Rep. Milou Mackenzie

Maddy summaryHB 236 amends Pennsylvania's obscenity law to explicitly exempt public libraries, school/university libraries, and state or municipal archives from the offense of displaying obscene materials. The bill updates Section 5903(j) of Title 18 to clarify that recognized historical societies, museums, public libraries, and educational institution libraries are not subject to these restrictions. This change directly affects libraries and archives operating under educational or governmental supervision by removing ambiguity about their legal protections. The amendment does not create new offenses but ensures these institutions can legally display materials as part of their public service.

Maddy summaryHB 248 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide parents or legal guardians with specific information about student clubs and organizations (including mission, activities, faculty advisor, and meeting details) at least two weeks before participation begins. Schools must obtain written parental permission for students to join any club or organization, and parents may withdraw permission at any time in writing. The bill mandates that consent forms be simple and accessible, prohibiting schools from making withdrawal more difficult than granting permission. This applies to all school-sponsored clubs, including cheerleading, band, and chorus, directly affecting parents, students, and school boards under the Public School Code.

Maddy summaryHB 155 requires voting system vendors in Pennsylvania to annually disclose known defects in electronic voting systems by January 1 of odd-numbered years, including the defect's impact and corrective measures. Vendors must also report new defects within 30 days. The Department of State can suspend sales, leases, or election use of defective systems and impose a $25,000 civil penalty plus investigation costs for failures to disclose or cure defects. This bill directly affects voting system vendors, the Department of State, and county election boards, which may request investigations into suspected defects. The law aims to ensure transparency and accountability in electronic voting system safety without altering voter eligibility or ballot counting procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 124 amends Pennsylvania's Regulatory Review Act to require state agencies to provide detailed documentation when adopting guidance from international bodies like the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum. Specifically, agencies must submit a regulatory analysis form including (1) a statement showing how the international guidance applies to Pennsylvania, and (2) a detailed explanation of the data source used to justify its applicability, with the burden of proof on the agency. This applies to all new proposed regulations that reference such international guidance. The bill adds these requirements to the existing review process for state regulations, effective 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 130 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Pennsylvania to fund public education by allocating state resources directly to individual students, allowing them to attend schools that meet their needs. This would shift funding from the current district-based system to a per-student allocation model, mandating that education spending follow students to their chosen schools. The amendment also requires the state to maintain a thorough and efficient public education system. It would directly affect all public school students and the state's education funding structure.

Maddy summaryHB 153 amends Pennsylvania's 1887 time law to automatically adopt year-round daylight saving time if Congress authorizes it. Currently, Pennsylvania observes daylight saving time from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. The bill would change this to year-round daylight saving time without further state action if federal law permits it. This affects all Pennsylvanians, businesses, and public institutions that rely on standardized time for daily operations, schedules, and legal compliance. The change would take effect 60 days after the bill is signed, but only if Congress passes legislation allowing year-round daylight saving time.

Maddy summaryHB 163 amends Pennsylvania's 1980 law to prohibit entities from "countries of concern" (including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, and Venezuela) and foreign governments from acquiring agricultural land, except through inheritance or as security for debt. It requires title companies to verify compliance with the law, imposing a $1,000 civil penalty for willful failure to do so, and authorizes the Attorney General to investigate violations. Violating entities must forfeit the land to the Commonwealth, which will sell it at auction; proceeds cover sale costs, reimburse the Attorney General for investigation expenses, pay lienholders, and then fund the General Fund. The law defines agricultural land broadly (including cropland and livestock operations) but excludes mineral rights and non-farm zoning.

Maddy summaryHB 127 amends Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to require businesses to accept cash payments for in-person retail transactions under $500. This directly affects Pennsylvania retailers (like stores and service providers) and consumers who pay with cash for qualifying purchases. The bill defines refusing such cash payments as an unfair or deceptive practice, unless the business has a visible written policy stating it won't accept cash above a specific denomination (e.g., $100 bills) and posts this policy before the transaction. Exceptions allow businesses to set high-denomination cash limits if properly disclosed, but they cannot refuse cash outright for transactions under $500.

Maddy summaryHB 154 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to establish new requirements for voting machine certification and operation. It requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to examine and approve machines, including testing software, fail-safes, and equipment reliability, and mandates that newly approved machines after 2026 must use open-source software, be manufactured in the U.S., and comply with federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. County election boards must publicly test machines 35 days before elections, with notices published online and video recordings shared publicly. Existing machines purchased before 2026 are exempt from new requirements. The bill directly affects county election boards, voting machine vendors, and election security processes across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 152 amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to exclude housing allowances provided by churches or religious organizations to ordained, commissioned, or licensed clergy from personal income tax. This applies to individuals who conduct religious worship, perform sacerdotal duties, and administer sacraments under their church's tenets, regardless of whether the housing is on church-owned property. The change affects clergy members receiving such housing allowances, making those amounts non-taxable for income tax purposes. The exclusion takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023.