Rep. Joe Ciresi

Maddy summaryHB 385 clarifies that funds collected under Pennsylvania's Dog Law (1982 act) will continue flowing directly to the Department of Agriculture, unaffected by new accounting rules in Title 42. The bill amends a section about court deposits to explicitly exclude these specific fines and fees from being redirected by the new provisions. This is a technical correction affecting only funds from the Dog Law, not changing the law itself or creating new policies. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 374 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to strengthen reporting requirements for campaign finance. It requires any individual or organization (including 501(c) groups) making independent expenditures over $100 in a year to report the candidate or ballot question they support, using the same forms as political committees. Additionally, it mandates that candidates, political committees, or organizations making contributions or independent expenditures over $500 after the final pre-election report must file a report within 24 hours via fax, mail, or in-person appearance. This bill directly affects candidates, political committees, and entities making significant campaign expenditures. The changes aim to increase transparency around late contributions and independent spending.

Maddy summaryHR 41 is a resolution directing Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study emergency child care needs and develop recommendations. The study will examine current availability (including Pennsylvania's 12 crisis nurseries), staffing challenges (like low wages averaging $12.43/hour), funding sources (including federal programs), and how other states license facilities. It requires the Commission to form an advisory committee with child care providers, parents, health/human services officials, and county representatives. The Commission must submit its report to the House within 18 months. This resolution does not create new laws but aims to inform future policy decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 357 amends Pennsylvania's 1971 Tax Reform Code to exempt specific property transfers from realty transfer tax. It directly affects surviving spouses and minor children of public safety personnel (police, firefighters, etc.) who died while performing official duties, as defined by the 1976 Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act. The key provision excludes transfers where the property was the deceased's principal residence, and the transfer occurs within five years of death under defined conditions (e.g., the surviving spouse married within one year before the death, or the property was the deceased's residence regardless of the child's current residence). This creates a tax exemption for these specific family transitions without altering the broader tax structure. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 335, the Child Day-Care Center Protection Act, requires new child day-care centers in Pennsylvania to obtain two certifications before licensure: an indoor contamination assessment (if the building was previously a high-hazard business like a dry cleaner or nail salon) and an environmental quality certification confirming remediation. It directly affects new day-care centers seeking licensure, particularly those operating in older buildings or sites previously used for industrial or high-hazard purposes. The bill establishes a grant program funded by the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund to help offset certification costs and imposes fines up to $50,000 for false statements or failure to comply. Existing licensed centers are exempt from these new certification requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 334 creates a $2,500 Pennsylvania Individual Recruitment and Retention Tax Credit for specific new professionals who move to the state after December 2024. It directly affects qualifying taxpayers certified in teaching (e.g., instructional or special education certificates), law enforcement (e.g., police academy graduates), or healthcare (e.g., registered nurses) who become Pennsylvania residents and secure employment in those fields. The credit reduces their state income tax bill for wages earned in qualifying roles, available for three consecutive years (including the first qualifying year), and requires proof of certification to the Department of Revenue. The credit expires December 31, 2030, and applies only to individuals becoming qualifying taxpayers between 2025 and 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 343 amends Pennsylvania's 1951 Landlord and Tenant Act to strengthen tenant protections in tenement and multiple-dwelling rental properties. It defines "abandoned" property (when landlords fail to make timely repairs, respond to tenant concerns, or fix code violations) and requires lenders to notify tenants and verify property habitability before approving home equity loans. Tenants can petition municipalities to investigate abandonment, which may lead to civil penalties covering rehabilitation costs. If a property enters receivership, a court-appointed receiver must maintain habitability and notify local authorities, who can impose penalties for noncompliance. These changes directly affect landlords, tenants, lenders, and municipalities managing residential rental properties.

Maddy summaryHB 360 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to adopt clear written policies addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence. These policies must inform victims of their legal rights, meet or exceed a state model, include specific investigation timelines, and provide protections for victims and witnesses during investigations. The bill directly affects all postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania by mandating standardized, legally compliant procedures for handling such incidents. It does not change criminal law or provide new victim services, but sets requirements for institutional policy and process. The bill is pending in the Education Committee as introduced in January 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 341 requires Pennsylvania public schools to install certified point-of-use filters on all drinking water outlets by January 1, 2027, and replace older fountains without filters with bottle-filling stations or filtered fountains (at least one per 100 students/staff). It establishes a $10 million annual Safe Schools Drinking Water Fund to provide grants for filter installation and fountain replacement, prioritizing schools built before 2014 and those serving prekindergarten students. The bill also mandates schools to publicly report their compliance plans, filter maintenance schedules, and lead risk information online, while new outlets must meet strict lead-leaching standards (NSF 61). This directly affects all Pennsylvania public school entities, focusing on reducing lead exposure in drinking water.

Maddy summaryHB 329 modifies Pennsylvania's school funding formula to adjust how state funds are distributed to school districts starting in fiscal year 2025-2026. It creates a new "Senior Citizen Tax Freeze" program (Section 504.1), allowing eligible seniors (65+ who own their homes) to freeze school property taxes at their base payment level, preventing increases beyond that amount. Seniors must apply within 45 days of tax due dates, provide proof of ownership and payment, and the state will reimburse school districts for tax increases above the base amount starting April 2025. The program is funded through the existing Property Tax Relief Reserve Fund, with payments made annually from that fund. This directly affects seniors owning homesteads in Pennsylvania school districts.