Rep. Mary Isaacson

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates October 2026 as "Arts and Culture Month" to formally recognize the value of artistic expression within the state. The bill cites the economic impact of the arts industry and its role in fostering community connections as reasons for the designation. It calls on residents to celebrate artists and scholars through appropriate programs, ceremonies, and celebrations during that month.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2739 amends state public utility laws to standardize how depreciation is calculated for rate-setting purposes. The bill requires all public utilities to use the Average Life Group depreciation procedure when filing for voluntary rate changes, prohibiting them from proposing alternative methods. It also restricts the Public Utility Commission's authority by preventing it from substituting different depreciation procedures or adjusting expenses in ways that effectively change the calculation method. Instead, the commission's review is limited to verifying that the required procedure was used and determining if the inputs and assumptions are reasonable.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution formally honors the memory of Andrew James Carn, a former state representative from Philadelphia County who passed away in July 2026. The text details his legislative service from 1982 to 2000, highlighting his work on neighborhood revitalization, youth development, and economic opportunities for African-American entrepreneurs. It also recognizes his post-legislative roles as a videographer and community leader. The resolution directs that a copy of the document be sent to Mr. Carn's family as a gesture of condolence and appreciation for his public service.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's 1803 laws to regulate commercial pilots operating in the Delaware Bay and River. It requires individuals wishing to work as pilots to apply for a license from the Navigation Commission, which will evaluate their skills and issue permits based on the size of vessels they can safely navigate. The legislation establishes a six-tiered licensing system where each class corresponds to a specific maximum draft of vessels, ranging from deep-draft ships to smaller boats. Anyone attempting to pilot a vessel larger than one hundred tons without a valid license faces civil penalties and potential jail time. These rules will become effective 60 days after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1286 requires human trafficking awareness training for employees at hotels, motels, and similar public lodging establishments (defined as facilities offering >10 rooms for rent) and for workers contracted by third-party providers serving these locations. It also mandates similar training for short-term rental operators (like Airbnb hosts) and platforms listing such rentals. The training must cover identifying trafficking signs, legal definitions, reporting procedures, and differences between labor and sex trafficking in lodging contexts, with records maintained for two years. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will approve and list free training programs online to meet these requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Pennsylvania State Workers' Insurance Fund to invest up to 20% of its assets in equity investments, expanding its current authority which is limited to securities authorized for savings banks. The legislation directly affects the fund's management by permitting the Board of Directors to approve these higher-risk investments to potentially increase returns. All investments must be held by the State Treasurer, who will manage the collection of interest and principal payments based on the Board's authorization. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs the Joint State Government Commission to study suicide prevention and data collection efforts in Pennsylvania and provide recommendations for improvement. The study will specifically examine how well the state has met eight existing suicide prevention goals and analyze the Pennsylvania Violent Death Reporting System to identify barriers like lack of mandatory reporting and insufficient funding. The commission is tasked with proposing legislative actions to ensure medical examiners, coroners, and law enforcement agencies consistently report violent death data to the Department of Health.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill requires health insurance companies to cover fertility preservation services for individuals facing medically necessary cancer treatments that could cause infertility. The law mandates that insurers include at least three years of egg, sperm, or ovarian tissue storage at an in-network facility, with a minimum lifetime benefit of $100,000 per person. While the coverage must follow standard policy rules like deductibles and copayments, religious employers are allowed to request exemptions if the services conflict with their beliefs, provided they notify patients and allow them to buy separate supplemental insurance.

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 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.