Rep. Jeanne McNeill

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a program called the Linked Deposit Impact Pennsylvania Act to help small, for-profit businesses owned by Pennsylvania residents that employ 100 or fewer people and earn less than $10 million annually. Under the plan, the State Treasurer would place funds with approved local banks, which then agree to lend that same amount to eligible small businesses at a reduced interest rate. The legislation requires banks to follow standard lending practices to check borrower creditworthiness and prohibits them from charging fees for participating in the program. Ultimately, the State Treasurer manages the program by reviewing loan applications and deciding how much money to deposit with each participating bank.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local governments in Pennsylvania to charge fees to taxpayers who owe delinquent per capita, poll, or occupation taxes. The fees are intended to cover the costs of sending notices about unpaid taxes and other collection efforts, and the money collected goes directly to the tax collector. Local officials must keep a detailed record of these fees and can only charge for costs incurred within five years of when the tax was due. The law also prevents taxpayers from suing to get these fees back and stops the use of contingency fees for collecting these specific taxes.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how local governments in Pennsylvania handle the collection of unpaid taxes for specific categories like income, occupation, and local services. It removes the requirement for tax collectors to send a registered or certified mail notice to taxpayers before taking collection action against their employers. Instead, local authorities can now charge taxpayers for the costs of sending notices or using other collection procedures, provided these costs are approved by the local governing body. Additionally, the bill limits the time window for collecting these specific costs to five years from the date the tax was originally due.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates Passover and Yom Kippur as official days of religious observance within Pennsylvania. It formally recognizes the First Day of Passover and Yom Kippur in state statutes to acknowledge their significance to the Jewish community, which includes over 400,000 residents. However, the legislation explicitly states that these designations do not require employers or the state government to treat these days as legal holidays or to provide paid time off. The changes serve to officially record the dates of these observances without mandating any specific accommodations for workers.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania laws to improve how electric utilities manage energy efficiency programs and streamline the approval process for their plans. It requires the state commission to decide on utility plans within 120 days and allows companies 60 days to revise rejected plans, while also protecting the inclusion of mechanical insulation unless proven cost-ineffective. The legislation clarifies definitions for key terms like "energy efficiency measures," which now explicitly include solar panels, efficient windows, and various heating and cooling technologies, and establishes standards for quality assurance and cost-benefit testing.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a consumer data privacy framework that defines the responsibilities of data controllers and processors while setting penalties for non-compliance. It clarifies that controllers are entities that determine how personal information is used and requires them to implement reasonable safeguards to protect collected data. The legislation specifies that publicly available information and certain mathematical representations of data are excluded from the definition of personal information, and it includes exemptions for financial institutions. Additionally, the bill outlines procedures for consumers to opt out of data processing and grants them a 60-day window to correct errors in their data requests.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes rules for how Pennsylvania can use money from the Veterans' Trust Fund. It prohibits the state from using these funds to pay salaries for administrative staff working at veterans' or charitable organizations, though medical care providers are exempt from this restriction. Additionally, the law limits grants or assistance to any single organization to a maximum of $250,000 over a three-year period. These changes apply immediately to the State Veterans' Commission and the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans' Affairs.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill requires school districts to print a 24/7 accessible suicide prevention hotline number on student identification cards for grades six through twelve. It also mandates that school safety coordinators ensure the same hotline number is prominently displayed on school websites and in the offices of counselors, principals, and administrators. These changes aim to make mental health resources more visible and accessible to students and staff within the school environment.

Maddy summaryHB 1490 modifies the Acupuncture Licensure Act to require licensed acupuncturists to complete specific continuing education hours. This mandate aligns with existing requirements for physicians and osteopathic doctors under separate medical practice laws. The bill ensures that acupuncture professionals maintain updated knowledge through standardized training similar to other licensed healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryHB 350 updates Pennsylvania's domestic relations laws to modernize how parentage is established and how parental rights are handled in adoption and support cases. The bill enacts the Uniform Parentage Act, which introduces new procedures for voluntary acknowledgment of parentage, genetic testing, and legal processes for assisted reproduction and surrogacy. It also repeals older sections regarding paternity acknowledgment and clarifies the rules for terminating parental rights when a father does not contest an adoption hearing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal grounds for courts to exercise jurisdiction over nonresident parents and ensures clearer notice requirements for all parties involved in these proceedings.