It started in the Judiciary Committee on December 16, and spent the rest of the venerable year and the first 15 days of 2026 bringing the matter to the Education Committee.
Ninety days later, the matter was referred to the Health Committee. A month and a half later, the case was returned to the Judiciary Committee.
Say hello to House Bill 158an act providing for the express designation of sports activities at public universities and public school units as male, female or coeducational; and creating a cause of action for damages suffered as a result of the designation.
But HB 158 is not alone in its journey. Home Act 1849 AND Senate bill 9 they also bounced around Democratic-controlled committees, moving from education to judiciary to health and back again. Since last May, the SB9 group has been disappearing into the chamber, visiting all three committees and, along the way, another committee on children and youth.
Three companion bills, known as the Women’s Sports Act, could not get past the committee’s wash-and-rinse cycle.
“At the first hearing of the (Health) Committee to re-refer Senate Bill 9 in October 2025, I commented that at the rate the bill was being re-referred, it would reach the Game and Fish Committee before the end of the legislative session,” the Republican chairman said Rep. Kathy L. Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest). “While this was a tongue-in-cheek remark intended to highlight the absurdity of this process, I have a new recommendation. Perhaps these bills should go to the Tourism Committee next. Since they have visited so many House committees, perhaps this is the most appropriate place for these bills to be considered.”
But this game can be played by two people.
House Bill 2189at the end of March, the chamber passed a bill raising the minimum wage in the state. In the Senate, he currently serves on the Labor and Industry Committee. The commonwealth’s $7.25 minimum wage hasn’t been changed since 2007, and yet once again the legislation can’t make it out of committee for a majority vote.
“It’s long past time to raise Pennsylvania’s pathetic minimum wage and provide a meaningful pay raise to thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians,” he said. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). “We are an island among contiguous states and our minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a disgrace. It’s time to do the right thing, the smart thing and the popular thing, by raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. With today’s discharge petition, Senate Democrats stand in solidarity with every worker earning less than $15 an hour to demand a family-sustaining wage for every Pennsylvanian.”
What’s going on in the name of William Penn?
Policy.
Everything the ordinary man and woman loves about government and getting things done.
Republicans want Democrats on record to allow transgender men to participate in women’s sports.
Democrats want Republicans on record to raise the minimum wage.
Costa is using the card available to him – a discharge petition. Parliamentary procedure is used to take a bill out of committee and put it to a vote. This requires a majority vote in the chamber.
The motion to grant discharge must be put to a vote within 10 days of the session. While it is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled state Senate with a 27-23 majority, it would force GOP members to vote yes or no on the issue during the election cycle in even-numbered districts.
Why didn’t House Republicans exercise this option?
It may be that the movement of a majority of Democrats from committee to committee will result in a discharge petition being unavailable. At least for now.
“We mentioned three bills: House Bill 158, House Bill 1849, and Senate Bill 9. The purpose of each is to ensure the safety of Pennsylvania’s female athletes. However, once again, House Democrats would prefer to shuffle the bills rather than put them to a vote,” Rapp said.
“Let me add up all the days since each of these bills was first introduced in the House. House Bill 1849 has been on the books for three months and eight days. Senate Bill 9 has been on the books for one year, one month and eight days. House Bill 158 was introduced one year, four months and 26 days ago.”
“Across all three bills, this means 1,016 days in total, or two years, nine months and 10 days of total time wasted in ensuring these bills never get considered.”
Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) understands that feeling because he has been fighting the good fight to raise the minimum wage for almost 7,300 days.
“For almost 20 years, Pennsylvania workers have seen the cost of everything increase while the minimum wage remained at $7.25 an hour,” she said. “The House has taken action, Senate Democrats are ready to act, and working families cannot afford further delays. As the budget deadline approaches, it’s time to stop talking about helping workers and finally raise wages.”
Do these bills have a chance before the statutory budget deadline of June 30? Do they have a chance before the current session ends at the end of November?
Only those in the halls of Harrisburg really know the answer.
And it looks like they’re in no rush.
