Rep. Stephenie Scialabba

Maddy summaryHB 701 amends a Pennsylvania law that gives the Governor authority over U.S. flag displays on public grounds and buildings. The bill requires that any U.S. flag displayed under this law must be manufactured in the United States. This affects public institutions, schools, and certain other organizations that display the flag on their property. The change adds a sourcing requirement to existing flag display regulations without altering the Governor's regulatory role.

Maddy summaryHB 714 would allow siblings (including half-siblings and stepsiblings) to petition a court for visitation rights with a sibling child who is in a custody arrangement. Courts must consider factors like the child’s best interests, evidence that the custodial parent denied access in the 30 days before the petition, and whether the denial was unreasonable. The bill defines "visitation" as time spent together, not custody, and clarifies it does not affect existing custody laws or standing. This directly affects siblings who have been prevented from seeing their siblings by a parent with physical custody.

Maddy summaryHR 87 is a resolution directing Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study security risks to critical infrastructure from foreign purchases of infrastructure assets and adjacent land. The study will examine current state protections, compare approaches used by other states, and assess whether adopting a process similar to the federal CFIUS review (which evaluates foreign investments for national security risks) would be feasible. It requires the Commission to report findings and recommendations to the General Assembly within 24 months. This resolution does not create new laws but aims to inform future policy decisions about protecting critical infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 686 amends Pennsylvania's 1970 law to give parents or legal guardians full access to their minor child's medical, dental, and mental health records until the child turns 18, subject to federal law. This new provision (Section 1.3) overrides a prior rule allowing minors to control their mental health records, directly affecting minors under 18 and their parents/guardians. The bill changes how healthcare providers handle record access requests, requiring disclosure to parents unless federal law prohibits it. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill is signed.

Maddy summaryHB 617 proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee every Pennsylvanian the right to refuse any medical treatment, including vaccines, without government interference. The amendment would prohibit denying legal rights to individuals based on their refusal of such treatments. It requires the state legislature to pass the resolution twice before submitting it to voters for approval, following Pennsylvania's constitutional amendment process. If approved by voters, this amendment would become part of the state constitution, altering how medical consent is legally protected.

Maddy summaryHB 613 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require a public comparison tool for higher education institutions to include each school's endowment data. This change directly affects students, families, and researchers who use the tool to compare colleges, as it adds financial transparency about institutional resources. The bill mandates that the existing comparison tool must allow users to identify and compare institutions based on endowment size, alongside other metrics. It does not alter college operations or funding but expands available data for informed decision-making. The requirement becomes effective 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 579 would require Pennsylvania public schools, charter schools, and participating private schools meeting the state's baseline security criteria to assign at least one armed guard to each school building within one year. The bill mandates designating specific entry and exit points for buildings (excluding emergencies) and installing signs with audible alarms on non-designated exterior doors. School armed guards must be present during school hours and extracurricular activities, holding specific firearm training certifications as defined by the bill. This requirement applies only to school entities that meet the tier 1 security standards.

Maddy summaryHB 581, titled the Parental Rights in Education Act, prohibits public schools from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. It requires schools to notify parents in writing before providing health care services (like mental health support) or administering well-being questionnaires/surveys to K-5 students, including an option for parents to withhold consent. Schools must also allow parents access to their child's education and health records and cannot retaliate against students who report violations. The bill creates a legal right for students or parents to sue schools for noncompliance within 180 days of a violation.

Maddy summaryHB 606 requires Pennsylvania public and private schools to integrate "early human life development education" into biology courses starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This mandates including specific ultrasound videos showing fetal development at 8, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, and 37 weeks' gestation, plus a computer-generated animation of fertilization and prenatal development stages. The bill applies to all school entities (districts, charters, cyber charters) and directly affects all K-12 students in Pennsylvania. It amends the 1949 Public School Code to standardize this curriculum component within existing biology requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 548 strengthens Pennsylvania's state preemption of local firearm regulations by declaring that all aspects of firearm regulation - including purchase, sale, possession, and transportation - must follow state law, invalidating any conflicting local ordinances. It directly affects counties, municipalities, and townships that previously enacted stricter gun rules, as well as residents, gun dealers, or organizations challenging such local laws. Key provisions include creating legal remedies for those harmed by illegal local regulations (allowing lawsuits for damages, attorney fees, and injunctions) and explicitly stating that state law supersedes all local efforts. The bill takes effect in 90 days for its core preemption rules, requiring local governments to align with state firearm laws immediately.