HB 818, passed in the House in April, clearly prohibits the taxpayer supported insurance plans created under the federal health care exchange from covering elective abortions. On Tuesday, June 4, the Senate considered amendments that would have significantly weakened HB 818 and defeated them. HB 818 was passed by the full Senate on Wednesday, June 5 by a vote of 31 to 19. That vote is also reflected below. Governor Corbett signed the bill into law on June 17.
“The Senate took a stand in support of the dignity of human life. I applaud the efforts of the sponsors of this legislation, Representative Oberlander and Senator White. I also appreciate the senators who voted across party lines in support of life, namely Senators Kasunic and Solobay,” said Dr. Robert J. O’Hara, Executive Director of the PA Catholic Conference.
Votes against these weakening amendments were a courageous stand for the pro-life cause. Please look below to see if your Senator voted “no” on the weakening amendments. If he or she did, please send a note of thanks by clicking here. If your Senator voted “yes” on the weakening amendments, thus undermining the intent of the bill, please click here to ask them to cast pro-life votes in the future!
Allentown Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Argall, David G. (R- Schuylkill) | No | No | Yes |
| Boscola, Lisa M. (D- Northampton) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Browne, Patrick M. (R- Lehigh) | No | No | Yes |
| Folmer, Mike (R- Lebanon) | No | No | Yes |
| Mensch, Bob (R- Montgomery) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rafferty, John C. (R- Chester) | No | No | Yes |
| Schwank, Judith L. (D- Berks) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Yudichak, John T. (D- Luzerne) | Yes | No | Yes |
Altoona- Johnstown Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Corman, Jake (R- Centre) | No | No | Yes |
| Eichelberger, John H. (R- Blair) | No | No | Yes |
| Kasunic, Richard A. (D- Fayette) | No | No | Yes |
| Wozniak, John N. (D- Cambria) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Erie Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Hutchinson, Scott (R- Venango) | No | No | Yes |
| Robbins, Robert D. (R- Mercer) | No | No | Yes |
| Scarnati, Joseph B. (R- Jefferson) | No | No | Yes |
| White, Donald C. (R- Indiana) | No | No | Yes |
| Wiley, Sean (D- Erie) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Wozniak, John N. (D- Cambria) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Greensburg Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Brewster, James R. (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ferlo, Jim (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Kasunic, Richard A. (D- Fayette) | No | No | Yes |
| Solobay, Timothy J. (D- Washington) | No | No | Yes |
| Ward, Kim L. (R- Westmoreland) | No | No | Yes |
| White, Donald C. (R- Indiana) | No | No | Yes |
Harrisburg Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Alloway, Richard L. (R- Franklin) | No | No | Yes |
| Brubaker, Mike (R- Lancaster) | No | No | Yes |
| Corman, Jake (R- Centre) | No | No | Yes |
| Eichelberger, John H. (R- Blair) | No | No | Yes |
| Folmer, Mike (R- Lebanon) | No | No | Yes |
| Gordner, John R. (R- Columbia) | No | No | Yes |
| Smucker, Lloyd K. (R- Lancaster) | No | No | Yes |
| Teplitz, Rob (D- Dauphin) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Vance, Patricia H. (R- Cumberland) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Waugh, Michael L. (R- York) | No | No | Yes |
| Yaw, Gene (R- Lycoming) | No | Yes | Yes |
Philadelphia Archdiocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Brubaker, Mike (R- Northampton) | No | No | Yes |
| Dinniman, Andrew E. (D- Chester) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Erickson, Edwin B. (R- Delaware) | No | No | Yes |
| Farnese, Lawrence M. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Folmer, Mike (R- Lebanon) | No | No | Yes |
| Greenleaf, Stewart J. (R- Montgomery) | No | No | Yes |
| Hughes, Vincent J. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Kitchen, Shirley M. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Leach, Daylin (D- Montgomery) | Yes | No | No |
| McIlhinney, Charles T. (R- Bucks) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mensch, Bob (R- Montgomery) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pileggi, Dominic (R- Delaware) | No | No | Yes |
| Rafferty, John C. (R- Chester) | No | No | Yes |
| Stack, Michael J. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tartaglione, Christine M. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tomlinson, Robert M. (R- Bucks) | No | No | Yes |
| Washington, LeAnna M. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Williams, Anthony H. (D- Philadelphia) | Yes | Yes | No |
Pittsburgh Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Brewster, James R. (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Costa, Jay (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ferlo, Jim (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fontana, Wayne D. (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hutchinson, Scott (R- Venango) | No | No | Yes |
| Kasunic, Richard A. (D- Fayette) | No | No | Yes |
| Robbins, Robert D. (R- Mercer) | No | No | Yes |
| Smith, Matt (D- Allegheny) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Solobay, Timothy J. (D- Washington) | No | No | Yes |
| Vogel, Elder A. (R- Beaver) | No | No | Yes |
| Vulakovich, Randy (R- Allegheny) | No | No | Yes |
| White, Donald C. (R- Indiana) | No | No | Yes |
Scranton Diocese
| On Schwank Amendment | On Vance Amendment | On Final Passage | |
| Argall, David G. (R- Schuylkill) | No | No | Yes |
| Baker, Lisa (R- Luzerne) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Blake, John P. (D- Lackawanna) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Boscola, Lisa M. (D- Northampton) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Browne, Patrick M.(R- Lehigh) | No | No | Yes |
| Gordner, John R. (R- Columbia) | No | No | Yes |
| Scarnati, Joseph (R-Tioga) | No | No | Yes |
| Gene Yaw (R- Lycoming) | No | Yes | Yes |
| John T. Yudichak (D- Luzerne) | Yes | No | Yes |
