Rep. Melissa Shusterman

Maddy summaryHB 1569 establishes a Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program within Pennsylvania's health and safety statutes. The program would temporarily test new approaches to tracking maternal health outcomes, directly affecting pregnant individuals and healthcare providers in participating communities. Key provisions include creating a structured data collection system to monitor maternal health metrics during pregnancy and postpartum, with the goal of identifying gaps in care. The pilot is designed to run for a limited time to evaluate effectiveness before potential broader implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 1500 establishes a Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council to develop recommendations on funding, governance, and accountability for cyber charter schools by April 2026. The bill requires public school entities to report advertising and sponsorship spending annually, and mandates detailed cost-tracking for special education services based on individualized student plans. It also adds provisions for student wellness checks, enrollment notifications, and fund balance limits for cyber charter schools, while maintaining a moratorium on new cyber charter school approvals. The law directly affects cyber charter schools, public school districts, and students with disabilities in Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 1415 amends Pennsylvania's Safe Drinking Water Act (1984) to modify the powers and duties of the Environmental Quality Board. The bill's specific policy changes or direct impacts on communities, utilities, or regulations are not described in the provided context. Committee referrals (Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection) indicate its focus but do not reveal the bill's concrete provisions. Without details on the amendments, a substantive summary of its mechanisms or affected parties cannot be provided. This bill appears to be a procedural or administrative update to the board's authority, but the context lacks the necessary policy specifics.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (HR 67), not a law with binding requirements. It formally designates May 2025 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania for commemorative purposes. The resolution directly affects Pennsylvania residents by encouraging public awareness efforts during that month. The bill was referred to the Health committee, reported as committed, but was laid on the table (stalled) under House Rule 71 on June 4, 2025, preventing further action.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates May 2025 as "Preeclampsia Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania to raise public attention about preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy-related condition. It does not create new laws, funding, or obligations - it serves as a symbolic recognition effort. The bill was referred to the Health committee, reported as committed, and ultimately laid on the table (per House Rule 71) on June 4, 2025, indicating it is no longer active.

Maddy summaryHR 166 is a symbolic resolution that urges the U.S. Congress to maintain support for Taiwan and formally recognizes the existing friendship between Pennsylvania and Taiwan. It does not create new laws or alter policies but expresses legislative support through a formal statement. The resolution was adopted by the Pennsylvania legislature on June 3, 2025, after committee review. It directly affects Pennsylvania's official stance on U.S.-Taiwan relations but has no binding effect on federal legislation or international policy.

Maddy summaryHB 1547 bans single-use plastic bags at retail stores in Pennsylvania, requiring them to offer recycled paper bags for a 10- to 25-cent fee instead. It directly affects stores like supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, and farmers' markets, with exemptions for bags used with perishable foods, pharmacy medications, or dry cleaning. Retailers must post clear signs explaining the change until January 2027 and keep all fees collected from bag sales. The Department of Community and Economic Development must create educational materials and regulations to support the policy.

Maddy summaryHB 1096 creates the Pennsylvania Food Bucks Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income residents for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at participating retailers. The bill establishes a dedicated "Pennsylvania Food Bucks Program Account" within the state treasury to fund the program and requires the state to conduct research on the program's effectiveness. It directly affects eligible low-income Pennsylvanians and participating farmers and retailers by expanding access to healthy food options. The law, which passed on June 3, 2025, focuses on concrete policy changes: creating the program structure, securing funding through the new account, and mandating program evaluation.

Maddy summaryHB 1531 creates a new first-degree felony offense called "child torture" under Pennsylvania law. It defines this as intentionally or knowingly engaging in a course of conduct involving more than one of the following against a child under 18: torture, physical assault, unreasonable confinement, forced positioning, or failure to provide care. The law removes requirements to prove mental anguish, pain, or specific harm for conviction and explicitly states that reasonable parental discipline (like punishment for misbehavior) is not covered, as long as it doesn’t cause serious harm or extreme distress. This bill directly affects children under 18 and caregivers whose actions meet the defined criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 would amend Pennsylvania's criminal code to establish criminal liability for internet publishers and distributors who knowingly make material harmful to minors available online. The bill targets content such as explicit sexual material deemed harmful to minors, creating a legal framework for prosecution without requiring proof of intent to harm minors. It directly affects online platforms, website operators, and content distributors that host or share such material. The bill is currently pending in the Communications & Technology committee for further review.