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PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1639 PRINTER'S NO. 2534
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1417
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, DONAHUE, GIRAL, HANBIDGE,
HOHENSTEIN, HOWARD, MAYES, FLEMING, RUSNOCK AND MULLINS,
MAY 6, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 28, 2025
AN ACT
Establishing the Community Diaper and Incontinence Products
Grant Program and the Community Diaper, BRIEF and
Incontinence Products Grant Program Fund; directing the
Department of Aging to establish a program to improve access
to incontinence supplies; and imposing powers and duties on
the Department of Human Services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Community
Diaper, BRIEF and Incontinence Products Act.
Section 2. Legislative intent.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The establishment of a grant program GRANTS to
provide funding to improve, enhance and expand access to
clean diapers will, BRIEFS AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS TO
protect and enhance the health and well-being of infants,
children, incontinent adults and their families.
(2) Infants and children who are living in households
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with little or no access to clean diapers often spend a day
or longer in one diaper, leading to significant potential
health risks.
(3) A supply of clean diapers is usually a requirement
for infants and children to attend and participate in child-
care programs and not having a reliable supply of clean
diapers impedes individuals in obtaining and maintaining
employment.
(4) Most public resources, such as the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants
and Children Program (WIC), do not help offset the costs of
these needed diapers, BRIEFS AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS.
(5) For incontinent adults, the lack of access to
diapers BRIEFS AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS is a growing health
care concern.
(6) Health care experts affirm that when an adult is
left wearing a soiled diaper UNDERGARMENT, there is an
immediate danger of skin problems, including skin breakdown
that can bring on life-threatening infections, especially in
older adults.
(7) This Commonwealth has a compelling interest in
developing programs OPPORTUNITIES that improve access to
diapers, BRIEFS AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS for infants,
children and incontinent adults.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Human Services of the
Commonwealth.
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"Diaper OR BRIEF bank." A nonprofit charitable organization
or a fiscally sponsored project of a nonprofit charitable
organization that collects or purchases diapers, BRIEFS and
other hygiene INCONTINENCE products for infants, children or
incontinent adults and regularly distributes diapers, BRIEFS AND
INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS over an extended period through two or
more partner agencies for eventual distribution to individuals
free of charge.
"Diaper OR BRIEF pantry." A nonprofit charitable
organization or a fiscally sponsored project of a nonprofit
charitable organization that collects or purchases diapers,
BRIEFS OR INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS for the purpose of regularly
distributing those diapers ITEMS directly to individuals free of
charge.
"Diaper OR BRIEF program." A program within a nonprofit
charitable organization or a fiscally sponsored project of a
nonprofit charitable organization, including,f but not limited
to, a food bank, service agency or health clinic that collects
or purchases diapers, BRIEFS OR INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS and
regularly distributes those diapers ITEMS either through direct
service free of charge or through two or more partner agencies
for eventual distribution to individuals free of charge.
"Fund." The Community Diaper, BRIEF and Incontinence
Products Grant Program Fund established under section 5.
"Nonprofit charitable organization." A nonprofit
organization within the meaning of 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)
(relating to exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts,
etc.).
"Program." The Community Diaper and Incontinence Products
Grant Program established under section 4.
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Section 4. Community Diaper and Incontinence Products Grant
Program. DIAPER, BRIEF AND INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS
GRANTS.
(a) Establishment.--The Community Diaper and Incontinence
Products Grant Program is established and shall be administered
by the department. The purpose of the program shall be to issue
grants to improve, enhance and expand access to clean diapers
and incontinence products.
(b) Eligibility.--To receive a grant award under the
program, a diaper bank, diaper pantry or diaper program must
submit a written application to the department by January 1 of
each year for which a grant is sought and satisfy the following
conditions:
(1) Be located within this Commonwealth.
(2) Have a budget approved by the board of directors or
other governing body of the applicant.
(3) Not require participation in religious, financial or
organizational activities in order to receive the diapers.
