Rep. Jill N. Tokuda

Maddy summaryThe Disaster Relief Medicaid Act creates a new Medicaid program to provide medical assistance to individuals affected by disasters. It establishes a "relief coverage period" of two years beginning when a disaster is declared, during which survivors can receive Medicaid benefits without meeting standard income requirements. The bill simplifies the application process by removing documentation requirements and provides 100% federal funding for these services. It includes special provisions for pregnant individuals, those with pending applications, and individuals requiring home and community-based services. The program applies to individuals who were residents of the disaster area or lost employment due to the disaster, with benefits available to survivors regardless of their home state.

Maddy summaryHR 3975, the Tax Fairness for Disaster Victims Act, adjusts tax credits for individuals affected by federally declared disasters. It allows eligible taxpayers whose income dropped due to a disaster (like a hurricane or flood) to use their *previous year's* earned income and social security taxes instead of their current year's reduced income when calculating certain tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This applies only to those living in the disaster area on the date FEMA defines as the disaster period and requires them to elect this adjustment. The change ensures disaster victims aren't penalized with lower tax credits because their income temporarily fell due to the disaster.

Maddy summaryHR 3993, the Preserving Great Americans’ Legacies Act of 2025, prohibits the U.S. Navy from renaming specific naval vessels currently named after eight historically significant individuals. The bill directly affects Navy vessels bearing the names of Cesar Chavez, Medgar Evers, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Dolores Huerta, Thurgood Marshall, Harvey Milk, Lucy Stone, and Harriet Tubman. It permanently blocks any future name changes for these vessels, regardless of existing legal provisions allowing such changes. The law applies immediately upon enactment and ensures these vessels retain their current names.

Maddy summaryThe Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act (HR 3971) would establish key labor protections for domestic workers, including nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers who work in private homes. The bill requires written agreements for workers employed 8+ hours per week, provides earned sick days (1 hour for every 30 hours worked), mandates fair scheduling practices with 72-hour notice for schedule changes, and extends overtime protections to live-in domestic employees. It also prohibits unfair wage deductions, guarantees meal and rest breaks, and ensures privacy protections including no monitoring in private living spaces. The bill directly affects approximately 2.2 million domestic workers across the U.S., who are disproportionately women of color and immigrants. Enforcement would be handled by the Department of Labor through new complaint resolution mechanisms and oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill codifies existing protections for designated roadless areas within the National Forest System by prohibiting new road construction, road reconstruction, and logging in these areas. It directly affects National Forest lands already identified as "inventoried roadless areas" under the current Roadless Rule, which covers roughly 58 million acres. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Agriculture to enforce these prohibitions, maintaining current protections without expanding restrictions to other lands or altering existing multiple-use management. The bill does not create new protected areas but legally solidifies the existing regulatory framework to preserve ecological and recreational values.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 3916 (My Body, My Data Act of 2025), requires businesses and other "regulated entities" to minimize collection and sharing of personal reproductive or sexual health data - such as pregnancy status, contraceptive use, or abortion-related information - and gives individuals specific rights. It mandates that entities provide individuals with easy access to their data, the ability to correct inaccuracies, and the right to request deletion of such information within 15 days. The law also requires clear privacy policies detailing data practices and prohibits retaliation against individuals who exercise these rights, such as charging higher prices or denying services. It applies broadly to most businesses (excluding HIPAA-covered healthcare providers) and is enforced by the FTC with private lawsuits allowed for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires private firearm transfers between individuals to go through a licensed dealer who must conduct a background check. It applies to most private sales but includes exceptions for transfers between family members (like parents and children), law enforcement, emergencies preventing harm, and temporary loans at shooting ranges or for hunting. Dealers must provide background check notices in both English and Spanish. The law aims to prevent prohibited individuals from obtaining firearms through private transactions while maintaining existing state authority on firearm laws.

Maddy summaryHR 3868, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2025, modifies federal firearm background check procedures to address delays. It requires federal firearms licensees to wait 10 business days after a background check query if the system doesn’t immediately flag a transfer, unless the buyer submits an electronic petition confirming they aren’t prohibited from owning firearms. The petition process includes a 10-day response deadline from the Attorney General, with licensees allowed to proceed if the system remains silent after 10 days. The bill also mandates detailed annual reports from the FBI on petition delays and GAO reports on implementation, focusing on how these changes affect firearm transfers to prohibited individuals.

Maddy summaryHR 3885, the Community TEAMS Act of 2025, creates a new grant program to expand medical student clinical training in rural and medically underserved communities. It provides funding for consortia of medical schools partnered with rural health clinics, community health centers, or facilities in underserved areas to support student rotations in outpatient settings. The grants, lasting 1-5 years, require applicants to detail project plans, sustainability, and how the program will improve community access to healthcare. This directly affects medical students, training facilities, and residents of high-need areas by aiming to build a sustainable physician workforce in those locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the legal definition of "franchise fee" in the Communications Act of 1934. It changes Section 622(g)(1) to clarify that the term "means" other monetary assessments, not just specific types of fees. This adjustment directly affects cable and broadband providers who pay franchise fees to local governments for operating in communities. The change is purely definitional and does not alter existing fee structures or create new protections for community television.