Rep. Joe Ciresi

Maddy summaryHB 338 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to update attendance reporting requirements for charter, regional charter, and cyber charter schools. It requires all such schools to report unexcused absences annually to the state education department via the Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS). Additionally, cyber charter schools must report each student's weekly attendance directly to their district of residence starting in the 2024-2025 school year. These changes apply specifically to charter school attendance tracking, not to traditional public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 320 amends Pennsylvania's public utility law to strengthen notice requirements for rate changes. It requires utilities to provide 60 days' advance notice to the Public Utility Commission and customers about proposed rate changes, using plain language in all customer communications. The bill mandates that rate change notices must clearly highlight the change on mail envelopes or exteriors, and all changes must be filed as new or updated tariffs. This directly affects utility companies (like gas, electric, and water providers) and their customers by increasing transparency around billing adjustments. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 323 requires nonprofit corporations (both domestic and foreign with 200+ Pennsylvania employees) to meet specific conditions to receive state contracts, funding, or grants. Key provisions include: prohibiting eligibility if the nonprofit violated federal labor laws in the past five years, was found guilty of unfair labor practices in Pennsylvania within five years, or fails to submit bylaws requiring at least 20% of board members to be current employees elected by staff. Healthcare-related funding (like Medicaid reimbursements) and past violations occurring before the law's effective date are exempt. The law applies to new state contracts, funding, or grants approved on or after its effective date, which is 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 332 requires Pennsylvania public schools (K-12) to incorporate media literacy education into their curriculum starting the school year after the law takes effect. The state Department of Education must develop an age-appropriate model curriculum within six months, covering skills like identifying bias, recognizing misinformation, understanding media influence, and evaluating messages. School districts must adopt this curriculum, and the state will provide free resources and teacher training through public websites. This law directly affects all Pennsylvania public school students and educators by mandating concrete media literacy instruction.

Maddy summaryHB 314 amends Pennsylvania law to allow county commissioners to use telecommunications devices (like phones or computers with audio capability) for public meetings and to count remote participants toward quorum requirements. The bill directly affects county commissioners and the public by enabling virtual attendance at county board meetings while maintaining legal validity for decision-making. Key provisions include adding Section 12503(c) to permit audio-based remote participation and amending Section 12504(a) to include teleconferenced commissioners in quorum calculations. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment, standardizing remote meeting procedures for county governance.

Maddy summaryHB 287 establishes the Survivor-Centered, Accessible, Fair and Empowering Housing Trust Fund within Pennsylvania's state treasury. The fund provides emergency, transitional, and permanent housing programs with support services specifically for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, human trafficking, and stalking, including their immediate family members. It requires housing programs to be accessible regardless of an individual's sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency will manage the fund, and the bill amends the state's Fiscal Code to create this dedicated funding source. This is a direct policy change creating a new state trust fund for targeted housing assistance.

Maddy summaryHB 293 requires dealers who buy electronic devices (like phones or tablets) from the public for resale to obtain a $50 annual license from their county sheriff. It mandates dealers to verify sellers' identities with photo ID, keep detailed transaction records for 180 days, and share copies with the district attorney within 24 hours. Dealers must also retain purchased devices unaltered for five business days to allow law enforcement inspections. The bill directly affects pawn shops, thrift stores, and other resellers of used electronics, not new-device retailers or charities. Violations may result in penalties, though specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summaryHB 303 amends Pennsylvania's sales tax code to exclude construction materials and services purchased by contractors for affordable housing projects from state sales tax. It directly affects construction contractors working on housing defined as "affordable" under existing law (section 1902-A), covering projects involving construction, remodeling, repair, or maintenance. The bill adds a new tax exclusion (section 204(77)) to the 1971 Tax Reform Code, removing sales tax liability for these specific materials and services. This policy change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 2025 as "Career and Technical Education Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs through a state-wide observance. The resolution highlights CTE's role in providing students with skills, credentials, and pathways to stable careers, noting that approximately 68,576 students (12% of high school grades) participated in CTE programs in 2024. It directly affects Pennsylvanians by raising public awareness of CTE's value to students, businesses, and the state's economy.

Maddy summaryHB 302 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to provide school districts with additional funds to reduce property taxes for homeowners with farmstead or homestead properties. School districts receive $1,000 for each qualifying property (farmstead or homestead) within their boundaries, which they must use to lower the real estate tax bill for each such property by up to $1,000 or 50% of the tax due, whichever is less. Property owners with farmstead or homestead status directly benefit from this tax reduction, while school districts must report qualifying property counts and tax reduction amounts to the Department of Education for verification. This bill creates a new funding mechanism to provide targeted property tax relief without changing existing tax rates or eligibility rules.