Legislation Enacted

Act 24 of 2011 – PlanCON Update
Prior to the passage of this law, Grove’s former House Bill 257, school districts were required to apply for approval through the PlanCON process when school districts wanted to do a construction project whether they were receiving state reimbursement. In order to save time and taxpayer money, Act 24 removed this requirement.

Act 25 of 2011 – School Property Tax Taxpayer Protections
Taxpayers now have more oversight over their local school districts because this law, Grove’s former House Bill 1326, forces the school districts to control their costs and demonstrate to taxpayers why proposed tax increases are warranted.

Act 17 of 2012 – Clinical Social Workers
The supervised experience requirements for clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors are clarified to allow more experienced licensed social workers to qualify for the clinical social work license, allow more marriage and family therapists and professional counselors to qualify for licensure, and reduce the hours of experience required for marriage and family therapists and professional counselors. This was formerly House Bill 816.

Act 60 of 2012 – U/C Fraud
Grove authored the provision in this Unemployment Compensation (UC) reform law, which holds individuals responsible for making fraudulent unemployment claims (from his House Bill 1852). The law allows the Department of Labor and Industry a 10-year look-back window to collect on fault overpayments and will save a significant amount of money for the UC system

Act 84 of 2012 – Motorcycle Safety
Language from Grove’s House Bill 254, requires individuals seeking a Class M junior driver’s license to complete a PennDOT-approved motorcycle safety course. House Bill 254 was amended in the Senate to reauthorize the Philadelphia Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) pilot program, which was set to expire in 2012. The law also permitted the expansion of the ARLE program into Pittsburgh and municipalities with populations exceeding 20,000 residents in the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery.

Act 87 of 2012 – ID Funding Formula Study
Added language to the Fiscal Code of 2012 to require DPW to conduct a study to develop a new county funding formula that provides a more equitable distribution of funds and considers the most recent population data. Also, language was added to require the DPW to return all unspent funds allocated to counties for intellectual disabilities and mental health to the counties, which resulted in a $7 million increase in funding for York County.

Act 198 of 2012 - Sexting
This law creates the crime of sexting as a misdemeanor instead of charging teenagers as felons under child pornography statutes. Grove’s former “sexting” legislation was House Bill 815.

Act 126 of 2013 – Motorcycle Safety
The law changes the way motorcycle riders obtain and use learner’s permits. The new law limits the number of times a motorcycle rider can reapply for a learner’s permit to three times in a five-year period. Permits are temporary and their purpose is to get riders to obtain full motorcycle driver’s licenses. Far too many riders in our state were treating permits like permanent licenses. This legislation will enable riders to learn properly while pushing them to actually get their motorcycle licenses. An amendment to the bill increases funding to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operating fund. The fine for failing to obey traffic control devices will increase by $59, with portions of the additional revenue benefiting the EMS fund.

Act 12 of 2014 – PACE/PACENET
Law to protect recipients of PACE and PACENET senior medication benefits from becoming ineligible for the program due to social security cost of living adjustments. The law allows nearly 40,000 older Pennsylvanians to maintain access and allows 10,000 more seniors to gain access to PACE and PACENET benefits by excluding Medicare Part B premiums from definition of income.

Act 48 of 2014 – Bridge Naming of Fallen Heroes
  • HB 1431: Designating the bridge on State Route 3072, Hanover Road, near its intersection with State Route 3092, Lake Road, in Spring Grove Borough, York County, as the Corporal Luke S. Runyan Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 1432: Designating the traffic circle on State Route 116 at Hanover Road and Roth's Church Road in Spring Grove, York County, as the Officer David D. Tome Memorial Circle.
  • HB 1433: Designating a bridge on State Route 116 in Spring Grove Borough, York County, as the Specialist Cameron J. Stambaugh Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 1434: Designating a bridge on that portion of State Route 4002 between Intermediate Avenue and Municipal Drive in Dover Borough, York County, as the Specialist Zachary R. Clouser Memorial Bridge.
  • HB 1435: Designating the bridge on State Route 74 between Drawbaugh Avenue and Mill Alley, Dover Borough, York County, as the Sergeant Brett E. Walden Memorial Bridge.
Act 170 of 2014 – DUI Law Updates
This law made 2 important corrections. First it corrected the Haag Supreme Court ruling to allow prior DUI offenses even though they were not adjudicated (HB 212). Second it allowed York County Drivers’ License suspension to be eligible for an OLL if the Clerk of Courts failed to report a suspension with in the 10mday mandated timeframe.

