Lifting Our Communities through Advance Liquidity for Infrastructure Act or the LOCAL Infrastructure Act This bill reinstates tax provisions relating to advance refunding bonds. An advance refunding bond is a tax-exempt bond issued by a state or municipality to refinance or consolidate existing bond obligations.
Maddy summaryS 1474 creates the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program to encourage SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients to buy common dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese using their benefits. The program provides point-of-sale incentives at grocery stores for purchasing "naturally nutrient-rich dairy" (defined as milk, yogurt, and cheese made from cow’s milk) when SNAP benefits are used. It allocates $10 million annually to fund competitive grants for state/local governments or nonprofits to run pilot projects, requiring projects to prioritize direct incentives for SNAP users and use electronic point-of-sale systems. The bill also transitions existing dairy incentive projects from a 2018 law into this new program, ensuring no disruption to current efforts.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates April 2023 as "Financial Literacy Month" to raise public awareness about the importance of personal financial education and the consequences of financial illiteracy. It cites statistics showing widespread challenges, including 4.5% of U.S. households being unbanked, high credit card debt (47% of adults), and limited school-based financial education (only 23 states require personal finance courses). The resolution calls on federal, state, local, schools, nonprofits, and businesses to observe the month with educational programs. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to highlight existing financial literacy gaps affecting all Americans.
Maddy summaryS 1419, the ERASER Act, requires federal agencies to repeal at least three existing regulations before issuing a new rule that affects businesses, states, or local governments. For major rules (those with significant economic impact), agencies must also demonstrate the new rule's cost does not exceed the cost of the repealed rules, with certification from the Office of Management and Budget. The bill applies to rules created through standard notice-and-comment rulemaking but excludes internal agency management rules. It aims to streamline regulations by mandating cost-neutral or cost-reducing rule changes, with the Government Accountability Office required to report on the number and economic cost of existing regulations every five years.
Maddy summaryThe Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act (S 1398) prohibits federal agencies from using government funds to partner with non-profits for voter registration or mobilization activities on agency property or websites. It delays implementation of certain voter registration initiatives under Executive Order 14019 until agencies submit reports to Congress about their plans, with an exception for activities already permitted under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The bill also requires agencies to submit detailed reports within 30 days of enactment about their voter registration activities and amends the Higher Education Act to prevent work-study programs from being used for voter registration or mobilization. These provisions directly affect federal agencies, non-profit organizations collaborating with them, and institutions participating in federal work-study programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill permanently extends existing U.S. sanctions against Iran by removing an expiration date from the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. It directly affects how the U.S. government enforces sanctions targeting Iran’s weapons programs, ballistic missile development, and support for terrorist proxies. The key provision repeals the "sunset" clause that would have automatically ended these sanctions, making them permanent without needing future congressional action. The bill does not create new sanctions but ensures current penalties remain in place to address Iran’s destabilizing activities, as outlined in the bill's findings.
Maddy summaryThe College Transparency Act requires the development of a new, secure data system to collect and share detailed, aggregate information about college students' enrollment, progression, costs, financial aid, and post-graduation outcomes like earnings and employment. This system will make publicly accessible, non-personally identifiable information through an easy-to-use website to help students and families make informed college decisions. Institutions participating in federal student aid programs must submit data to the system, while the bill prohibits collecting sensitive information like health data, discipline records, or exact addresses. The law also includes strong privacy protections, requires data minimization, and prohibits using the data for federal rankings or selling it to third parties. The system aims to reduce reporting burdens on institutions while improving transparency about college outcomes.
Maddy summaryS 1382, the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act of 2023, increases penalties for obstructing justice near Supreme Court justices' residences or workplaces. It amends federal law to raise the maximum prison sentence for picketing or parading that obstructs justice from one year to five years. This change directly affects individuals who engage in disruptive protests near justices' homes or offices. The bill focuses solely on strengthening criminal penalties for obstruction, not on judicial decisions or court procedures.
Maddy summaryThe Protecting Kids on Social Media Act requires social media platforms to verify the age of users through reasonable methods (beyond simple self-attestation) and obtain parental consent for minors aged 13-17 before allowing account creation or certain features. Platforms must stop using algorithmic recommendations based on personal data for users under 18 and allow parents to revoke consent at any time, with strict limits on how verification data can be used or stored. A voluntary government pilot program will offer secure digital ID credentials for age and parental verification, meeting high cybersecurity standards, though participation is optional for both users and platforms. Violations will be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, with civil penalties for non-compliance.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends current Medicare payment rates for durable medical equipment (like wheelchairs and oxygen) in non-rural areas until December 31, 2024. It delays the implementation of new, lower payment rates for all areas (including rural) until January 1, 2025. The bill directly affects Medicare providers who supply durable medical equipment, giving them additional time to adjust to potential payment changes. It modifies how Medicare administers payment rules without altering the underlying rates themselves.
