Rep. Chris Pielli

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution designates September 27, 2026, as "Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day" within the state. The measure honors families of military service members who died in the line of duty, acknowledging the grief and sacrifice experienced by parents, siblings, and children. By setting a specific date, the bill aims to create an official day of recognition for these families, following the national tradition established by Congress and the White House.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution designates September 18, 2026, as "U.S. Air Force Birthday" within the state. The measure is a symbolic gesture that formally recognizes the anniversary of the Air Force's establishment as an independent military branch in 1947. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or change any existing policies. The bill directly affects the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by adding a commemorative designation to the state record.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code to allow local governments to temporarily halt the submission of new data center development applications. Under the new provision, a municipality can adopt a resolution at a public meeting to pause these submissions for up to 180 days, a period that begins retroactively from the date of public notice. During this pause, local authorities may update their zoning laws regarding data centers, and any applications received while the pause is in effect will be evaluated under the new rules. The legislation defines a data center as a facility primarily used for housing servers or data storage systems with specific backup power and cooling infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 2535, known as the Commercial Data Center Public Safety Act, regulates large data centers in Pennsylvania that consume 25 megawatts or more of power. To receive a certificate of occupancy, these facilities must submit detailed emergency plans and inventories listing battery types, cooling agents, and fire suppression systems to local fire officials. The bill also mandates annual updates to these documents and restricts access to the information to authorized safety and law enforcement personnel to protect confidential security details.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates legal definitions related to wiretapping and electronic surveillance in Pennsylvania, specifically clarifying what counts as an "oral communication" and who qualifies as a "law enforcement officer." It directly affects law enforcement agencies and individuals involved in electronic surveillance activities by expanding the list of recognized law enforcement personnel who can legally intercept communications during official duties. The key provision adds nine new categories of law enforcement officers to the existing definition, including state police, municipal officers, waterways conservation officers, and correctional facility investigators, while also specifying that communications made in the presence of uniformed officers using approved devices are not protected from interception. The changes apply to both state and local law enforcement and will take effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1123 updates Pennsylvania's 1921 Insurance Company Law to require casualty insurance policies to cover colorectal cancer screening without cost-sharing. This affects insured residents in Pennsylvania who need preventive screenings, ensuring they face no copays or deductibles for this specific health service. The key provision mandates insurers to include coverage for colon cancer screenings as a standard benefit under casualty insurance policies. The bill passed final passage on October 29, 2025, and is now pending implementation under the Banking & Insurance committee. This change directly removes financial barriers for early detection of colorectal cancer through existing insurance coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 928 amends Pennsylvania law to expand access to epinephrine auto-injectors for severe allergic reactions. It adds schools, sports organizations, and other public venues to the list of "authorized entities" allowed to store these devices and train staff. The bill clarifies who can access the injectors during emergencies and specifies training requirements for personnel. This directly affects schools, youth programs, and public facilities serving individuals at risk of anaphylaxis.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill establishes a temporary program allowing businesses to receive tax credits for donations to scholarship and educational improvement organizations. The legislation sets specific annual spending limits for these credits, which are available only for fiscal years before 2027-2028, and creates a new restricted account to track the funds. It also defines various terms related to the program, including assessments and business firms, while assigning oversight duties to several state departments.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Pennsylvania Public Utility Code by formally defining "commercial data centers" and refining the legal definition of "public utility." It specifically categorizes large data facilities with a peak demand of 25 megawatts or more as commercial data centers, while simultaneously clarifying that such facilities are not considered public utilities if selling electricity to the grid is not their primary business. These changes aim to provide clearer regulatory boundaries for utility providers and data center operators without altering existing operational requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 2198 repeals the Computer Data Center Equipment Incentive Program from Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code of 1971. This bill eliminates tax exemptions and refunds previously available for investments in data center equipment, such as servers, cooling systems, and energy infrastructure. The repeal directly affects computer data centers and their owners/operators who previously qualified for these tax benefits under Article XXIX-D. The policy change removes a specific tax incentive program without creating new provisions. This is a procedural change to the tax code, ending an existing program for data center equipment investments.