Pat Harkins

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

• ›Jobs & cost of living27 with · 0 against27 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of May 25, 1945 (P.L.1050, No.394), known as the Local Tax Collection Law, further providing for notices of taxes; providing for removal of deceased spouse; further providing for installment payment of taxes; and providing for imposition of fees for collection of delinquent per capita, poll and occupation taxes.

    On the version voted Oct 6, 2026: Lets tax collectors, taxing districts or designated private collectors charge a reasonable, publicly posted fee for collecting overdue per capita, poll and occupation taxes, for up to five years; Senate amendments removed House-passed provisions on tax notices, deceased spouses' names and installment payments.

    Jun 3, 2025 · Passed 102–101 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of December 31, 1965 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as The Local Tax Enabling Act, in collection of delinquent taxes, further providing for collection of delinquent per capita, occupation, occupational privilege, emergency and municipal services, local services and income taxes from employers, etc., for notice and for costs of collection of delinquent per capita, occupation, occupational privilege, emergency and municipal services, local services and income taxes.

    On the version voted Oct 6, 2026: Lets local tax officials recover publicly posted costs of collecting overdue local taxes for up to five years, caps wage withholding for back taxes at 10% of pay, and requires 15 days' notice and pursuing the taxpayer first before taking a spouse's wages.

    Jun 3, 2025 · Passed 102–101 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Prison Industry Enhancement Authority; providing for employment of incarcerated individuals by private industry and for subcontracts with correctional agencies; establishing guidelines for incarcerated individual compensation; and providing for location of private sector prison industry.

    On the version voted Sep 28, 2026: Creates a Prison Industry Enhancement Authority and lets state and county prisons contract with private businesses to employ incarcerated people who volunteer, with deductions for taxes, victim compensation, room and board and family support capped at 70% of wages; workers cannot receive unemployment benefits.

    Jul 1, 2026 · Failed 100–102 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All jobs & cost of living votes
• ›Health & care15 with · 0 against15 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in general powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare, further providing for personal care home and assisted living residence administrators; providing for liability for false claims, for adoption of Congressional intent of the Federal False Claims Act, for damages, costs and civil penalties, for powers of Attorney General, for qui tam actions and for civil investigative demands; and establishing the Fraud Prevention and Recovery Account.

    On the version voted Oct 7, 2026: Creates a state false claims law making people who knowingly defraud the state liable for triple damages plus civil penalties, enforced by the attorney general and whistleblower suits, and lets personal care home aides without a diploma qualify by passing reading and math tests.

    Oct 6, 2026 · Passed 103–100 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in health care cost containment, repealing provisions relating to expiration.

    On the version voted Oct 6, 2026: Repeals the scheduled expiration of the state's health care cost containment law, which was set to end 10 years after it took effect in April 2020, so the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council continues.

    Oct 5, 2026 · Failed 99–103 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in food protection, providing for correctional institutions; imposing duties on the Department of Agriculture; and promulgating regulations.

    Applies state food safety rules to state and county prisons and jails, lets the Department of Agriculture inspect their kitchens and food service areas and post the reports online, and subjects the facilities to state safe drinking water requirements.

    Oct 6, 2026 · Passed 107–96 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All health & care votes
• ›Climate & energy9 with · 0 against9 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in restructuring of electric utility industry, providing for energy storage procurement.

    On the version voted Oct 5, 2026: Requires electric utilities with at least 500,000 customers to procure state-assigned shares of 3,500 megawatts of energy storage through competitive bidding by July 31, 2035, bars them from owning the storage, lets them recover costs from customers, and has state regulators review contracts for cost and benefit.

    Sep 30, 2026 · Failed 101–102 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    An Act amending the act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, providing for interconnection reviews.

    On the version voted Sep 30, 2026: Requires electric utilities to give energy project developers the results of grid connection studies within 90 days of a study agreement and to sign agreements with timetables and cost estimates for needed grid upgrades, with missed deadlines taken to state utility regulators.

    Sep 29, 2026 · Failed 100–103 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in local organizations and services, providing for flood evacuation plans for organized camps.

    Sep 30, 2026 · Passed 180–23 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All climate & energy votes
• ›Rights & public safety7 with · 0 against7 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Prison Industry Enhancement Authority; providing for employment of incarcerated individuals by private industry and for subcontracts with correctional agencies; establishing guidelines for incarcerated individual compensation; and providing for location of private sector prison industry.

    On the version voted Sep 28, 2026: Creates a Prison Industry Enhancement Authority and lets state and county prisons contract with private businesses to employ incarcerated people who volunteer, with deductions for taxes, victim compensation, room and board and family support capped at 70% of wages; workers cannot receive unemployment benefits.

    Jul 1, 2026 · Failed 100–102 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • No

    An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for automated license plate reader systems; and imposing penalties.

    As amended by the House Oct. 7, 2026 (PN 4026), bars government and private entities from using automated license plate readers except for listed purposes such as felony and missing-person investigations, stolen, uninsured or unregistered vehicles, parking and secured areas; requires most data be deleted within 72 hours; sets penalties.

    Oct 7, 2026 · Failed 100–103 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in qualifications of electors, further providing for qualifications of electors at primaries; in party organization, further providing for only enrolled electors to vote at primaries or hold party offices; in nomination of candidates, further providing for candidates to be nominated and party officers to be elected at primaries and providing for procedure for unenrolled electors to cast primary ballots; in preparation for and conduct of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of applying to vote, persons entitled to vote, voter's certificates, entries to be made in district register, numbered lists of voters and challenges; in voting by qualified absentee electors, further providing for applications for official absentee ballots; in voting by qualified mail-in electors, further providing for applications for official mail-in ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for computation of returns by county board, certification and issuance of certificates of election; and, in penalties, further providing for election officers refusing to permit elector to vote in proper party at primaries and repealing provisions relating to elector voting ballot of wrong party at primary.

