PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 2279: Safe Step Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 2279: Safe Step Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-04-10 · Health · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-04-10 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Safe Step Act

Plain summary

Safe Step Act This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) the treatment is expected to be ineffective, (2) the treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (3) the treatment is expected to decrease the individual's ability either to perform daily activities or occupational responsibilities or adhere to the treatment plan, (4) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (5) there are other medical reasons that warrant withholding the treatment. The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol. Requests must be granted no later than three days after receipt of the request. In certain cases where the life, health, and ability of the individual are jeopardized by the protocol, the request shall be granted no later than 24 hours after receipt of the request.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Safe Step Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · 157 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Seth Moulton (D-MA), John Joyce (R-PA), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Steve Womack (R-AR), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Neal P. Dunn (R-FL), Ed Case (D-HI), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) and 97 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr2279 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116