5 New Pennsylvania Laws Taking Effect on January 1st

From groundbreaking healthcare access to historic civil rights protections, here are the five new Pennsylvania laws taking effect that will directly impact your wallet, your workplace, and your well-being.

1. The End of "Hidden Costs" for Breast Cancer Screenings

Perhaps the most life-saving change on this list is a massive expansion of Senate Bill 8. While routine mammograms have long been covered, many women with dense breast tissue or high-risk factors were frequently hit with massive out-of-pocket costs for "supplemental" imaging like MRIs or ultrasounds.

• The Change: Starting in 2026, state-regulated insurance plans must cover these supplemental screenings at no out-of-pocket cost for high-risk residents.
• Why it Matters: This eliminates the "financial fear" that often causes patients to delay critical follow-up testing after an abnormal result.

2. The CROWN Act: Protecting Your Right to Your Hair

Pennsylvania officially joins the national movement to end hair-based discrimination. The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles explicitly.

• The Change: Employers and schools can no longer penalize individuals for wearing hairstyles such as locs, braids, twists, Bantu knots, or afros.
• The Impact: This law ensures that your professional or educational opportunities are based on your qualifications, not your cultural or racial expression through your hair.

3. A Pay Raise for Hundreds of Thousands

While a statewide $15 minimum wage remains a hot topic in Harrisburg, a targeted increase officially kicks in on New Year's Day.

• The minimum wage will increase to $15.00 per hour for Philadelphia workers. For those in the surrounding "collar counties" (Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester), the rate jumps to $12.00 per hour as part of a multi-year phase-in.
• Tipped Workers: The tipped minimum wage is also seeing a significant bump, rising to 60% of the new hourly rates in these specific regions.

4. Direct-to-Consumer "Price Transparency" at the Pharmacy

Ever wondered if you could get your prescription cheaper by paying cash instead of using insurance? A new law taking effect ensures you no longer have to guess.

• The Change: Pharmacists are now legally required to disclose the current retail price (the "cash price") for both brand-name and generic versions of any medication if asked.
• The Benefit: It prevents "gag clauses" that previously stopped pharmacists from telling you that your insurance co-pay might actually be more expensive than the drug's retail price.

5. Permanent Protection for Life-Saving Naloxone

Since 2018, emergency responders have been able to leave "leave-behind" kits of Naloxone (Narcan) at the scene of overdoses thanks to a temporary executive order. As of January 1, this practice is officially encoded in state law.

• The Change: The law makes the Naloxone Distribution Program permanent, shielding EMS workers from liability and ensuring that families and caregivers have immediate access to the opioid-reversal medication.
• The Goal: By keeping these kits in the hands of those most likely to be at the scene of a future emergency, the state aims to continue driving down the fatal overdose rate.

How to Prepare for the Shift

• For Employees: Check your employee handbook. If your company still has "neat and professional" hair policies that conflict with the CROWN Act, they must be updated by January.
• For Patients: If you are high-risk for breast cancer, call your insurer before your next screening to ensure your 2026 policy reflects the new "no cost-sharing" mandate.