The Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2017

This bill aims to make changes to the Horse Protection Act by designating additional unlawful acts, increasing penalties for violations, improving enforcement by the Department of Agriculture, and other purposes.

Key Points:

• Defines terms such as "action device" and "participate."
• Highlights findings related to soring horses and inadequate inspection programs.
• Sets rules for horse shows and exhibitions, including disqualifications.
• Lists unlawful acts, including the use of specific devices and materials.
• Specifies violations and penalties, including fines and potential disqualifications.
• Mandates the issuance of regulations within 180 days.

Bill Summary:

The Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2017 aims to improve access to home health services for Medicare beneficiaries. It includes provisions to allow nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, and physician assistants to collaborate with physicians in certifying home health services. The bill also expands the definition of home health services and home health agencies to include these additional healthcare providers. The changes made by this bill will be effective starting January 1, 2018.

Explanation of the Paycheck Fairness Act

The Paycheck Fairness Act, also known as H.R. 1869, is a bill introduced in the United States House of Representatives to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The main purpose of this bill is to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages based on sex. The bill aims to address the ongoing issue of pay disparities between men and women in the workforce.

The bill highlights the following findings:

1. Women continue to earn significantly lower pay than men for equal work despite laws like the Equal Pay Act of 1963.
2. These pay disparities negatively impact working families, women's retirement security, labor resources utilization, and commerce.
3. Artificial barriers to eliminating wage discrimination based on sex still exist.

The bill proposes several provisions, including:

• Enhanced enforcement of equal pay requirements, including modifications to the bona fide factor defense.
• A prohibition on inquiring about or using a prospective employee's wage history in determining future wages.
• Establishment of the National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace to recognize employers making efforts to eliminate pay disparities.
• Collection of compensation data by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to better enforce equal pay laws.

Additionally, the bill includes sections for training programs on negotiation skills for girls and women, research on pay disparities, and technical assistance for small businesses to comply with the new requirements.

It's important to note that the bill does not affect compliance with immigration laws and emphasizes the need to address wage discrimination based on sex.