Maddy summaryThis bill expands paid family and medical leave for federal employees from 12 to 26 workweeks annually for qualifying events like childbirth, adoption, or serious health conditions. It specifically allows adoption leave to begin before placement for preparatory activities and modifies service requirements. The law applies to all federal employees under Title 5, plus employees of the U.S. Postal Service, Postal Regulatory Commission, Library of Congress, GAO, Congressional staff, and Veterans Affairs personnel. It also requires the District of Columbia courts and public defender service to establish paid leave programs mirroring federal standards for their employees. These changes standardize and extend paid leave benefits across most federal workplaces.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week beginning February 5, 2023, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week" to symbolically recognize these institutions. It directly honors the 35 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities operating across 15 states, which serve over 230 federally recognized tribes and provide higher education access to American Indian, Alaska Native, and other students in underserved communities. The resolution calls for national recognition through appropriate activities but does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes. It is a ceremonial measure without binding legal effect.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a federal grant program to help states and tribes implement Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others. To qualify for funding, states must have laws including due process protections like hearings before orders are issued. The bill also amends federal law to include ERPOs in background checks and requires states to notify federal databases about these orders. It ensures ERPOs issued in one state will be recognized by courts in other states. This would directly affect individuals subject to ERPOs, law enforcement officers, and courts that implement these orders.
Maddy summaryThe Stop Spying Bosses Act requires employers to disclose workplace surveillance practices to employees and job applicants, including what data is collected, how it's collected, where it's stored, and how it affects employment decisions. It prohibits employers from using surveillance to monitor labor organizing activities, off-duty behavior, political views, religious activities, or health information unrelated to job duties, and bans selling employee data. The bill establishes a new Privacy and Technology Division within the Department of Labor to oversee implementation and enforcement. It also provides employees with the right to review and correct their data and includes whistleblower protections for those reporting violations.
Maddy summaryThe Protecting America's Meatpacking Workers Act of 2023 aims to improve safety and working conditions for meat and poultry processing workers, who face high injury rates, including double the amputation rate of other workers and widespread musculoskeletal disorders. The bill prohibits "no fault attendance policies" that penalize workers for taking legally protected leave, requires employers to provide adequate toilet facilities without punishment, and establishes new OSHA standards for ergonomic programs and protection from airborne illnesses like COVID-19. It also increases OSHA inspector funding by $60 million annually, expands workplace inspections focusing on line speeds and safety hazards, and strengthens protections for workers who report safety concerns without fear of retaliation. The bill directly affects meatpacking facilities and their workers nationwide, particularly those who experienced heightened risks during the pandemic.
Maddy summaryThis bill would significantly strengthen pesticide regulations by requiring the EPA to immediately suspend registration of pesticides that may cause cancer, neurological harm, or other serious risks if they aren't reviewed within specified timeframes. It would ban the use of organophosphate pesticides, neonicotinoids, and paraquat, which have been linked to health problems in children and environmental harm to pollinators. The bill also mandates full disclosure of all ingredients on pesticide labels, including inert chemicals that can be toxic, and creates a mandatory reporting system for farmworker pesticide exposure incidents with penalties for non-compliance. These changes would directly affect pesticide manufacturers, farmers, and farmworkers, while aiming to protect children, communities, and the environment from harmful pesticide exposure.
Maddy summaryThe Industrial Agriculture Accountability Act of 2023 establishes new requirements for large industrial agricultural operations that house significant numbers of livestock or poultry (defined as "covered industrial operators"). It mandates registration with a new Office of High-Risk AFO Disaster Mitigation and Enforcement, requiring detailed disaster mitigation plans and annual fees of at least $1 per animal unit. The bill restricts inhumane depopulation methods like ventilation shutdown and sodium nitrite poisoning, while creating labor protections including health insurance coverage and severance pay for workers during disaster events. Additionally, the legislation includes provisions for humane handling of livestock during transport and slaughter, ending certain dangerous slaughter speed systems, and authorizes funding for additional inspectors to enforce these standards.
Maddy summaryS 237, the Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act of 2023, modifies federal safety requirements for mifepristone (used in medication abortions) to expand access. The bill requires the FDA to remove in-person dispensing rules, allow telehealth prescriptions, and permit certified pharmacies to mail the drug directly to patients. It directly affects patients seeking medication abortion and healthcare providers/pharmacies dispensing mifepristone. The law mandates these changes for mifepristone’s risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS), while preserving FDA authority to adjust safety measures based on scientific evidence.
Maddy summaryS 173, "Ethan's Law," requires firearm owners to store guns securely in homes where minors (under 18) or individuals ineligible to own firearms might access them. It amends federal law to make non-compliant storage an offense punishable by a $500 fine per violation, with enhanced penalties (up to 5 years in prison) if injury or death results. The bill creates a federal grant program to support states with laws matching its secure storage requirements, offering funding incentives for states that enact similar measures. It directly affects homeowners with firearms in households containing minors or prohibited persons, aiming to reduce accidental child access and firearm-related injuries.
Maddy summaryS 129, the Korematsu-Takai Civil Liberties Protection Act of 2023, prohibits federal authorities from detaining individuals solely based on protected characteristics. The bill amends federal law to define "protected characteristics" as race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and any additional characteristics the Attorney General may designate. It explicitly bans imprisonment or detention based exclusively on these traits, with no allowance for the Attorney General to remove any listed characteristic. This directly affects anyone subject to federal detention, ensuring protections against discrimination in custody decisions under current law.