(4) Submit a detailed proposal outlining the manner in
which the grant money will be used and the intended effect of
the proposal.
(c) Department action.--The department shall review and
approve or disapprove an application within 60 days of receiving
the application. An application which has not been approved or
disapproved by the department within the 60-day period shall be
deemed approved.
(d) Publication and notice.--The department shall transmit
notice of the availability of the grant program to the
Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin by August 8 for
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each fiscal year beginning after June 30, 2025.
(e) Award of grants.-- THE FOLLOWING SHALL APPLY:
(1) The department may, TO THE EXTENT THAT MONEY IS
AVAILABLE IN THE FUND, issue a grant award for the following
purposes:
(i) Direct collection and distribution of diapers,
BRIEFS or incontinence products.
(ii) Warehousing, shelving and storing of collected
diapers, BRIEFS or incontinence products.
(iii) Collection bins, volunteer training and other
promotional and marketing programs and materials.
(iv) Outreach programs, including, but not limited
to, mobile diaper OR BRIEF banks, partnerships with
child-care centers serving low-income families or
partnerships with centers or facilities serving senior
citizens OLDER ADULTS.
(v) Fundraising assistance and other financial
management programs relating to the collection of
diapers, BRIEFS OR INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS.
(vi) Creating or establishing new diaper OR BRIEF
banks, diaper OR BRIEF pantries or diaper OR BRIEF
programs, especially in underserved areas of this
Commonwealth.
(vii) Any other program or activity approved by the
department that improves, enhances and expands access to
clean diapers, BRIEFS and incontinence products for
infants, children and incontinent adults.
(2) Grants may not be less than $2,500 nor more than
$25,000 annually per eligible applicant.
(3) Grants may be awarded on a pro rata basis if the
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total dollar amount of the approved applications exceeds the
amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the
program.
Section 5. Community Diaper, BRIEF and Incontinence Products
Grant Program Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The Community Diaper, BRIEF and
Incontinence Products Grant Program Fund is established in the
State Treasury. All appropriations, contributions and
alternative funds received by the department as authorized by
State law to improve, enhance and expand access to clean
diapers, BRIEFS and incontinence products shall be deposited
into the fund.
(b) Allocation of funds.--All money in the fund is
appropriated on a continuing basis to the department and shall
be used as follows:
(1) At least 80% of the fund shall be used by the
department for grants authorized by this act.
(2) Not more than 20% of the fund may be used by the
department for State and local administration and program
services.
(c) Alternative funding.--The department may solicit and
accept alternative funding, including Federal funds, grants and
donations from any source to assist with the goals of this act.
All money received by the department to improve, enhance and
expand access to clean diapers, BRIEFS and incontinence products
shall be deposited into the fund.
Section 6. Reports.
The department shall submit an annual report to the General
Assembly on expenditures from the fund and the progress of the
public outreach required under section 7.
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Section 7 6. Public outreach.
(a) General rule.--From the money available for
administration as authorized under section 5(b)(2), the
department shall conduct Statewide outreach to inform diaper OR
BRIEF banks, diaper OR BRIEF pantries, diaper OR BRIEF programs
and other appropriate community organizations about the program
GRANTS AVAILABLE UNDER THIS ACT.
(b) Evaluation.--The department shall evaluate the
effectiveness of the funds provided under this act in improving
access to clean diapers and incontinence products and make
changes as necessary to the outreach described under subsection
(a) to improve access to clean diapers and incontinence
products.
Section 8. Rules and regulations.
The department shall promulgate regulations necessary to
administer the program and carry out its duties under this act.
Section 9 7. Improving access to incontinence supplies.
(a) Establishment.--The Department of Aging shall establish
a program, in conjunction with local agencies that specialize in
aging services, that provides incontinence supplies to
individuals 65 years of age or older, including adult diapers
BRIEFS, protective undergarments, incontinence pads, absorbent
underwear and incontinence medication.
(b) Regulations.--The Department of Aging shall promulgate
regulations AS necessary to administer the provisions of this
section.
Section 10 8. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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