Bill > HB294

This bill amends the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to provide additional protections and clarifications in two key areas. First, it adds a new section establishing whistleblower protections for employees of businesses, nonprofit entities, and government organizations who make good faith reports of potential violations in a specific legal subchapter. Under this provision, such employees would be considered protected whistleblowers under the existing Whistleblower Law, and their employers would be subject to the corresponding legal requirements. Second, the bill modifies an existing section related to exemptions, specifically expanding the language around animal research to specify that the subchapter's provisions do not apply to conduct performed on animals involved in "bona fide scientific or medical research" that is lawful under United States or Pennsylvania law. This change provides more precise terminology for research-related animal activities that are exempt from certain regulatory provisions. The bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage, giving organizations time to understand and implement the new provisions.