Rep. Missy Cerrato

Maddy summaryHB 1293 amends Pennsylvania's Housing Authorities Law (1937) to update the policy declaration section (Section 2), reaffirming that unsafe housing conditions harm public health, safety, and the economy, and that housing authorities are necessary to provide safe housing for low and moderate income residents. The bill does not change operational procedures for housing authorities, such as tenant selection, rental rates, or property management, but revises the foundational policy statement justifying their existence. This update directly affects housing authorities by modernizing the legal basis for their work under state law. The bill focuses on clarifying legislative intent without altering existing mechanisms for housing projects or tenant eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution designates May 2025 as "Nurses Month" in Pennsylvania to honor the contributions of nurses across the state. It highlights nurses' critical roles during the pandemic, their daily patient care responsibilities, and their impact on community health without creating new legal requirements or funding. The resolution serves as a symbolic gesture of appreciation for the nursing profession, which includes registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and other specialized roles.

Maddy summaryHB 1288 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide foreign language instruction for all students in kindergarten through grade twelve starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The state Department of Education must develop a toolkit and curriculum guidelines for teaching foreign languages by that time. School districts will then create their own foreign language programs using this state-developed resource, with flexibility to choose a language that aligns with their community's demographics.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 120) recognizes April 2025 as "Financial Literacy Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or allocate funds, but symbolically encourages state-level awareness of financial education. The resolution references the national origins of Financial Literacy Month (first recognized in 2004) and builds on prior federal recognition, including President Biden's 2021 proclamation. It urges continued efforts to advance financial literacy but has no binding effect on policy or programs.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 176 honors law enforcement officers who have died while serving, specifically commemorating Philadelphia Police Officer Jaime Junior Roman, who lost his life on September 10, 2024. The resolution expresses the House of Representatives' deepest sympathy to his family and all families of officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting public safety. It serves as a formal expression of respect for fallen officers, without creating new legal requirements or altering policies.

Maddy summaryHB 502 establishes the Reliable Energy Siting and Electric Transition Board within the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This board is tasked with creating a statewide process for siting large-scale electric generation and energy storage facilities (25+ megawatts for generators, 10+ megawatts for storage). Companies proposing such facilities can seek a "certificate of reliable energy supply" from the board. This certificate aims to ensure efficient development of new energy resources while protecting human health, safety, and the environment. The board comprises representatives from state agencies, labor, and industry, and has the authority to approve or deny applications for these certificates.

Maddy summaryHB 1281 establishes clear duties for Pennsylvania law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts (referred to as "certifying agencies") when processing certification forms required for U visas. The bill directly affects crime victims seeking U visas (which require certification that they were helpful to investigations), their legal representatives, and the agencies handling these requests. Key provisions require certifying officials to respond to petitions, develop and publicly post a detailed processing protocol (including online), and maintain records of all certifications. This bill does not change U visa eligibility but standardizes how Pennsylvania agencies handle the certification process for victims of qualifying crimes.

Maddy summaryHB 1284 amends Pennsylvania's Insurance Company Law of 1921 to expand dental coverage for uninsured children. The bill requires that frenectomies and other surgical procedures to treat lip-ties or tongue-ties be included as part of the minimum emergency, preventive, and routine dental care package for eligible children. It also mandates that dental providers contracting with insurers for these services offer frenectomies as a covered routine dental service. This legislation directly affects uninsured children receiving care through state contracts and the dental providers who serve them.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 1287, updates Pennsylvania's personal income tax provisions for low-income individuals and families. It increases the income threshold for full tax forgiveness or a refund from $6,500 to $10,000 for individuals and from $13,000 to $20,000 for married couples. The bill also introduces an annual cost-of-living adjustment for these poverty income amounts, based on the regional Consumer Price Index. This mechanism ensures that the eligibility thresholds for tax relief can increase over time, reflecting changes in the cost of living.

Maddy summaryHB 1285 prohibits Pennsylvania Commonwealth government entities, law enforcement agencies, peace officers, and political subdivisions from cooperating with out-of-state investigations related to abortion. These entities are forbidden from providing information or using resources to assist investigations that seek to impose civil or criminal liability for abortion services or related activities that are legal in Pennsylvania. This includes actions like providing, seeking, receiving, or assisting with abortion or related inquiries. The bill does not apply if the out-of-state investigation itself would violate Pennsylvania law.