Each fiscal year, a Fiscal Code bill accompanies the General Appropriations Act. The Fiscal Code provides instructions as to how funds should specifically be spend. This year’s bill, HB. 1421 (Thomas, R-Bucks), is highlighted by the following provisions:

  • Transfers $42.3 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Unemployment Trust Fund to repay loan.
  • Establishes the Local Law Enforcement Support Grant Program.
  • Establishes the Gun Violence Investigation and Prosecution Grant Program.
  • Provides funding for violence invention and prevention.
  • Establishes the Whole-home Repairs Program.
  • Provides for arts and culture recovery grants.
  • Reallocates money for emergency education relief to nonpublic schools.
  • Allows the State Librarian to distribute remaining ARPA funds at their discretion for public libraries.
  • Provides funding for biotechnology research.
  • Provides $250 million for long-term living programs.
  • Establishes the Child Care Stabilization Program.
  • Establishes the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health.
  • Provides $140 million for property tax rent rebates.
  • Provides assistance to state universities.
  • Establishes the Development Cost Relief Program.
  • Establishes the Housing Options Grant Program.
  • Establishes the State Parks and Outdoor Recreation Program.
  • Provides for the reallocation of grants under the Rental and Utility Assistance Grant Program.
  • Requires the Treasury Department to establish electronic payment security standards, measures, and procedures that are necessary to detect and prevent the fraudulent expenditure of public funds and reduce administrative costs and financial losses associated with invalid or improper fund disbursements.
  • No amount of funds shall be transferred from the Oil and Gas Lease Fund to the Marcellus Legacy Fund for distribution to the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
  • Extends the assessment on gross receipts of transportation network companies in the City of Philadelphia until December 31, 2027.
  • Establishes the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program.
  • Establishes the Clean Water Procurement Program.
  • Deposits $2.1 billion into the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund if the Secretary of the Budget certifies that there is a surplus in the General Fund for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
  • Provides for $214.4 million in ARPA dollars to the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to reopen the H20 PA Program.
  • Allocates $105.6 million in ARPA dollars to the CFA for water and sewer projects.
  • Provides for the disbursement of Tobacco Settlement Fund money.
  • Provides for distributions from the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development Fund.
  • Clarifies that money received via a court-ordered distribution pursuant to a Bankruptcy Code approved plan, arising from Commonwealth made claims, related to the marketing, manufacturing, sale, promotion, distribution, prescribing, or dispensing of opioids shall be deemed funds of the Commonwealth and shall be deposited into the Opioid Settlement Restricted Account.
  • Establishes the Federal Infrastructure Project Account.
  • Establishes the Clean Streams Fund to fund conservation and nutrient management programs.
  • Establishes the Sports Tourism and Marketing Account to attract sporting events to the Commonwealth.
  • Allocates $45 million for the Election Integrity Restricted Account.
  • Provides $4 million for infrastructure enhancements to the 2-1-1 system.
  • Extends contributions to the Reemployment Fund through 2024.
  • Requires the Secretary of Health and the Rural Health Redesign Center Authority to enter into an agreement to require the authority to repay the owed balance.
  • Establishes the Home and Community-Based Services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Augmentation Account.
  • Provides for the administration of federal funds for water projects.
  • State-related university funding shall only be used for costs directly related to instruction and costs incurred for student-related services and community outreach services.
  • Provides for an additional $10 surcharge and a $11.25 surcharge collected by the unified judicial system.
  • Allows match requirements for the Multimodal Transportation Fund programs to be waived until December 31, 2023.

In addition to the already-mentioned provisions, here are some of the health care-specific provisions in the bill:

  • Directs the Auditor General to conduct financial audits of entities that receive funds through contracts with the Department of Human Services (DHS).
  • Requires the proceeds from the sale of state centers be deposited into a restricted account to be used to provide home and community based services to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
  • Continues the allocation at last year’s amount for a Department of Corrections non-narcotic medication assisted substance abuse treatment grant program.
  • Provides funding for Primary Care Loan Repayment Grant awards and the PA Academy of Family Physicians Residency Program.
  • Increases funding for various disease-related programs by 6%, including regional poison control centers.
  • Allocates Medical Assistance (MA) day-one incentive payments to qualified, non-public nursing homes for FY 2021-22 at $16 million
  • Allocates MA funding to community access hospitals, physician practice plans, academic medical centers, diagnostic care, women’s preventive health and newborn screening, among others.
  • Provides MA nursing home increase of $294 million as it provides for a 17.5% rate increase effective January 1, 2023.
  • $500,000 in additional MA funding for ventilator and tracheostomy care.
  • Allocates funding for breast cancer screening and maintains limits on funds for select women’s services programs.
  • Distributes funding for autism programs, community based family centers, mental health services and Ma Benefits for Workers with Disabilities.
  • Allocates $25 million for child care services to support families who would otherwise lose childcare subsidies.
  • From money appropriated for MA capitations, provides sufficient funds for an ambulance rate increase effective January 1, 2023, subject to federal approval and federal matching funds.

Due to the Governor vetoing H.B. 1420 (Thomas, R-Bucks), the following provisions were added.

  • Increases state supplemental assistance amounts for domiciliary care and personal care homes.
  • Increases MA reimbursement to county and nonpublic nursing homes.
  • Establishes accountability for county and non-public nursing facilities enrolled in MA, requiring at least 70% of total costs to be resident care and related costs.
  • Extends the Nursing Facility Assessment and related Budget Adjustment Factor through 2026.
  • LIFE Program clarifications.