Rep. Stephenie Scialabba

Maddy summaryHB 1131 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to prohibit public schools from selling or offering competitive foods containing specific artificial dyes during the school day. The bill bans six dyes (Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) in foods sold on school grounds that compete with federally reimbursable meals like school lunches. It defines "competitive food" as any food sold during school hours that competes with National School Lunch Program meals. The prohibition applies to all public schools in Pennsylvania and takes effect July 1, 2027. This is a direct policy change restricting certain food additives in school food sales, not a health recommendation.

Maddy summaryHB 1132 prohibits Pennsylvania public schools from selling or offering "unhealthy ultra-processed foods" as competitive foods during the school day. It defines "ultra-processed food" as items containing specific additives like artificial colors, stabilizers, non-nutritive sweeteners, or flavor enhancers (excluding natural seasonings), and "unhealthy" as failing FDA standards for the term "healthy" on labels. Competitive foods - such as vending machine snacks or cafeteria items sold alongside school meals - are banned if they contain these unhealthy items. The law takes effect July 1, 2027, directly affecting public school food vendors, students, and school nutrition programs across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 1133 amends Pennsylvania's food protection laws to require a specific cancer warning on food products containing Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA). The bill mandates that any food bearing BHA (identified by CAS number 25013-16-5) must display the warning "WARNING: This product contains BHA, which may cause cancer" in bold type on the principal display panel, using a font size no smaller than the required "serving size" declaration. This directly affects food manufacturers and retailers selling products with BHA, requiring them to update labeling to comply with the new rule. The policy change focuses on enhancing consumer transparency about a specific ingredient's potential health risk through mandatory labeling.

Maddy summaryHB 1130 requires food manufacturers to report "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) substances used in food to Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture, including safety data. This affects companies adding GRAS substances to food products, with exemptions for small businesses and certain FDA-approved substances. The bill mandates a searchable public database on the state website where all submitted reports will be accessible to consumers. It creates new transparency requirements for substances deemed safe without full FDA food additive approval, aligning with federal GRAS reporting standards.

Maddy summaryHB 1258 creates a new "Personalized Education Program" (PEP) option under Pennsylvania's Public School Code, allowing parents or guardians to educate children outside traditional public schools. It requires parents to submit an annual affidavit to the school district superintendent detailing the program supervisor, child's information, curriculum outline (including required subjects like English and history), immunization records, and background checks for household members. The program must provide at least 180 days or 900 hours of annual instruction for elementary students (990 hours for secondary), with specific subject requirements. PEPs are explicitly excluded from being classified as "nonpublic schools" under the code, and relocation between school districts requires a formal transfer letter process. This directly affects parents, guardians, and program supervisors managing education for children in these alternatives to public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 1193 proposes a constitutional amendment to update voter qualifications in Pennsylvania. It would lower the voting age from 21 to 18, reduce residency requirements to 30 days for state and local election districts (from 90 and 60 days), and require government-issued ID for in-person voting and mail-in ballots (with signature matching). Voters must also register at least 30 days before an election, with registration requiring pre-confirmation of eligibility. The amendment must be approved by the General Assembly and then by voters in a statewide election.

Maddy summaryHB 1156 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to strengthen eligibility verification for medical assistance and food stamp programs. The bill requires the state department to regularly review data from other agencies, including monthly checks for gambling winnings over $3,000 (via the Gaming Control Board), death records (from the Department of Health), and residency changes (via out-of-state EBT), plus quarterly checks for employment and income changes (from Labor and Revenue). It also prohibits the department from accepting eligibility determinations from health insurance exchanges without verification and bans self-attestation for key factors like income, residency, or household composition without prior verification. These changes update the verification process to align with current data-sharing capabilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1164 authorizes Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to propose a carbon dioxide emissions tax or fee after following a strict public process. It requires the DEP to hold 180 days of public comment, conduct four public hearings across the state, and submit detailed reports to lawmakers on economic impacts, facility-level emissions, and electricity price effects before any such tax can be considered. The bill directly affects electric generation facilities (like power plants) and electricity consumers by mandating transparency and analysis of how a carbon tax would impact costs and operations. Crucially, it does not impose a tax itself but creates the procedural framework for future legislative action on carbon emissions regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 1112 allows Pennsylvania electric utility customers to request traditional electromechanical analog meters instead of smart meters. Customers can elect this option by notifying their utility company, and if the utility has already installed smart meters, they may charge the customer for the switch - amortized over 12 months - but cannot impose additional fees. The bill directly affects residential and commercial electricity customers who prefer analog meters for privacy or cost reasons. It defines "electromechanical analog meters" as devices with no wireless capabilities, no power line transmission/reception, and specific safety features, while ensuring costs are recovered through approved utility rates.

Maddy summaryHB 1092 establishes a program to refund a portion of Pennsylvania's state budget surplus directly to eligible taxpayers. It requires the State Treasurer and Department of Revenue to identify resident individuals who filed 2024 tax returns and paid their liabilities, then calculate payments based on the General Fund surplus (capped at the June 2024 surplus amount) and the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund (capped at the fund balance minus 6% of 2024-2025 General Fund revenues). The bill specifies that payments must be made within 45 days of a funding appropriation, with any unused funds returned to the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund. This program directly affects Pennsylvania residents who filed 2024 individual income tax returns and paid their tax liability.