Act 177 of 2014 – Pedal Assist Bicycles
This law allows Pedal Assist Bicycles to be operated on Pennsylvania roadways without the undue burden of having to register it and have a VIN. HB 213 was amended into the underlying bill.

Act 8 of 2015 – Immunization Access for Children
This legislation (HB 182) allows for pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations to children 9 years of age and older. It also allows pharmacy interns to administer vaccinations under the care of a licensed pharmacist.

Act 91 of 2015 – PACE/PACENET
This legislation (HB 777) continues the Social Security COLA moratorium the PACE/PACENET program to ensure seniors do not get bumped out of their respective program.

Act 25 of 2015 – PlanCON Bonding and Reforms
The legislation authorized up to $2.5 billion of borrowing through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to cover the state's obligations for those projects currently in the pipeline. This would allow the state to pay those districts currently owed reimbursements and those districts with projects in the pipeline. It would also ensure that new dollars were available for new projects. The debt would be repaid by maintaining the 2014-15 line item of $306 million, so there would be no additional obligation of the state. Created a PlanCon Advisory Committee to review the current PlanCon program and make recommendations about a new and streamlined program by May 15, 2017.

Act 54 of 2016 – Marriage and Family Therapy
This law, formerly House Bill 603, expands title protection to marriage and family therapists, ensuring that only licensed and properly trained professionals can market their services to clients.

Act 144 of 2016 – Comprehensive U/C Reform
A comprehensive amendment by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) to an unemployment compensation (UC) bill would make 48,000 seasonal workers eligible for unemployment benefits while also saving the UC trust fund $1.5 billion and put the fund on pace to be solvent two years ahead of schedule.

Act 60 of 2012 put Pennsylvania on track for UC solvency by 2026 through many substantial changes, one of which caused about 10 percent of seasonal workers to become ineligible for benefits,” Grove said. “Since then, there have been attempts to bring those workers back into the fold. While I have staunchly opposed changes to Act 60 of 2012 to protect the path to solvency we placed the UC trust fund on, this amendment not only protects that path, but guarantees the state reaches solvency in the fund sooner.

Grove’s amendment, which was approved by the House, to House Bill 2382 would reduce the percentage of base-year wages earned outside the highest quarter from 49.5 percent to 37 percent. It would also hold employers with the very worst records of laying-off employees more accountable.

To accomplish solvency by 2024, two full years ahead of what was expected, benefits would be reduced by 2 percent across the board starting next year. Under Act 60, the maximum weekly benefit is $573. This amendment would drop it to $561 while making 48,000 hard-working seasonal employees, most of whom are construction workers, eligible for benefits.

This amendment would also reduce the maximum weekly benefit rate growth. Currently, the maximum weekly benefit is frozen at $573 through 2019, and annual growth is capped at 8 percent from 2020 through 2023. The maximum benefit will return to pre-Act 60 levels of two-thirds of the average weekly wage after 2023. Grove’s proposal would continue to freeze the maximum weekly UC benefit at $561 through 2019. From 2020 through 2023, the growth in the benefit rate would be capped at 2 percent. For 2024 and after, the maximum growth in the benefit rate would be capped at 4 percent. Again, this affords us the ability to make eligible for UC benefits 48,000 Pennsylvania workers.

Additionally, this amendment adds three new solvency triggers to ensure the UC system is on pace to achieve solvency by 2024. The amendment also targets UC fraud, particularly those beneficiaries who try to scam the system while serving jail time, and increases penalties for bad actors. Fraud was addressed in my previous legislation, House Bill 430, which didn’t reach the governor’s desk last session,” Grove said. “In terms of cost savings, my amendment will save the UC trust fund $1.5 billion over six years all while making more workers eligible for benefits.

