Rep. Milou Mackenzie

Maddy summaryHB 1039 amends Pennsylvania's Local Tax Collection Law to standardize how tax collectors deliver notices to property owners. The bill requires notices to be sent by specific deadlines (July 1 or within 15 days after June 16, depending on when tax duplicates are received) and mandates that each notice include key details like tax amounts, property valuation, payment instructions, and penalty dates. Municipalities with home rule charters may set their own notice deadlines, but the state will provide a uniform notice form to all tax collectors. This affects local tax collectors and property taxpayers by clarifying and streamlining the notice process.

Maddy summaryHB 1031 amends Pennsylvania's nuisance laws to increase penalties for scattering rubbish or illegally dumping trash. It directly affects individuals who litter or dump waste, imposing stricter fines and community service requirements based on offense frequency. For a first offense, penalties include fines up to $2,000 and 5-30 hours of cleanup; repeat offenses escalate to fines up to $5,000 (second offense) or $20,000 (subsequent offenses), with mandatory community service up to 5 years. The bill updates existing penalties under Title 18, Criminal Code, without changing the core definition of the offense. It is scheduled to take effect six months after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 987 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities at public institutions of higher education, including state universities, community colleges, and state-related schools like Penn State and Temple. The bill prohibits requiring ideological statements (such as race-based declarations or DEI-related views), bans DEI offices and staff, mandates specific language in mission statements and handbooks, and restricts DEI-related training and spending. Public institutions must report compliance annually starting December 2025, and the bill allows tenure revocation for DEI violations. It explicitly excludes academic coursework, research, student organizations, and guest speakers from these restrictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1035 amends Pennsylvania's Solid Waste Management Act by adding specific definitions for "advanced recycling" and related terms. It clarifies that plastic waste and waste tires processed through advanced recycling (using methods like pyrolysis) are no longer classified as "municipal waste" or "residual waste" under the law. This change directly affects facilities using advanced recycling technology, reducing their regulatory burden under existing waste management rules. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 975 creates a new state crime in Pennsylvania for trafficking undocumented immigrants. It makes it a third-degree felony to encourage or induce an undocumented immigrant to enter or remain in the state by concealing, harboring, or shielding them from law enforcement or federal immigration authorities, which violates federal law. The offense becomes a second-degree felony if it creates a substantial risk of serious harm, death, involves a minor, or involves knowledge of forced labor or sex work. This law directly affects individuals who facilitate undocumented immigrants' presence in Pennsylvania through concealment, clarifying that such actions are punishable under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 979 requires Pennsylvania state agencies (excluding the Treasury Department, Auditor General, and Attorney General) to assess improper payments in their programs at least every two years, with an initial assessment due within 120 days. Agencies must classify programs by risk level (low, moderate, high), identify root causes of improper payments in high-risk programs, and develop corrective action plans targeting a 3% or lower error rate. The bill mandates that the Office of the Budget publish detailed, real-time data online - including improper payment totals, high-risk program details, corrective plans, and recovery efforts - to increase transparency. This directly affects how state agencies manage spending and report financial accountability to the public and oversight bodies.

Maddy summaryHB 959 amends Pennsylvania's tax code to require the state to pay interest on overpaid personal income taxes. It specifies that interest on refunds will accrue at the same rate used by the U.S. Treasury for federal taxes, starting from the date the overpayment was received. Taxpayers who overpay their state income tax - such as those who paid too much through estimated installments or filed early returns - will now receive interest on the excess amount. The bill also clarifies that no interest applies if a refund is issued within 60 days of the tax return deadline.

Maddy summaryHB 685 requires Pennsylvania schools to accept U.S. currency as payment for admission to school-sponsored activities, such as athletic events, assemblies, or field trips. It applies to all school entities, including public school districts, charter schools, and private schools participating in school activities. The bill mandates that cash must be accepted when fees are charged, while allowing schools to also accept other payment methods like credit cards. It defines "cash" as U.S. coins and paper money recognized as legal tender and clarifies that schools may refuse payments in large denominations that exceed the fee amount.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates October 14, 2025, as "William Penn Day" in Pennsylvania to honor the legacy of William Penn, the founder of the Commonwealth. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups, but formally recognizes Penn's historical contributions through commemorative recognition. The resolution cites his role in establishing Pennsylvania's early governance, religious tolerance, and influence on American founding principles.

Maddy summaryHB 941 amends Pennsylvania law to set a five-year statute of limitations for prosecuting certain major offenses, meaning prosecutors must file charges within five years of the crime's commission. It specifically applies to offenses like attempted murder (without actual murder), conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated assault, burglary, fraud, robbery, and witness intimidation, among others listed in the bill. The bill does not change the crimes themselves but establishes a uniform five-year deadline for initiating prosecutions for these specific offenses. This change affects prosecutors who must file charges within this timeframe and defendants who may face charges within the new window. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.