Legislative Activity

**Protecting America’s Workers Act Summary:** This bill aims to strengthen workplace safety and health protections by expanding coverage to public employees, increasing whistleblower protections, improving reporting and enforcement, and enhancing state plan oversight. It broadens employer responsibilities, updates safety standards, and increases penalties for violations, while also ensuring victims' rights are protected. The Act also enhances the role of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in evaluating workplace hazards and expanding training resources. Finally, it establishes a clear timeline for the implementation of these provisions across different jurisdictions.

This bill recognizes April 2025 as "Community College Month" to celebrate the significant role of community colleges in providing accessible higher education, workforce training, and economic support across the United States. It acknowledges the extensive contributions of over 1,000 community colleges, which serve millions of students and contribute significantly to the national GDP. The resolution highlights the importance of these institutions in fostering economic prosperity and community vitality.

The SERVICE Act aims to improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program by reducing the required number of qualifying payments, expanding the types of payments and employment that qualify, and creating an online portal and database for public service jobs. It also addresses issues related to interest capitalization, consolidated loans, and loan forgiveness for teachers. Additionally, the bill directs a study on data matching agreements to streamline the PSLF application process.

The "Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act" directs the Secretary of Labor to establish an occupational safety and health standard requiring healthcare and social service employers to develop and implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans. This standard aims to protect workers from workplace violence through risk assessment, hazard prevention, incident reporting, employee training, and recordkeeping. The bill also extends these requirements to certain facilities receiving Medicare funds, ensuring broader coverage and compliance.

The Hidden Fee Disclosure Act of 2025 amends ERISA to clarify and strengthen fee disclosure requirements for covered service providers, particularly pharmacy benefit managers and third-party administrators for group health plans. It mandates detailed disclosure of compensation received from various sources, including drug manufacturers and providers, ensuring transparency in pricing and service costs. The Act directs the Secretary of Labor to establish rules for implementation, setting standards for disclosing expected compensation, with the changes taking effect for contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2026.