Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz

Maddy summaryHB 612 amends Pennsylvania's Scrap Material Theft Prevention Act to require scrap processors and recycling facilities to collect specific identification details from sellers during scrap material transactions exceeding $100 or involving catalytic converters. Key provisions include collecting driver's license copies, vehicle license plate numbers, seller signatures, and for catalytic converters, vehicle details (year/make/model/VIN), photographs of the converter, and the seller. The bill also mandates a 48-hour payment hold on catalytic converter transactions until law enforcement or a judge authorizes release, with facilities required to keep converters intact during this period. Violations carry fines starting at $5,000 for catalytic converter non-compliance and up to $2,500 for other failures, with repeat offenses classified as misdemeanors.

Maddy summaryHB 614 establishes Pennsylvania's Shared Housing and Resource Exchange Program, designed to help residents aged 60 or older who need housing find shared living arrangements with approved hosts. The Department of Aging will operate the program, requiring hosts to have at least two bedrooms (with one exclusively for the participant), charge no more than 30% of the participant's gross monthly income in rent, and sign a home-sharing agreement. The department will match participants with hosts based on location, lifestyle, and preferences, then facilitate the agreements. The program will be funded by state appropriations and take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 609 requires builders to notify residential property owners about construction defects they discover. Builders must send a written notice within 30 days via certified mail, including a description of the defect, the reason for knowing about it, and their contact information. This applies only to residential properties and does not apply if 15+ years have passed since construction. Builders who fail to notify (without reasonable cause) must pay the owner’s actual damages, but the notice itself doesn’t create liability or limit other legal remedies. The bill takes effect in 60 days.

Maddy summaryHB 626 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry to create and distribute a clear, plain-language notice to sheriffs about local building and zoning requirements after real estate foreclosure sales. The notice must list municipal contacts, indicate whether each municipality enforces Pennsylvania's Uniform Construction Code, and explain permit needs for property construction. Sheriffs must then provide this notice to all purchasers at sheriff's sales - both online and at the sale location - so new owners understand mandatory building rules before starting work. This applies specifically to properties sold under Pennsylvania's Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law and Real Estate Tax Sale Law. The notice must be updated annually by the Department and delivered to sheriffs by December 31 each year.

Maddy summaryHB 631 proposes adding a new "economic bill of rights" to Pennsylvania's state constitution, guaranteeing four specific rights: a living wage for supporting a family (Section 30a), affordable healthcare and health opportunities (30b), safe transportation infrastructure (30c), and safe working conditions (30d). This constitutional amendment would directly affect all Pennsylvania residents by establishing these economic rights as fundamental. The resolution outlines the process requiring two legislative passages by the General Assembly, followed by voter approval at the next eligible election. If approved by voters, it would become part of Pennsylvania's constitution.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to jointly conduct a statewide study of school cafeteria services across all school districts. The study would establish meal quality standards (including portion sizes and vegetarian/vegan options by grade level), compare current meals to those standards, analyze preparation and student meal costs, and recommend legislative actions to improve nutrition. It requires the departments to issue a public report with findings and recommendations within one year. The resolution directly affects all Pennsylvania public school districts by initiating a formal review of meal services and costs.

Maddy summaryHB 637 establishes Pennsylvania's Youth Summer Employment Grant Program, administered by the Department of Labor and Industry. The program provides grants to eligible employers (including businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities) who hire residents aged 15-18 for at least eight weeks during summer, pay at least $15/hour or the state minimum wage, and offer work or educational experiences. Grants amount to $5,000 for 10-20 youth, $10,000 for over 20 youth, with an additional $5,000 if 50% of hired youth live in historically disadvantaged communities (defined as areas with ≥20% poverty for 30+ years). Funding comes from a new nonlapsing Youth Summer Employment Fund in the State Treasury, with the department required to advertise the program to employers and schools.

Maddy summaryHB 658 allows first-class cities and townships in Pennsylvania to temporarily hire retired police officers back for up to five years to address staffing shortages. Police departments must establish a program where retired officers complete an eight-week training course and agree not to have disciplinary records. Retired officers must choose between keeping their full retirement benefits or temporarily pausing them during participation, with credited service for retirement benefits applied upon return. The program expires six years after implementation and only applies to officers retiring before the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 669 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to establish standardized early voting procedures for all county elections. The bill requires counties to offer in-person early voting for 30 days before each election (ending the day before Election Day), with specific operating hours: weekday mornings to mid-afternoon, extended hours on the final weekend, and additional holiday hours. It mandates county boards to set up permanent early voting locations based on population size (e.g., at least one location in each of the three largest municipalities in counties over 250,000 people). This directly affects all registered Pennsylvania voters by expanding access to early voting through structured, location-based provisions.

Maddy summaryHR 78 is a resolution directing Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study how effectively the state supports infants affected by prenatal substance exposure or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It requires forming an advisory committee - including health, human services, and substance use experts plus a parent with lived experience - to evaluate current "plans of safe care" implementation, including barriers like duplicate reporting requirements and gaps in tracking infant outcomes. The study will assess coordination between health, child welfare, and treatment systems, cost implications, and alignment of policies across agencies. The committee must issue findings within 18 months, focusing on improving support for infants and families without changing existing laws.