Work continues on name change for Pa. Department of Public Welfare

Plans to push forward a bill changing the name of Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare have been delayed to give lawmakers more time to draft amendments.

At least one amendment would be counterproductive, some have said.

A key Senate committee skipped a vote on a proposal to give the Department of Public Welfare a face-lift and make it the Department of Human Services.

Supporters have said for years that the new name would show more sensitivity to benefit recipients.

Democrats want to include language to force a Medicaid expansion, which was passed by the Senate but stalled in the House.

Linking the issue to the DPW name change may not be the best strategy for either bill, said State Sen. Jake Corman, chair of the Appropriations Committee.

“The governor’s not for it and the House is not for it, then you know, to keep putting it on every vehicle, you’re just killing every vehicle that goes out of here, then,” said Corman, R-Centre.

The name-change measure passed the House last summer. It will likely be scheduled for a committee vote next week, Corman said.

If passed by the full Senate without any changes, it would go to the governor’s desk.