Rep. Kristin Marcell

Maddy summaryHB 403 preempts Pennsylvania municipalities from adopting policies that block law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It prohibits local governments from restricting officers from complying with federal immigration requests, assisting ICE, allowing ICE access to county jails, inquiring about immigration status of people in custody, or sharing release information. The bill establishes an "Immigration Cooperation Fund" to support this cooperation, though specific funding mechanisms are not detailed in the provided text. This directly affects all Pennsylvania cities, towns, counties, and their law enforcement officers, judicial staff, and correctional personnel.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates January 2025 as "School Director Recognition Month" in Pennsylvania. It honors the 4,500 locally elected school directors who volunteer to lead public school districts, set educational standards, manage budgets, and advocate for students. The resolution does not create new laws or funding; it is a symbolic gesture to acknowledge their service. The House will send a copy to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association to support the recognition effort.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates January 23, 2025, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania. It aims to recognize women who die from pregnancy or childbirth complications, highlighting Pennsylvania's maternal mortality rate of 82 deaths per 100,000 live births and the significantly higher rate (163 per 100,000) for Black women. The resolution does not create new laws or funding but seeks to increase public and healthcare awareness about maternal health risks. It references existing efforts like the Maternal Mortality Review Committee established under Act 24 of 2018.

Maddy summaryHB 318 amends Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation Law to expand ineligibility for benefits when claimants unreasonably discourage their own employment opportunities. The bill requires claimants to make a good faith effort to secure work and prohibits actions like refusing job interviews or offers without good cause before discussing job details. Employers can report such behavior using new forms the Department of Labor must create within 90 days. This change directly affects unemployed Pennsylvanians applying for or receiving unemployment benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 365 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, a multi-state agreement that allows cosmetologists licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. The compact establishes uniform licensing standards and requires member states to share information about disciplinary actions against cosmetologists to protect public safety. This would primarily benefit cosmetologists moving across state lines, including military members and their spouses, by reducing the administrative burden of multiple licenses while maintaining consistent safety oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 361 amends Pennsylvania's Fiscal Code to create a grant program supporting integrated behavioral health care in primary care settings. It provides funding for primary care physicians and practices to cover initial costs of implementing two evidence-based models: the Collaborative Care Model (with psychiatric consultants and care managers) and the Primary Care Behavioral Health Model (with behavioral health professionals on-site). Grants can be used for hiring staff, contracting specialists, purchasing software, and building patient registries, with priority given to rural providers and practices in counties with high suicide or overdose rates. The bill also establishes six regional technical assistance centers to support implementation across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 353 requires Pennsylvania's public colleges and universities (including community colleges, rural regional colleges, State System universities, state-related institutions, and Thaddeus Stevens College) to adopt written policies prohibiting antisemitism among faculty, staff, and students to receive state funding. These policies must include a clear definition of antisemitism - described as "a certain perception of Jewish individuals... including rhetorical or physical manifestations" - along with examples of antisemitic activity within their existing discrimination and harassment codes. The bill defines "public institution of higher education" to specify which schools must comply. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 352 requires cities of the first class (like Philadelphia) to send tax money collected from nonresident workers back to the municipality and school district where those workers live. It directly affects people who work in large cities but reside in smaller towns or municipalities outside the city limits. The bill mandates that cities remit an amount equal to the tax their nonresident employees would have paid to their home municipality and school district, changing how wage tax revenue is distributed. This is a concrete policy change to the 1932 Sterling Act, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryHB 319 modifies Pennsylvania's hunting license rules to simplify access for active-duty military personnel. It removes two previous requirements: military members no longer need to be assigned to a facility outside Pennsylvania or on temporary leave in the state to qualify for resident hunting licenses. The bill now allows any Pennsylvania resident serving full-time in the U.S. Armed Forces to obtain a resident hunting license by meeting only two criteria: residency and active duty status. This change directly affects active-duty military members stationed within Pennsylvania, streamlining their license process without altering fees or adding new restrictions.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 2025 as "Career and Technical Education Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs through a state-wide observance. The resolution highlights CTE's role in providing students with skills, credentials, and pathways to stable careers, noting that approximately 68,576 students (12% of high school grades) participated in CTE programs in 2024. It directly affects Pennsylvanians by raising public awareness of CTE's value to students, businesses, and the state's economy.