Rep. Ben Sanchez

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates September 1, 2026, as "National Hotel Employee Day" within the state. The measure serves to formally acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the approximately 62,435 hotel workers in the Commonwealth. It highlights the role these employees play in the hospitality industry and their impact on local communities and tourism.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2742 strengthens penalties for littering and vehicle load violations by adding community service requirements to existing fines. The bill amends state statutes to allow courts to order individuals convicted of violating rules on Commonwealth property, dumping trash in fishing or boating areas, or failing to secure vehicle loads to pick up litter or illegally dumped trash. Additionally, the legislation specifies that a portion of fines collected for unsecured vehicle loads may be directed to local counties with approved litter control programs, while the remainder goes to the state Motor License Fund.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2737 amends the state's Public School Code to require annual reporting on student wait lists for career and technical education programs. The bill mandates that area career and technical boards submit data on the number of students waiting for enrollment in specific programs to the Department of Education by July 1 each year. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Education to report this wait list information, broken down by program, to the state legislature's standing education committees annually.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2740 amends state public utility laws to mandate that the Public Utility Commission use a fixed hypothetical capital structure of 50 percent equity and 50 percent debt when calculating rates for electric and gas distribution companies. The bill strictly prohibits regulators from considering a utility's actual financial leverage or the capital structures of its parent companies during rate-setting proceedings. While utilities must still use their actual cost of long-term debt if it was incurred prudently, they are not required to maintain the hypothetical 50-50 balance in their real-world finances. These new rules will apply to all base rate cases filed after the act takes effect, which is set for 60 days after its enactment.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2741 amends the state's Cave Protection Act to introduce a new penalty option for individuals convicted of violating cave-related laws. The bill allows courts to require offenders to perform community service by picking up litter or illegally dumped trash in addition to any other penalties imposed. This provision directly affects people found guilty of damaging or improperly accessing caves, aiming to address environmental harm through direct cleanup efforts.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2733, known as the Banked Use for Maternity Protection Act, requires employers to provide eligible employees with a dedicated account containing 24 hours of paid leave specifically for prenatal medical appointments and related travel. To qualify, an employee must have worked for the same employer in the Commonwealth for at least 30 days, after which the employer must establish this separate account within two days of notification. The bill mandates that this leave be compensated at the employee's regular rate and count toward seniority and benefits, while prohibiting employers from forcing staff to use other types of leave or retaliating against them for utilizing these protections. Employers with 15 or fewer employees may apply for a six-month hardship exemption, and violations of the act are subject to fines of up to $50,000 per instance.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2734 requires health insurance companies to cover FDA-approved diagnostic tests and treatments that slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The mandate applies to insurers offering individual or group health policies in the state, with a compliance deadline of January 1, 2028, unless federal law preempts the requirement. The bill explicitly prohibits insurers from using step therapy for these specific treatments, meaning patients cannot be forced to try other medications first before receiving coverage for approved Alzheimer's therapies.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2731 directs the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to work with the Department of General Services to procure opioid antagonists through a competitive process. The bill mandates that cost-effectiveness must account for at least 90% of the decision-making weight, while also considering product efficacy, availability, brand type, and shelf life. Additionally, it requires the department to submit an annual report on the procurement strategy and vendor selection to legislative committee leaders starting in 2028.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 594 directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on Pennsylvania's parole system and submit a report with reform recommendations within 18 months. The study is required to examine several specific areas, including the consistency of parole board decisions across different demographic groups and the current rules for recommitting individuals who commit technical violations rather than new crimes. Additionally, the commission must evaluate the feasibility of creating "geriatric parole" options for inmates over age 55 and streamlined administrative parole for low-risk offenders convicted of minor offenses. The resolution also calls for an assessment of how well current reentry planning programs work to help released individuals reintegrate into society and a review of policies used by other states to balance public safety with successful reintegration.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2729 creates a new misdemeanor of the third degree for animal hoarding, defined as keeping animals in conditions that are unsanitary, unhealthful, malodorous, or dangerous to people, animals, or property. The bill specifies that each animal kept in violation constitutes a separate offense, but it excludes animals classified as agricultural commodities from this definition. For sentencing, the law requires a mental health evaluation of the defendant before any sentence is scheduled. If the court finds that the defendant suffered from a psychological or psychiatric disability at the time of the offense, it must order treatment and stay legal action pending a report on that treatment. Upon successful completion of treatment, the court must order the forfeiture of the animals, prohibit future ownership, reverse the conviction, and expunge the arrest record.