Rep. Maureen Madden

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that officially recognizes September 2026 as 'International Underground Railroad Month' within Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or change how the state operates, but rather serves as a formal acknowledgment of the state's historical role in the Underground Railroad network. The resolution honors the individuals who helped enslaved people escape to freedom and highlights the significance of related historical sites across the Commonwealth.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates September 25, 2026, as "Chuseok Day" in Pennsylvania to honor the Korean harvest festival. The resolution acknowledges the cultural significance of Chuseok, which celebrates family, gratitude, and heritage, while recognizing the contributions of Korean Americans to the state. By officially recognizing this date, the measure aims to promote cultural diversity and civic engagement within the Commonwealth. This action serves as a commemorative gesture rather than establishing a new public holiday or altering existing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 2190 amends Pennsylvania's Public Employe Relations Act to change how collective bargaining impasses are resolved for specific public safety and court staff. It requires binding arbitration for disputes involving prison guards, mental hospital staff, peace officers, and court employees when mediation fails - meaning the arbitrator's decision becomes final and enforceable. However, if an arbitration decision would require new legislation (e.g., changing pay rates or benefits), that part would only be advisory, not binding. The bill directly affects these public employee groups whose work is critical to security and court operations. This change streamlines dispute resolution while maintaining legislative oversight for policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1505 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code of 1949 to clarify definitions related to early learning programs. The bill specifically updates terminology used in the existing law to better define what constitutes early learning programs within the state's educational framework. This change directly affects school districts, early learning providers, and state education agencies by providing clearer standards for program classification and reporting under the Public School Code. The bill focuses solely on refining definitions, not creating new programs or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Medical Marijuana Act to support small, minority-owned, and veteran-owned businesses within the state's medical marijuana program. It achieves this by creating new definitions for disadvantaged, diverse, and small businesses and granting the Department of Health authority to issue additional dispensary permits specifically to these groups. Furthermore, the legislation requires the department to publish a list of available licenses annually and prioritize accepting applications from these eligible business types for those spots. The changes are designed to increase access for specific business categories without altering the core structure of the existing medical marijuana framework.

Maddy summaryHB 2146 modifies Pennsylvania's open meetings law to clarify when government agencies can take action on unlisted agenda items. It creates specific exceptions for minor administrative approvals that arise unexpectedly, such as urgent legal filings, small purchases under $10,000 (based on current thresholds), grant applications with deadlines, or minor permit approvals. Agencies must obtain and publicly disclose a legal opinion confirming an item qualifies under these exceptions before acting. This directly affects state and local agencies holding public meetings, ensuring transparency while allowing limited flexibility for time-sensitive matters. The bill does not change core meeting notice requirements but adds defined exceptions for minor, non-financial actions.

Maddy summaryHB 1239 updates Pennsylvania's rules for condominiums and planned communities under Title 68. It clarifies definitions for these properties and strengthens the authority of homeowners' associations (HOAs) to manage common areas and enforce rules. The bill directly affects residents in condominiums and planned communities by giving their HOAs clearer powers over maintenance, finances, and governance. These changes aim to streamline management without altering core ownership rights or adding new taxes or fees.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs the Joint State Government Commission to study suicide prevention and data collection efforts in Pennsylvania and provide recommendations for improvement. The study will specifically examine how well the state has met eight existing suicide prevention goals and analyze the Pennsylvania Violent Death Reporting System to identify barriers like lack of mandatory reporting and insufficient funding. The commission is tasked with proposing legislative actions to ensure medical examiners, coroners, and law enforcement agencies consistently report violent death data to the Department of Health.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill requires health insurance companies to cover fertility preservation services for individuals facing medically necessary cancer treatments that could cause infertility. The law mandates that insurers include at least three years of egg, sperm, or ovarian tissue storage at an in-network facility, with a minimum lifetime benefit of $100,000 per person. While the coverage must follow standard policy rules like deductibles and copayments, religious employers are allowed to request exemptions if the services conflict with their beliefs, provided they notify patients and allow them to buy separate supplemental insurance.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's race horse industry laws to update definitions and expand the regulatory powers of the state commission. It clarifies that the term "applicant" covers a wide range of individuals involved in horse racing, including owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians, and security personnel. The legislation requires these applicants to submit fingerprints for a comprehensive criminal history check that includes verification with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additionally, the bill mandates that the commission use this background information to screen individuals for fitness to hold licenses while ensuring the records are maintained according to federal law.