Rep. Milou Mackenzie

Maddy summaryHB 1273 repeals Pennsylvania's requirement that taxpayers make payments of $15,000 or more electronically for personal income tax, along with related penalties for non-compliance. It replaces these rules by adding a new provision requiring the Department of Revenue to accept all payment methods without penalties for taxpayers. This bill directly affects individuals and businesses paying Pennsylvania personal income tax, removing a specific electronic payment mandate and associated fines. The changes take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, making all payment methods equally acceptable without penalty.

Maddy summaryHB 1271 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to add protections for free speech at public colleges and universities. It prohibits public institutions from creating "bias reporting systems" that could lead to punishment for speech, including political expression, protests, or guest speakers. The bill also bans punishing students or staff for "protected expressive activity" and prevents charging higher security fees based on speech content. Public institutions must maintain harassment policies but cannot use them to suppress protected speech. This applies to all 14 public institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania, including state universities and community colleges.

Maddy summaryHB 1272 amends Pennsylvania's electric utility laws to restructure the industry by defining key terms and setting new requirements for electric distribution companies. It introduces "long-term resource adequacy agreements" (where companies invest in new generation resources like natural gas, nuclear, battery storage, or renewable energy in exchange for customer surcharges) and mandates that utilities procure power through a "prudent mix" of spot market purchases, short-term contracts, and long-term contracts (up to 30 years) designed to ensure reliable service at reasonable cost. The bill directly affects electric distribution companies, which must now follow these procurement rules, and Pennsylvania customers, who may see costs reflected in nonbypassable surcharges. The law requires the state commission to evaluate utility plans based on achieving "reasonable cost" generation supply while maintaining reliability, with specific findings needed for approval.

Maddy summaryHB 1238 requires Pennsylvania public schools (including charter and cyber charter schools) to adopt policies restricting student mobile device use during instructional time. School boards must create written policies specifying secure storage options (like lockboxes), retrieval procedures, and parent-communication methods during class. Exceptions allow device use for medical needs, disability accommodations, language learning, volunteer emergency duties, or teacher-approved educational purposes. The bill defines "instructional time" as class periods, excluding breaks or lunch, and prohibits school-owned devices from being covered under this restriction. This policy applies to all students in school buildings during instructional hours.

Maddy summaryHB 1198 amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to change how the Department of Revenue examines personal income tax records. It requires the department to conduct in-person examinations (at the taxpayer's location) for requests involving 25 or more pages of documents and mandates 14 business days' written notice to taxpayers before such examinations. This procedural change applies to all personal income taxpayers subject to tax audits. The bill does not alter tax rates, eligibility, or liability - only the process for document review during examinations.

Maddy summaryHB 1206 would add a new section to Pennsylvania's Public School Code allowing public schools (including districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) to employ or approve volunteer "certified school chaplains." These chaplains must be certified by organizations like the National School Chaplain Association and pass background checks required for school staff/volunteers, but do not need state certification. School boards must vote within six months of the law's effective date to decide whether to permit chaplains in their schools. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania public schools and their students/employees who may interact with chaplains, creating a framework for optional chaplain services.

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 1235 updates Pennsylvania's Election Code to strengthen oversight of electronic voting systems. It adds definitions for "ballot set" (different ballot types like mail-in or in-person) and "ballot style" (specific candidate arrangements per district), and requires county election boards to conduct mandatory pre-election logic and accuracy testing. This testing ensures voting machines are properly programmed, ballot layouts match official designs, and equipment accurately counts votes before each election. The bill directly affects county election boards, which must complete these tests and document results for all voting equipment used in upcoming elections.

Maddy summaryHB 1190 amends Pennsylvania law to automatically classify veteran-owned small businesses as "small diverse businesses" under Title 51 (Military Affairs). This change eliminates the need for veteran-owned small businesses to seek separate verification to qualify under programs designated for small diverse businesses. The bill directly affects veteran entrepreneurs operating small businesses in Pennsylvania who previously faced additional administrative steps. The policy takes effect 60 days after enactment, streamlining access to relevant state contracting and support programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1182 would allow biological mothers to seek court-ordered financial support from biological fathers for an unborn child, starting from the mother's first prenatal medical visit. Courts could order retroactive payments and require fathers to pay based on their financial ability, but paternity establishment would need the mother's consent and couldn't risk harm to the unborn child. The bill excludes cases where a father terminated parental rights solely for sperm donation used in artificial insemination. This amendment to Pennsylvania's domestic relations law takes effect 60 days after enactment.