    Sep 29, 2026 · Passed 115–88 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All rights & public safety votes
• ›Technology & privacy6 with · 0 against6 votes

  Most contested

  • No

    An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for automated license plate reader systems; and imposing penalties.

    As amended by the House Oct. 7, 2026 (PN 4026), bars government and private entities from using automated license plate readers except for listed purposes such as felony and missing-person investigations, stolen, uninsured or unregistered vehicles, parking and secured areas; requires most data be deleted within 72 hours; sets penalties.

    Oct 7, 2026 · Failed 100–103 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act providing for safety regarding artificial intelligence in companionship applications; and imposing a penalty.

    On the version voted Sep 28, 2026: Sets safety rules for AI companion apps that simulate ongoing personal relationships, including disclosure requirements, safeguards for minors and annual reports on crisis referrals, enforced by the attorney general with civil penalties up to $100,000 per day for each violation.

    Jul 1, 2026 · Passed 104–98 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending Titles 35 (Health and Safety), 40 (Insurance) and 67 (Public Welfare) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for artificial intelligence in facilities, for artificial intelligence use by insurers and for artificial intelligence use by MA or CHIP managed care plans; imposing duties on the Department of Health, the Insurance Department and the Department of Human Services; and imposing penalties.

    Sep 30, 2026 · Passed 144–59 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All technology & privacy votes
• ›Education & families4 with · 0 against4 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for notification of child care closure and for notification of child care closure.

    Oct 5, 2026 · Passed 159–43 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in local organizations and services, providing for flood evacuation plans for organized camps.

    Sep 30, 2026 · Passed 180–23 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school safety and security, further providing for school safety and security coordinator.

    Sep 29, 2026 · Passed 200–3 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All education & families votes
• ›Housing & rent3 with · 0 against3 votes

  Most contested

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of January 30, 1974 (P.L.13, No.6), referred to as the Loan Interest and Protection Law, in protective provisions, further providing for prepayment penalty prohibited.

    Lets borrowers pay off a residential mortgage taken for personal, family or household use early at any time without a prepayment penalty or other early-payment fee.

    Jun 8, 2026 · Passed 117–84 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for rental applications.

    May 4, 2026 · Passed 148–53 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  • Yes

    An Act amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in land banks, further providing for definitions.

    Mar 25, 2025 · Passed 162–40 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗

  All housing & rent votes

Where they stood out

Voted with most of their party on all 38 party-divided votes on file.

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

• Yes

  An Act amending the act of May 25, 1945 (P.L.1050, No.394), known as the Local Tax Collection Law, further providing for notices of taxes; providing for removal of deceased spouse; further providing for installment payment of taxes; and providing for imposition of fees for collection of delinquent per capita, poll and occupation taxes.

  With most of their party · Passed 102–101 · Yes 102–No 101 · Democrats 102–0, Republicans 0–101

  Jun 3, 2025Official record ↗

• Yes

  An Act amending the act of December 31, 1965 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as The Local Tax Enabling Act, in collection of delinquent taxes, further providing for collection of delinquent per capita, occupation, occupational privilege, emergency and municipal services, local services and income taxes from employers, etc., for notice and for costs of collection of delinquent per capita, occupation, occupational privilege, emergency and municipal services, local services and income taxes.

  With most of their party · Passed 102–101 · Yes 102–No 101 · Democrats 102–0, Republicans 0–101

  Jun 3, 2025Official record ↗

• No

  An Act amending Title 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Prison Industry Enhancement Authority; providing for employment of incarcerated individuals by private industry and for subcontracts with correctional agencies; establishing guidelines for incarcerated individual compensation; and providing for location of private sector prison industry.

  With most of their party · Failed 100–102 · Yes 100–No 102 · Democrats 0–102, Republicans 100–0

  Jul 1, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in restructuring of electric utility industry, providing for energy storage procurement.

  With most of their party · Failed 101–102 · Yes 101–No 102 · Democrats 1–102, Republicans 100–0

  Sep 30, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  An Act amending the act of December 19, 1988 (P.L.1262, No.156), known as the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act, in games of chance, providing for payment and further providing for prize limits; in club licensees, further providing for distribution of proceeds; and abrogating a regulation.

  With most of their party · Failed 100–103 · Yes 100–No 103 · Democrats 0–103, Republicans 100–0

  Oct 7, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for automated license plate reader systems; and imposing penalties.

  With most of their party · Failed 100–103 · Yes 100–No 103 · Democrats 0–103, Republicans 100–0

  Oct 7, 2026Official record ↗

• No

  An Act providing for unfair methods of competition and for enforcement and penalties.

  With most of their party · Failed 100–103 · Yes 100–No 103 · Democrats 0–103, Republicans 100–0

  Oct 6, 2026Official record ↗

• Yes

  An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in general powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare, further providing for personal care home and assisted living residence administrators; providing for liability for false claims, for adoption of Congressional intent of the Federal False Claims Act, for damages, costs and civil penalties, for powers of Attorney General, for qui tam actions and for civil investigative demands; and establishing the Fraud Prevention and Recovery Account.

  With most of their party · Passed 103–100 · Yes 103–No 100 · Democrats 103–0, Republicans 0–100

  Oct 6, 2026Official record ↗