Veto - Omnibus Human Services Code
Gov. Wolf vetoed a comprehensive package of policy geared towards reducing costs in our medical assistance program. This omnibus amendment contained many policies Rep. Grove had authored: Work requirements for medical assistance recipients (HB 1407), reducing fraud laden Act 534 benefits (HB 998), annual enrollment for medical assistance recipients, and requiring cost-reduction plans in lieu of supplemental appropriations for medical assistance programs.

Act 73 of 2017 – Private First Class Donald R. Gise Memorial Bridge
Designates a portion of S.R. 3090 and S.R. 3078 in York County as the Private First Class Donald R. Gise Memorial Road (HB 199).

Act 52 of 2018 – Stopping Telecomm Double Taxation
Updates the telecommunications gross receipts tax to mirror the sales and use tax so consumers are not taxed on their purchase of cellphones and cellphone accessories by the gross receipts tax. These items are already taxed under the sales and use tax.

Resolutions Enacted

House Resolution 202 of 2009
Resolution honoring the life and extending condolences for the supreme sacrifice of Officer David Tome of the Northern York County Regional Police Department who was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 21, 2008, when he was struck by a motor vehicle.

House Resolution 199 of 2011
Resolution declaring April 16, 2011, as “Y Healthy Kids Day.”

House Resolution 243 of 2011
Resolution recognizing April 30, 2011, as “National Take Back Initiative Day,” to bring attention to the National Take Back Initiative events that were hosted throughout the Commonwealth and United States to help citizens safely dispose of unused and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

House Resolution 871 of 2012
Resolution honoring U.S. Army Spc. Cameron J. Stambaugh of Spring Grove, who was killed in action by a roadside IED while serving in Afghanistan on July 8, 2012.

House Resolution 301 of 2013
Resolution designating May 7, as “Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition Day.”

House Resolution 243 of 2013
Resolution requiring the Joint State Government Commission to study childhood obesity and would also establish an advisory committee to propose strategies for combatting the problem.

House Resolution 597 of 2014
Resolution urging the United States Army to reconsider the temporary suspension of the production of Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

House Resolution 1009 of 2014
Resolution to Honor the Veterans of the Vietnam War, on the 50th Anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

House Resolution 355 of 2015
Resolution honoring the 250th Anniversary of the York Fair.

House Resolution 1 of 2019
Operating Rules of the House of Representatives. Contained in the Rules was HB 2026 of 2018 which established for the first time the Government Oversight Committee.

Awards
2010 - National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB): “Guardian of Small Business”

2010 - York County ACTION: “Statesman of the Year”

2011 - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve: “Patriot Employer”

2011 - PA State Alliance of YMCA: “Legislative Champion Award”

2011 - National Association of Social Workers – PA Chapter: “Legislator of the Year”

2012 - York College of Pennsylvania Alumni Association: “Distinguished Recent Graduate Award”

2012 - Pennsylvanians for Right to Work, Inc.: “Sophomore Class Statesman of the Year”

2012 - National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB): “Guardian of Small Business”

2012 - American Conservative Union Federation: “Defender of Liberty”

2013 - York County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs: “York County Conservation Public Servant of the Year”

2013 - Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association: “Pennsylvania Legislator of the Year”

2013/14 - Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association: “Legislative Champion of Hospitality Industry”

2014 - American Conservative Union Federation: “Defender of Liberty”

2014 - National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB): “Guardian of Small Business”

2014 – Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association: “Friend of the Food Industry Award”

2015/16 - Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association: “Legislative Champion of Hospitality Industry” and the first ever 2-time recipient

2016 - American Conservative Union Federation: “Defender of Liberty”

2016 – Pennsylvania Health Care Association: “Better Life Award”

2017 - Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children: “Champion for Children”

2017 - American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): “National Legislator of the Year”

2017/18 – Americans for Prosperity (AFP): “Legislative Torchbearer”

2017/2018 – American Conservative Union Foundation: “Conservative Excellence”

2018 – The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA): “Friend of Government Accountability”

2023 – Americans for Prosperity Capitol Champion

2023 – The Foundation for Government Accountability Legislator of the Year Award