Rep. Leanne Krueger

Maddy summaryHB 50 amends Pennsylvania's Water Services Act by updating the definitions of "authority" and "city" to clarify which entities are subject to the law. It specifies that an "authority" must provide water or sewer services to at least 50% more residents outside a city's boundaries than inside, and defines "city" as a city of the third class with a population of 30,000 or less. These changes help determine which municipal authorities and cities must follow the Act's requirements for water and sewer service approvals. The bill does not alter existing service rules but ensures the law applies consistently to relevant entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to update the list of protected characteristics, explicitly adding sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, handicap, disability, and the use of support animals to existing categories like race and age. The legislation directly affects employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, and providers of housing and public accommodations by clarifying that discrimination based on these new and existing traits is unlawful. It reinforces the state's policy of ensuring equal opportunity and mandates that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission enforce these protections through established procedures and penalties. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to protect religious exercise while maintaining the commission's powers and duties to prevent prejudice and handle complaints.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania State Police to report to the Attorney General and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a background check reveals that a person attempting to buy a firearm is unlawfully present in the United States. Additionally, it mandates that judges inform the State Police about individuals who have been found incompetent, involuntarily committed, or treated for mental health issues, as well as those with drug use or addiction problems. These changes aim to improve the sharing of critical information between state authorities and federal immigration officials regarding firearm eligibility. The law will become effective 60 days after it is signed into legislation.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Pennsylvania's existing rules on firearm possession by clarifying the responsibilities of individuals who are legally prohibited from owning guns. It mandates that people facing certain disabilities must surrender their firearms, ammunition, and licenses to law enforcement or transfer them to eligible buyers within a specific timeframe, with stricter requirements for those subject to abuse protection orders. The legislation also introduces new penalties for failing to comply with these surrender orders and for knowingly accepting or returning weapons to prohibited individuals before a court order allows it. Additionally, the bill outlines duties for the Office of Attorney General and establishes procedures for handling firearms in community and municipal courts.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Health Care Facilities Act to strengthen the Attorney General's authority in reviewing proposed mergers and acquisitions within the healthcare sector. It establishes a detailed list of factors the Attorney General must evaluate, including potential impacts on prices, service quality, market competition, and access for vulnerable populations. The legislation also requires state agencies like the Department of Aging and the Insurance Department to assist in these reviews while protecting certain documents from public disclosure. Ultimately, the law aims to ensure that large healthcare transactions do not negatively affect patients or the overall public interest.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies in Pennsylvania to create violence prevention committees to address workplace violence against employees. These committees must include a mix of management, union or elected non-union staff, and direct care workers who will conduct annual risk assessments, track incidents, and develop safety plans. The legislation also mandates that employees report violence within 24 hours, protects reporters from retaliation, and requires facilities to make risk reports public while maintaining records for at least three years. Health facilities that fail to comply with these new reporting and prevention duties face administrative fines of up to $10,000 per violation.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania laws to clarify how public utilities value water and wastewater systems they purchase from other companies. It allows the buying utility to include the system's depreciated original cost in its rate calculations immediately after the deal closes or in its first rate filing. The law also requires that any difference between the new system's value and the seller's previous rate base be spread evenly over the next three rate cases. These changes directly affect public utility companies in Pennsylvania and the rates they charge customers for water and wastewater services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania laws to set a strict six-month deadline for the Public Utility Commission to issue final decisions on applications regarding the valuation of water and wastewater systems acquired by public utilities. The change directly affects utility companies seeking to determine the value of these assets and the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the process. By removing the previous language that allowed for extensions, the legislation ensures a faster timeline for resolving these specific valuation cases. The act takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for how Pennsylvania municipalities must sell their water and sewer systems to other public utilities. It requires the selling municipality to issue a formal request for proposals, advertise the sale in local newspapers, and provide residents with rate estimates from approved actuaries before a final decision is made. The acquiring utility must also notify its customers about the deal and any potential rate increases, while the state commission is mandated to hold at least two public hearings to review the transaction. These procedures aim to ensure transparency and protect consumers during the acquisition of public water and wastewater infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 1032 establishes a new grant program called Solar for Schools to fund solar energy projects at educational institutions. The bill also creates a legal framework requiring owners of solar facilities on leased land to provide financial guarantees that cover the cost of removing the equipment when it stops producing electricity. These financial assurances must remain in place even if the facility is sold to a new owner, ensuring that the original landowner is protected. Additionally, the legislation authorizes the Department of Community and Economic Development to manage these grants and outlines specific rules for solar agreements to prevent future cleanup costs from falling on property owners.