Here’s a look at how our area legislators voted in House and Senate matters in Harrisburg:

House Bill 660

Sets energy efficiency and water conservation standards for commercial and residential appliances. Proponents of the bill say it will save consumers money on their utility bills, help conserve water and reduce pollution.

Vote: 101-97

No: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

House Bill 1935

Intends to crack down on false emergency reporting, or swatting, particularly in academic settings. The bill heightens the punishment for those who intentionally cause such alarm, for example, calling in a false active shooter report. It allows judges to order the offender to personally cover the cost of any emergency responses, supplies, equipment and overtime pay caused by the swatting incident.

Vote: 152-45

Yes: Gary Day, Zach Mako and Jack Rader.

No: Doyle Heffley and Jamie Barton.

Senate Bill 1014

Requires schools to institute policies that prohibit students from using their phones during the school day, with exceptions for students with medical conditions or individualized learning plans. The bill was motivated by studies that suggest adolescent smartphone usage is linked to heightened mental health issues. Young people are spending excessive amounts of time on smartphones, and in 2024, a Pew Research Center study found that 72% of U.S. high school teachers felt smartphones were major distractions in the classroom.

Vote: 46-1

Yes: David Argall, Rosemary Brown, Jarrett Coleman and Nick Miller.

Senate Bill 116

The bill will allow high school juniors and seniors to earn up to two school credits for working or volunteering in a health care setting, such as a nursing home, assisted living residence or hospital. David Argall, the bill’s sponsor, proposed it with the intent of helping reverse a shortage of long-term caregivers in Pennsylvania.

Vote: 47-0

Yes: David Argall, Rosemary Brown, Jarrett Coleman and Nick Miller.

House Bill 1526

The bill revises Natural Gas Safety Recommendations in response to the 2023 explosion at R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory in West Reading. The explosion killed seven, injured 10 and seems to have been caused by a degraded natural gas pipeline. This legislation proposes that the state’s Public Utility Commission create guidance and management programs, with the help of natural gas pipeline operators, intended to help avoid similar tragedies in the future.

Vote: 110-89

No: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

House Bill 348

In order to make certain nursing home residents and their family members are aware of their rights and options at the time of entering a nursing home, the legislation that would provide a standard notice to each nursing home resident and their designated representatives at the time of their admission into a nursing home facility that they have the option of having legal representation to assist with the application for Medicaid benefits.

Vote: 199-0

Yes: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

House Bill 1129

The legislation would allow early-stage businesses to sell their net operating losses and unused research and development tax credits to unrelated companies, converting their losses to capital. The bill will permit monies received from these sales to be used to build and grow the operating business here in Pennsylvania, investing in high paying jobs within the commonwealth.

Vote: 198-1

Yes: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

House Bill 1304

The bill would establish deadlines for employees of the State Employees’ Retirement System of Pennsylvania (SERS) and the Public School Employees’ Retirement System to perform annual stress tests, aligning the deadlines with SERS and PSERS fiscal year. The test would be required to be completed and submitted by October first of each year.

Vote: 199-0

Yes: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

House Bill 1525

In the aftermath of the March 23, 2023, explosion at the R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory in West Reading, the National Transportation Safety Board investigated this incident and concluded the likely cause was a degraded natural gas connection. This bill would accept recommendations of the NTSB that would improve the safety of the natural gas system in the commonwealth.

Vote: 183-16

Yes: Doyle Heffley, Jamie Barton, Jack Rader, Zach Mako and Gary Day.

Senate Bill 327

The bill would allow Fort Indiantown Gap police officers to be Act 120 certified under the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission. This would provide parity with every other municipal police department, school police department and the Capitol police. Currently, FIG police officers complete all the same certification requirements but are never assigned numbers by MPOETC because they are not clearly defined in Title 53.

Vote: 49-0

Yes: David Argall, Rosemary Brown, Nick Miller and Jarrett Coleman.