HB 1269 — An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in administrative organization, further providing for advisory boards and commissions; and, in powers and duties of the Department of Health and its departmental administrative and advisory boards, establishing the Brain Injury Advisory Board.

PRINTER'S NO.   1422

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1269
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY LABS, STENDER, PICKETT, MIHALEK, RIVERA, K.HARRIS
        AND WARREN, APRIL 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 21, 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 judicial administration; and
18      prescribing the manner in which the number and compensation
19      of the deputies and all other assistants and employes of
20      certain departments, boards and commissions shall be
21      determined," in administrative organization, further
22      providing for advisory boards and commissions; and, in powers
23      and duties of the Department of Health and its departmental
24      administrative and advisory boards, establishing the Brain
25      Injury Advisory Board.
26      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
27   hereby enacts as follows:
28      Section 1.    Section 203 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
29   No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended to
 1   read:
 2      Section 203.    Advisory Boards and Commissions.--The following
 3   advisory boards and commissions are placed in and made parts of
 4   the respective administrative departments, as follows:
 5      In the Department of Military Affairs,
 6             State Military Reservation Commission,
 7      In the Department of Environmental Protection,
 8             Citizens Advisory Council;
 9      In the Department of Health,
10             Advisory Health Board[;],
11             Brain Injury Advisory Board;
12      In the Department of Labor and Industry,
13             Advisory Council on Affairs of the Handicapped,
14             Advisory Board on Problems of Older Workers,
15             Policy, Planning and Evaluation Advisory Committee;
16      In the Department of Public Welfare,
17             State Board of Public Welfare,
18             Advisory Committee for the Blind,
19             Advisory Committee for General and Special Hospitals,
20             Advisory Committee for Children and Youth,
21             Advisory Committee for Public Assistance,
22             Advisory Committee for Mental Health and Mental
23                 Retardation.
24      Section 2.    The act is amended by adding a section to read:
25      Section 2126.1.    Brain Injury Advisory Board.--(a)     The Brain
26   Injury Advisory Board is established within the Department of
27   Health.
28      (b)    The advisory board shall consist of twenty-five voting
29   members appointed by the Governor. Members of the advisory board
30   shall consist of all of the following:

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 1      (1)   Family members of brain injury survivors.
 2      (2)   Individuals living with brain injury.
 3      (3)   Individuals from Statewide associations that promote the
 4   rights of individuals with disabilities or represent
 5   rehabilitation facilities or individuals with brain injuries.
 6      (4)   Individuals from Statewide or community-based
 7   organizations that provide brain injury services or advocacy.
 8      (5)   Individuals from Statewide or community-based
 9   organizations involved with injury control or injury prevention
10   programs.
11      (6)   Veterans who have been diagnosed with brain injury.
12      (7)   Individuals from public and nonprofit private health-
13   related organizations.
14      (c)   The advisory board shall consist of ad hoc, nonvoting
15   members. One ad hoc, nonvoting member shall be appointed by each
16   of the following:
17      (1)   The Secretary of Aging or the secretary's designee.
18      (2)   The Secretary of Corrections or the secretary's
19   designee.
20      (3)   The Secretary of Education or the secretary's designee.
21      (4)   The Secretary of Health or the secretary's designee.
22      (5)   The Secretary of Human Services or the secretary's
23   designee.
24      (6)   The Secretary of Labor and Industry or the secretary's
25   designee.
26      (7)   The Secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs or the
27   secretary's designee.
28      (8)   The Insurance Commissioner or the commissioner's
29   designee.
30      (d)   The term of office of each voting member of the advisory

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 1   board under subsection (b) shall be four years from the time of
 2   appointment or until the voting member's successor has been
 3   appointed, but shall not extend one hundred eighty days beyond
 4   the four-year period.
 5      (e)    A vacancy in the voting membership of the advisory board
 6   under subsection (b) shall be filled for the balance of an
 7   unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
 8      (f)    Members of the advisory board shall serve without
 9   compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel
10   and other actual expenses incurred in the performance of their
11   duties.
12      (g)    The Governor shall designate different voting members of
13   the advisory board under subsection (b) as chair, vice chair and
14   secretary of the advisory board. A voting member may not serve
15   more than one term in the same office specified under this
16   subsection.
17      (h)    The advisory board shall meet publicly at least four
18   times a year at a time and place determined by the advisory
19   board, which may include virtual meetings.
20      (i)    The Secretary of Health shall publicize meetings of the
21   advisory board by transmitting a notice to the Legislative
22   Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue of
23   the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
24      (j)    The Department of Health shall provide staff support to
25   the advisory board as determined by the Secretary of Health.
26      (k)    Notwithstanding any provision of this section, a member
27   who is serving on the Brain Injury Advisory Board on the
28   effective date of this section established in 2001 by the
29   Secretary of Health as required under 42 U.S.C. § 300d-52
30   (relating to State grants for projects regarding traumatic brain

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 1   injury) may complete the member's term on the advisory board
 2   established under subsection (a).
 3      (l)    The advisory board shall have the following duties:
 4      (1)    Advise the Governor and the departments represented on
 5   the advisory board in the determination of service and support
 6   needs of individuals with brain injury and the implementation of
 7   services to those individuals and their families.
 8      (2)    Make recommendations regarding future activities to be
 9   placed in the brain injury State Action Plan with the goal of
10   improving access to brain injury services in this Commonwealth
11   through information and education.
12      (3)    Apply for grants made available for projects regarding
13   brain injury, including the Health Resources and Services
14   Administration Federal Traumatic Brain Injury Planning Grant
15   under 42 U.S.C. § 300d-52 or successor grant program. The
16   Department of Health shall provide the necessary resources for
17   applying for a grant under this paragraph, including serving as
18   the applicant for a grant if a State agency applicant is
19   required.
20      (4)    Encourage citizen participation through the
21   establishment of public hearings and other types of community
22   outreach programs.
23      (5)    Issue an annual report regarding all of the following:
24      (i)    Brain injury data.
25      (ii)     Funding from all sources received for brain injury
26   programs and educational materials.
27      (iii)     Required State matching funds needed to apply for and
28   obtain non-State funded grants.
29      (iv)     Other information that advances the goals of brain
30   injury programs and the advisory board.

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1      (m)   As used in this section, the term "brain injury"
2   includes a traumatic brain injury or nontraumatic brain injury.
3      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 180 days.




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