Rep. Manny Guzman

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2752 amends state criminal law to mandate the seizure of assets from individuals convicted of human trafficking offenses. The bill requires courts to order the forfeiture of any property used in the crime or derived from its proceeds, ensuring these assets are transferred to local district attorneys or the state Attorney General for sale. A key provision establishes that funds recovered through this process must be prioritized for victim restitution before being distributed to law enforcement agencies or other government bodies. This legislation directly affects convicted traffickers by expanding the scope of their financial penalties and aims to ensure victims receive compensation from the illicit gains of the offenders.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates October 2026 as "Infant Safe Sleep Month" to raise awareness about preventing sleep-related infant deaths. It encourages the state Department of Health to partner with hospitals, community groups, and organizations like Cribs for Kids to promote evidence-based safe sleep practices through year-round public education campaigns. The resolution also directs that educational resources be developed and distributed in English and Spanish, with consideration for other common languages, to help parents create safer sleeping environments for their babies.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2751 establishes a comprehensive legal framework for regulating both professional and amateur mixed martial arts within the state, placing oversight under the existing State Athletic Commission. The bill creates a dedicated Subcommission on Mixed Martial Arts, composed of three appointed members with specific martial arts training backgrounds, to develop and revise rules governing these competitions. It defines detailed operational standards, including licensing requirements for fighters and promoters, specific weight classes, round durations, and strict safety protocols for equipment such as rings, cages, and protective gear. Additionally, the legislation sets distinct rules for amateur events, mandating age brackets, medical testing, and the use of heavier gloves and headgear to protect younger participants.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates October 2026 as "Arts and Culture Month" to formally recognize the value of artistic expression within the state. The bill cites the economic impact of the arts industry and its role in fostering community connections as reasons for the designation. It calls on residents to celebrate artists and scholars through appropriate programs, ceremonies, and celebrations during that month.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2742 strengthens penalties for littering and vehicle load violations by adding community service requirements to existing fines. The bill amends state statutes to allow courts to order individuals convicted of violating rules on Commonwealth property, dumping trash in fishing or boating areas, or failing to secure vehicle loads to pick up litter or illegally dumped trash. Additionally, the legislation specifies that a portion of fines collected for unsecured vehicle loads may be directed to local counties with approved litter control programs, while the remainder goes to the state Motor License Fund.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2739 amends state public utility laws to standardize how depreciation is calculated for rate-setting purposes. The bill requires all public utilities to use the Average Life Group depreciation procedure when filing for voluntary rate changes, prohibiting them from proposing alternative methods. It also restricts the Public Utility Commission's authority by preventing it from substituting different depreciation procedures or adjusting expenses in ways that effectively change the calculation method. Instead, the commission's review is limited to verifying that the required procedure was used and determining if the inputs and assumptions are reasonable.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2740 amends state public utility laws to mandate that the Public Utility Commission use a fixed hypothetical capital structure of 50 percent equity and 50 percent debt when calculating rates for electric and gas distribution companies. The bill strictly prohibits regulators from considering a utility's actual financial leverage or the capital structures of its parent companies during rate-setting proceedings. While utilities must still use their actual cost of long-term debt if it was incurred prudently, they are not required to maintain the hypothetical 50-50 balance in their real-world finances. These new rules will apply to all base rate cases filed after the act takes effect, which is set for 60 days after its enactment.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2741 amends the state's Cave Protection Act to introduce a new penalty option for individuals convicted of violating cave-related laws. The bill allows courts to require offenders to perform community service by picking up litter or illegally dumped trash in addition to any other penalties imposed. This provision directly affects people found guilty of damaging or improperly accessing caves, aiming to address environmental harm through direct cleanup efforts.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2734 requires health insurance companies to cover FDA-approved diagnostic tests and treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The mandate applies to insurers offering individual or group health policies in the state, with a compliance deadline of January 1, 2028, unless federal law preempts the requirement. The bill explicitly prohibits insurers from using step therapy for these specific treatments, meaning patients cannot be forced to try other medications first before receiving coverage for approved Alzheimer's therapies.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2729 creates a new misdemeanor of the third degree for animal hoarding, defined as keeping animals in conditions that are unsanitary, unhealthful, malodorous, or dangerous to people, animals, or property. The bill specifies that each animal kept in violation constitutes a separate offense, but it excludes animals classified as agricultural commodities from this definition. For sentencing, the law requires a mental health evaluation of the defendant before any sentence is scheduled. If the court finds that the defendant suffered from a psychological or psychiatric disability at the time of the offense, it must order treatment and stay legal action pending a report on that treatment. Upon successful completion of treatment, the court must order the forfeiture of the animals, prohibit future ownership, reverse the conviction, and expunge the arrest record.