Pennsylvania HB157: An Act providing for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity.

What the bill says

From the introduced text, January 14, 2025:

PRINTER'S NO. 99 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL No. Session of INTRODUCED BY RAPP, FRANKEL, TWARDZIK, SANCHEZ, ZIMMERMAN, VENKAT, HOWARD, KHAN, CUTLER, GREINER, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, PICKETT AND WEBSTER, JANUARY 14, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, JANUARY 14, 2025 Providing for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows: Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Rural Health Care Grant Program Act. Section 2. Legislative intent. It is the intent of the General Assembly through this legislation to: (1) Allow entities in designated medically underserved areas and rural areas to have an opportunity to recruit and retain high quality practitioners. (2) Have more practitioners available to practice in designated medically underserved areas and rural areas. (3) Give patients in designated medically underserved areas and rural areas more access to practitioners. (4) Prevent the possible closure of entities in designated medically underserved areas and rural areas due to practitioner shortages. Section 3. Definitions. The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Birth center." As defined …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Kathy RAPP (R, 065) · primary sponsor
• Dan Frankel (D, 23)
• Timothy Twardzik (R, 123)
• Benjamin Sanchez (D, 153)
• David Zimmerman (R, 99)
• Arvind Venkat (D, 30)
• Kristine Howard (D, 167)
• Tarik Khan (D, 194)
• Bryan CUTLER (R, 100)
• Keith Greiner (R, 43)
• Carol Hill-Evans (D, 95)
• Robert FREEMAN (D, 136)

Latest actions

1. October 29, 2025: Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Oct. 29, 2025
2. October 28, 2025: First consideration, Oct. 28, 2025
3. October 28, 2025: Reported as committed, Oct. 28, 2025
4. April 14, 2025: Referred to INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION, April 14, 2025
5. April 14, 2025: In the Senate
6. March 19, 2025: (Remarks see House Journal Page 246-247), March 19, 2025
7. March 19, 2025: Third consideration and final passage, March 19, 2025 (194-8)
8. March 19, 2025: Re-reported as committed, March 19, 2025
9. March 18, 2025: Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, March 18, 2025
10. March 18, 2025: Second consideration, March 18, 2025

Votes

• Senate Institutional Sustainability & Innovation: Reported as Committed (October 28, 2025): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Third consideration and final passage, March 19, 2025 (194-8) (March 19, 2025): 194 yea, 8 nay, passed
• House Appropriations: Re-report Bill As Committed (March 19, 2025): 37 yea, 0 nay, passed
• House Health: Report Bill As Amended (February 5, 2025): 26 yea, 0 nay, passed
• House Health: Adopt Amendment (February 5, 2025): 26 yea, 0 nay, passed

Common questions

What is HB157?

HB157 is a bill in the Pennsylvania Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): An Act providing for grant awards to entities in rural counties and designated medically underserved areas to pay for the education debt of practitioners employed at the entity.

What is the status of HB157?

Passed one chamber as of October 29, 2025. Latest action: Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, Oct. 29, 2025 (October 29, 2025).

Who sponsored HB157?

Kathy RAPP (R, 065), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for HB157?

On the Pennsylvania Legislature website: https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb157