State Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, is pictured during an event in October in Harrisburg.

Rep. Kathy Rapp is highlighting an amendment that would exclude rural parts of the state from a ban on non-compete agreements in health care employment contracts.

HB 1633 was reported out of the Health Committee in a 21-4 vote.

“Pennsylvania is in a minority of states that have no laws on the books to limit the use of restrictive covenants – also known as non-competes – which puts us at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to attracting top talent to our medical community,” the sponsoring legislators, Dan Frankel and Arvind Venkat, say in a memo.

“The Commonwealth allows medical employers to use non-competes to require that when doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals leave their jobs — even if they’re fired or don’t have their contracts renewed — they may have to leave the state or leave their profession for up to two years. And they can’t even tell their patients where they’ve gone,” the memo states. “Too many of our constituents have had the unsettling experience of their trusted healthcare providers simply vanishing.”

Rapp’s argument centers on how she believes that issue impacts rural Pennsylvania.

“Our rural health care providers are already facing a workforce crisis,” Rapp said. “Non-compete clauses are one of the few tools rural health systems have to ensure the high investments they make in their staff won’t be wasted.”

She explained in a statement that the bill includes an amendment to exempt employers “under certain conditions” in counties like Warren.

“I understand the intent behind this bill is to ensure doctors aren’t forced to uproot their families in more urban areas where there are plenty of health systems to choose from,” she explained. “However, in rural Pennsylvania, this is simply not the case.”

FUNDING AWARDED TO SUGAR GROVE TOWNSHIP

Rapp last week also announced a $34,652 award to Sugar Grove Township for expanded natural gas service.

“It’s so important that the people of Pennsylvania have a choice in how they power their homes and businesses,” Rapp said. “I’m happy these funds can give Sugar Grove residents another option, which will hopefully lead to lower utility bills and more money in their pockets.”

The funds will come from the Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE) which provides grants to construct the last few miles of natural gas distribution lines to business parks and existing manufacturing and industrial enterprises; accelerate beneficial deployment of low-cost energy; and result in the creation of new economic base jobs in the Commonwealth while providing access to natural gas for residents.