Rep. José Giral

Maddy summaryHB 1750 regulates cremation services for deceased pets and companion animals. It requires service providers to disclose details about cremation processes, maintain facility standards, keep records, and provide notices to pet owners. The bill also establishes enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance. This directly affects pet cremation businesses and pet owners who use these services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to increase personal income tax rates for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. It raises the tax rate for residents and nonresidents from 3.7% to 9.7% on all income, while maintaining a 3.7% rate for specific income categories. The legislation also clarifies how trust income is taxed by aligning Pennsylvania rules with federal Internal Revenue Code provisions regarding grantor trusts.

Maddy summaryHB 336 amends Pennsylvania's 1907 law designating the state flag by adding specific folding instructions for official display. The bill details a five-step procedure to fold the flag, including forming a triangle to display the Commonwealth crest and creating a mirror image fold. It directly affects state officials, the National Guard, and entities handling the flag for ceremonies or display. This procedural update does not change the flag's design or usage rights but standardizes its presentation. The bill was introduced in 2025 and takes immediate effect.

Maddy summaryHB 289 requires all Pennsylvania public, charter, and private schools to test for radon gas in existing buildings starting with the 2026-2027 school year. If radon levels reach 4 picocuries per liter or higher, schools must install mitigation systems and retest until levels fall below that threshold, with new schools required to use radon-resistant construction. Testing must be done by certified professionals using specific protocols, and results must be shared with school boards, parents, teachers, and health officials. Schools with low radon levels must retest every five years, while those needing mitigation must retest every two years. This law directly affects all Pennsylvania school entities and aims to reduce exposure to radon, a radioactive gas linked to lung cancer.

Maddy summaryHB 678 requires labor brokers who supply construction workers to employers in Pennsylvania to register with the Department of Labor and Industry. It mandates brokers to pay fees, maintain registration validity, verify worker placements, and report changes, with the Department establishing a dedicated registration account for these fees. The bill imposes penalties for operating without registration or violating its requirements, directly affecting labor brokers in the construction industry. Key provisions include a verification system for worker placements, annual renewal of registration, and specific definitions clarifying which entities qualify as labor brokers versus subcontractors. This legislation aims to increase oversight of labor brokers handling construction workers, with penalties for noncompliance.

Maddy summaryHB 501 amends Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to update definitions and clarify requirements for renewable energy compliance. It specifically adds "advanced reactor" (including small modular reactors) to eligible energy sources, refines criteria for low-impact hydropower, and updates definitions for biomass, biogas, and alternative energy credits. The bill affects electric utilities required to meet portfolio standards by specifying which energy sources count toward compliance and how credits are calculated. These changes aim to modernize the framework for renewable energy reporting and incentives without altering current percentage targets. The bill is currently in committee review (Environmental & Natural Resource Protection).

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to update definitions and regulations related to alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, while also introducing provisions for hemp-derived cannabinoid beverages. It establishes new categories for "alcohol service personnel" and "cannabinoid service personnel" to clarify the roles of employees in licensed establishments, and creates a Local Hemp Sharing Fund to support local communities. The legislation also modifies licensing rules for malt and brewed beverages, outlines requirements for responsible alcohol management, and sets penalties for unlawful acts involving these products.

Maddy summaryHB 2147 updates Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow distilleries established before January 1, 1885, to obtain a "distillery of historical significance" license. This license permits these historic operations to manufacture and sell liquor to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, licensed entities, and the public, without the previous 20,000-gallon annual production limit. Distilleries can exchange their existing distillery licenses for this new license without paying a fee, while maintaining all rights under a standard distillery license. The bill removes the requirement for continuous operation since 1885 to qualify, making it easier for historic distilleries to retain or convert their licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 632 amends Pennsylvania's prostitution laws to increase penalties for individuals who knowingly engage in prostitution while aware they have HIV or AIDS. Specifically, it upgrades certain offenses to a third-degree felony (previously a misdemeanor) when the person knew their HIV-positive status at the time of the offense. The bill also creates a resentencing process for people previously convicted under the same provision but now eligible for misdemeanor sentencing if they've completed their sentences and meet specific criteria. This directly affects individuals convicted of prostitution-related offenses who knew their HIV status under the prior law.

Maddy summaryHB 1311 amends Pennsylvania's criminal code by revising the definition of "serious provocation" in cases involving danger to the person. The amendment explicitly states that this term does not include the discovery, knowledge, or potential disclosure of a victim's gender identity, expression, or sexual orientation, nor does it cover unwanted nonforcible romantic or sexual advances by the victim or a prior romantic relationship between the victim and defendant. This change affects criminal cases where defendants might otherwise claim "serious provocation" as a defense, particularly in incidents involving LGBTQ+ individuals or relationship dynamics. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.