HB 1803 — An Act establishing the Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS; and providing for the duties of the Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS.

PRINTER'S NO.   2217

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1803
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY COOPER, BRIGGS, JAMES, GAYDOS, STEELE AND GILLEN,
        AUGUST 13, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AUGUST 14, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS; and
 2      providing for the duties of the Advisory Council on PANDAS
 3      and PANS.
 4                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 5   Chapter 1.    Preliminary Provisions
 6   Section 101.    Short title.
 7   Chapter 2.    Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS
 8   Section 201.    Definitions.
 9   Section 202.    Establishment of advisory council.
10   Section 203.    Compensation of advisory council members.
11   Section 204.    Meetings.
12   Section 205.    Quorum.
13   Section 206.    Duties of advisory council.
14   Chapter 20.    Miscellaneous Provisions
15   Section 2001.    Effective date.
16      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
17   hereby enacts as follows:
18                                   CHAPTER 1
 1                           PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
 2   Section 101.    Short title.
 3      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Advisory
 4   Council on PANDAS and PANS Act.
 5                                  CHAPTER 2
 6                    ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PANDAS AND PANS
 7   Section 201.    Definitions.
 8      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
 9   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10   context clearly indicates otherwise:
11      "Advisory council."     The Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS.
12      "PANDAS."     Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders
13   Associated with Streptococcal Infections.
14      "PANS."     Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome.
15      "Secretary."     The Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth.
16   Section 202.    Establishment of advisory council.
17      (a)   Establishment.--The secretary shall establish the
18   Advisory Council on PANDAS and PANS for the purpose of advising
19   the secretary on PANDAS and PANS, including on matters relating
20   to the research, diagnosis, treatment and education of PANDAS
21   and PANS.
22      (b)   Appointed members.--The secretary shall appoint the
23   following members to the advisory council:
24            (1)   A licensed immunologist who practices in this
25      Commonwealth and has experience treating individuals with
26      PANDAS and PANS and the use of intravenous immunoglobulin.
27            (2)   A licensed health care practitioner who practices in
28      this Commonwealth and has expertise in treating individuals
29      with PANDAS, PANS, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-
30      compulsive disorder and other neurological disorders.

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 1        (3)    A representative of a Statewide advocacy
 2    organization for individuals with PANDAS and PANS from within
 3    this Commonwealth.
 4        (4)    A licensed osteopathic physician who practices in
 5    this Commonwealth and who has experience treating individuals
 6    with PANDAS and PANS.
 7        (5)    A medical researcher with experience conducting
 8    research concerning PANDAS, PANS, autism spectrum disorder,
 9    obsessive-compulsive disorder and other neurological
10    disorders.
11        (6)    A certified dietitian or nutritionist who practices
12    in this Commonwealth and provides services to children with
13    PANDAS, PANS, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive
14    disorder and other neurological disorders.
15        (7)    A representative of a professional organization in
16    this Commonwealth for school psychologists who is a school
17    psychologist.
18        (8)    A child psychiatrist who has experience treating
19    individuals with PANDAS, PANS, autism spectrum disorder,
20    obsessive-compulsive disorder and other neurological
21    disorders.
22        (9)    A representative of a professional organization in
23    this Commonwealth for school nurses who is a school nurse.
24        (10)     A pediatrician who has experience treating
25    individuals with PANDAS, PANS, autism spectrum disorder,
26    obsessive-compulsive disorder and other neurological
27    disorders.
28        (11)     A representative of an organization focused on
29    autism.
30        (12)     A parent with a child who has been diagnosed with

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 1      PANDAS or PANS.
 2             (13)   A licensed social worker whose practice focuses on
 3      children in this Commonwealth.
 4      (c)    Additional members.--The following shall be members of
 5   the advisory committee:
 6             (1)    A representative of the Bureau of Special Education
 7      of the Department of Education.
 8             (2)    The chair and minority chair of the Health and Human
 9      Services Committee of the Senate or their designees.
10             (3)    The chair and minority chair of the Health Committee
11      of the House of Representatives or their designees.
12             (4)    The secretary or the secretary's designee, who shall
13      be a nonvoting member.
14      (d)    General Assembly.--A member of the advisory committee
15   under subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9),
16   (10), (11), (12) or (13) may be a member of the General
17   Assembly.
18      (e)    Doctors.--The physician members of the council shall
19   include at least one medical doctor and at least one osteopathic
20   doctor.
21      (f)    Deadline.--All appointments to the advisory council
22   shall be made no later than 30 days after the effective date of
23   this section.
24   Section 203.      Compensation of advisory council members.
25      A member of the advisory council shall receive no
26   compensation except for reimbursement for necessary expenses
27   incurred in performing the member's duties.
28   Section 204.      Meetings.
29      The secretary shall call the first meeting of the advisory
30   council no later than 60 days after the effective date of this

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 1   section. The advisory council shall meet upon the call of the
 2   chair or upon the request of a majority of the advisory council
 3   members.
 4   Section 205.    Quorum.
 5      A majority of the advisory council members shall constitute a
 6   quorum. A majority vote of a quorum shall be required for any
 7   official action of the advisory council.
 8   Section 206.    Duties of advisory council.
 9      The advisory council shall have the following duties:
10          (1)     The advisory council shall elect the chair of the
11      advisory council.
12          (2)     No later than January 1, 2026, and annually
13      thereafter, the advisory council shall submit a report to the
14      Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate and the
15      Health Committee of the House of Representatives. The report
16      shall include, but not be limited to, recommendations on the
17      following matters:
18                (i)    Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and
19          treatment of PANDAS and PANS.
20                (ii)    Mechanisms to increase clinical awareness and
21          education of PANDAS and PANS among health care
22          practitioners, including pediatricians, school-based
23          health centers and providers of mental health services.
24                (iii)    Outreach programs for educators and parents to
25          increase awareness of PANDAS and PANS.
26                (iv)    The development of a network of volunteer
27          experts on the diagnosis and treatment of PANDAS and PANS
28          to assist in education and outreach.
29                                  CHAPTER 20
30                           MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

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1   Section 2001.   Effective date.
2      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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