Rep. Kyle Donahue

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a three-year pilot program in Pennsylvania to raise salaries for pre-kindergarten teachers to match those of elementary school teachers with similar skills. The Department of Education will select participating programs based on poverty levels, compare teacher qualifications, and use a specific formula to calculate the necessary salary increase. Funding for these raises will come from federal, state, private, or other non-state sources, with strict rules requiring that all money be used solely for teacher pay. The program will also collect data and submit a report to the General Assembly after one year to evaluate its success and suggest future improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new system in Pennsylvania to directly notify car repair shops when a vehicle involved in a fatal or serious hit-and-run accident is brought in for repairs. Under the law, law enforcement must use this system to alert all repair facilities about the make, model, license plate, and damage details of fleeing vehicles, and repair shops are required to register with the state to receive these alerts. If a repair shop identifies a vehicle matching the description sent through the system, they must immediately contact the police, and failing to do so is punishable as a misdemeanor. The legislation is named in memory of Jayanna Powell, a young girl who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in 2016.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program in Pennsylvania to provide salary supplements to Head Start teachers, aiming to align their pay with that of elementary school teachers who have comparable skills and experience. The program would target school districts with at least 20% poverty rates or independent Head Start programs located in census tracts with poverty levels at or below 80% of the statewide median. Under the plan, the Department of Education would calculate the salary difference for participating teachers and provide funding to close that gap, while strictly monitoring that all funds are used solely for salary increases. The bill also requires the department to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the program's implementation, results, and recommendations for future changes.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution celebrates the 388th anniversary of the United States National Guard, which traces its origins to a militia organized in Boston in 1636. The document highlights the historical evolution of the National Guard, noting its dual role in serving both state and federal needs for disaster relief and defense. It specifically acknowledges the Pennsylvania National Guard's long history, dating back to 1747, and directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to the unit.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill creates a new Employee Misclassification Working Group to coordinate efforts among state agencies in identifying and addressing cases where workers are incorrectly classified as independent contractors rather than employees. The legislation mandates that the Department of Revenue share tax information with specific labor and unemployment offices to help investigate these misclassification issues and requires the use of federal identification numbers to streamline data matching. The working group itself will be led by a representative from the Department of Labor and Industry and will include members from the Department of Revenue and the Office of Attorney General, with optional participation from local prosecutors and labor enforcement officers. Meetings of the group are required to occur at least every three months to develop and oversee enforcement strategies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Health Insurance Access Protection Act to prevent insurance companies from discriminating against people based on their health status, medical history, or preexisting conditions. It requires insurers to allow individuals and their dependents to enroll in or renew health plans without denying coverage or charging higher premiums due to these health factors. The law also limits how much insurance rates can vary based on age and tobacco use while giving the Insurance Department authority to set specific rating rules and enforce penalties for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's insurance laws to expand health coverage for adult children of policyholders. It requires health insurance policies to keep covering children up to age 26 without denying them based on factors like marital status, residency, or employment. Additionally, the law allows insurers to offer continued coverage until age 29 for unmarried adult children who are full-time students or residents, provided they meet specific eligibility requirements. These changes primarily affect individuals purchasing or renewing health insurance plans and the insurance companies that issue them.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies and managed care plans in Pennsylvania to cover speech therapy for both childhood and neurological stuttering. It mandates that these plans provide unlimited coverage for both habilitative and rehabilitative treatments without restrictions on the number of visits, prior authorization, or specific disease types. The law also ensures that coverage includes both in-person sessions and telehealth services, while excluding school-based therapy solely based on an individualized education program.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a two-year pilot program in Pennsylvania to provide remote health monitoring for pregnant individuals with Medicaid who live in areas lacking adequate maternity care. The program would allow eligible participants to use FDA-approved devices at home to track conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as to monitor fetal heart rates, with data securely sent to their doctors for review. To operate, the state Department of Health would select a managed care organization to administer the initiative and a technology vendor to supply the necessary equipment. The pilot is limited to specific counties identified as having limited access to obstetric services and includes a requirement that the Department submit a report on the program's results before it expires.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Genetic Information Privacy Act, establishes new rules for companies that sell direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits in Pennsylvania. It requires these businesses to obtain specific, separate consent from customers before using their genetic data for purposes like research, marketing, or sharing with third parties, while also mandating strong security measures and giving consumers the right to delete their data and biological samples. The law strictly prohibits companies from sharing a customer's genetic information with health or life insurance providers and employers without written permission, and it allows the state Attorney General to impose civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation for failing to follow these privacy protections.