Rep. Mark Gillen

Maddy summaryHB 279 amends Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law to require state agencies (Commonwealth, legislative, and judicial) to submit contracts over $10,000 to the Treasury Department within 10 days of execution. Agencies must provide a detailed summary including contract dates, amounts, parties, and subject matter, and submit semi-annual attestations confirming compliance. Non-compliant agencies risk delayed or rejected payments for associated contracts. This bill directly affects all state agencies entering qualifying contracts, increasing the reporting threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 while standardizing contract data submission and public disclosure.

Maddy summaryHB 284 requires Pennsylvania voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote for the first time. Acceptable documents include birth certificates, passports, naturalization papers, driver's licenses showing citizenship verification, or other federal-issued proof as listed in the bill. County election offices must verify this documentation before finalizing voter registrations for federal, state, and local elections. The bill applies to all new registrants and aligns with federal voter registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 2025 as "Career and Technical Education Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs through a state-wide observance. The resolution highlights CTE's role in providing students with skills, credentials, and pathways to stable careers, noting that approximately 68,576 students (12% of high school grades) participated in CTE programs in 2024. It directly affects Pennsylvanians by raising public awareness of CTE's value to students, businesses, and the state's economy.

Maddy summaryHB 302 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to provide school districts with additional funds to reduce property taxes for homeowners with farmstead or homestead properties. School districts receive $1,000 for each qualifying property (farmstead or homestead) within their boundaries, which they must use to lower the real estate tax bill for each such property by up to $1,000 or 50% of the tax due, whichever is less. Property owners with farmstead or homestead status directly benefit from this tax reduction, while school districts must report qualifying property counts and tax reduction amounts to the Department of Education for verification. This bill creates a new funding mechanism to provide targeted property tax relief without changing existing tax rates or eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHB 285 increases fees for constables in Pennsylvania for specific court-related services in both civil and criminal cases. It raises civil service fees (e.g., from $13 to $20 for serving a complaint) and criminal fees (e.g., from $25 to $50 per warrant execution), with updated amounts for levies, sales, returns, and transportation. The bill clarifies that counties do not pay surcharges for indigent defendants in criminal cases. These changes directly affect constables who perform court services and the defendants or counties paying these fees. The bill amends existing statutes to update fee schedules without altering eligibility or procedural requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 297 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle registration law to create new exemptions for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) used by emergency services. It allows police, fire, and emergency medical agencies to operate ATVs without registration when primarily used off-highway and only incidentally on public roads. The bill specifies different highway travel limits: up to 2 miles in higher-class counties (1st-3rd class) and up to 15 miles in lower-class counties (4th-8th class). These ATVs must still comply with visual/audible signal requirements for emergency vehicles. The change directly affects emergency departments in specific county classifications across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 243 requires Pennsylvania's state budget to include a seven-year financial statement covering actual spending from the prior fiscal year, current year estimates, next year's proposed budget, and four years of financial projections for all active Commonwealth funds. The bill amends the 1929 Administrative Code to mandate this comprehensive financial outlook in budget submissions to the General Assembly. This change updates the budget process to provide a longer-term view of state finances without altering existing spending levels or budget amounts. The requirement applies to all active Commonwealth funds, including special, government, proprietary, and fiduciary funds.

Maddy summaryHB 234 amends Pennsylvania's Second Class Township Code to establish a fee structure for storm water management facilities, systems, and plans. Townships may charge reasonable, property-based fees that cannot exceed costs required by federal and state storm water regulations. The bill requires townships to offer exemptions or credits for properties with approved storm water facilities or for agricultural operations using USDA-approved best management practices. This change directly affects townships and property owners by creating a standardized approach to funding storm water infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 235 amends Pennsylvania law to allow municipal stormwater authorities to establish rates based on property characteristics, such as the installation and maintenance of approved stormwater management practices. The bill specifically permits authorities to set rates considering features like land use, while requiring practices to be approved and inspected by the authority. It also includes an exception for agricultural operations, allowing rates to be based on USDA or state-approved conservation practices. This change gives local governments more flexibility in funding stormwater management programs through targeted rate structures.

Maddy summaryHB 271 establishes a grant program to help financially struggling or geographically isolated hospitals in Pennsylvania avoid closing or cutting services. Hospitals must meet specific criteria (e.g., three consecutive years of financial losses or being over 25 miles from another hospital) and apply through the Department of Health to receive funds. Grants must be used solely to maintain operations - prohibiting executive pay - and applicants must certify they’ve explored partnerships with other providers. The Department of Health will review applications within 60 days and award funds until December 31, 2029, or until the allocated budget is exhausted.