” published in the Federal Register on September 8, 2023 (“Proposed Rule”).

Break Free from Plastics Act (S. 3127)

Would create a federal-level EPR program.

Shipping Safety Data Collection (H.R. 3372)

Legislation to create a state opt-in pilot program to study increasing the federal gross vehicle weight standard on federal highways.

Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024)

Bipartisan Tax Deal

Ensuring Fee-Free Benefit Transactions Act (S. 2449 | H.R. 4103)

Permanently prohibits processing or other related fees from being imposed on retailers or consumers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill also protects retailers from the financial burden of a migration to EBT chip cards.

Supporting All Healthy Options When Purchasing Produce (SHOPP) Act (S.2223 | H.R. 3127)

Would ensure that certain key nutrition programs include the promotion of fresh frozen produce for lower-income Americans.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill

Lift the Bar Act (S. 2038 | H.R. 4170)

Would restore access to SNAP and other federal assistance programs, like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, by removing the five-year bar on participation for adult legal permanent residents.

Credit Card Competition Act (S.1838 | H.R. 3881)

A bill to amend the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve system to prescribe regulations relating to network competition in credit card transaction

Food Label Modernization Act (H.R. 2901/S. 1289)

Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to strengthen requirements related to nutrient information on food labels.

For a complete list of federal legislation PFMA is tracking, click here.

PFMA Member Resources

PFMA Publications and Reports

State Legislative Schedules

House | Senate

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