Rep. José Giral

Maddy summaryHB 573 amends Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act to require that all security deposits, including pet deposits, be fully refundable at the end of a lease. The bill prohibits landlords from including any lease provision labeling these deposits as nonrefundable. This directly affects residential landlords and tenants by ensuring deposits must be returned unless deductions are made for legitimate damages beyond normal wear and tear. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 600 requires businesses that buy and sell residential homes (without living in them) to obtain a state license. To get licensed, they must pay a $200 fee, provide insurance proof, and pass a background check for recent fraud or dishonesty convictions. Before making an offer to buy a home, these businesses must give homeowners a written disclosure explaining how to find property value estimates and access legal or real estate help. Homeowners can also add their property to a public "do-not-solicit" list to stop being contacted by these businesses. The bill directly affects home-buying businesses and homeowners.

Maddy summaryHB 596, the Biometric Identifier Signage Act, requires commercial establishments like retail stores, restaurants, and hotels to display clear, plain-language signs at customer entrances if they collect biometric data (such as fingerprints, facial scans, or voiceprints). The bill prohibits businesses from selling, leasing, or profiting from this data and allows customers to sue for violations, with damages ranging from $500 for minor issues to $5,000 for intentional violations, plus attorney fees. It exempts financial institutions and certain video recordings not used for identification. The law takes effect 180 days after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Opioid Reparation and Accountability Fund, which will receive fees from opioid manufacturers and distributors, and creates the Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council. It requires opioid manufacturers/distributors to obtain licenses and pay $27,500 annually for licenses (with $2,500 for non-opioid drugs), plus an additional annual fee if they distribute over 2 million opioid units. The Department of Health, Human Services, and Drug and Alcohol Programs must implement new reporting requirements, manage the fund, and coordinate with the advisory council. The fund will support community programs addressing the opioid crisis, directly affecting opioid manufacturers, distributors, and state agencies responsible for oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 592 amends Pennsylvania law to require that full-time waterways conservation officers (who enforce fishing and boating regulations) be paid at the same scale as Pennsylvania State Police officers. The bill directly affects these conservation officers by changing their compensation classification under the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. It specifies that their pay must align with State Police classifications, rather than existing commission pay scales. The change applies to compensation earned 60 days after the bill's effective date. This is a procedural pay adjustment, not a change to enforcement duties or waterway regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 597 establishes a one-year pilot program allowing Pennsylvania municipalities to hire underemployed and unemployed residents for daily community projects like park repairs and beautification. Participants would receive same-day pay for their work, with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources required to set eligibility rules, track data, and evaluate the program’s feasibility. The bill directs the department to report findings to the legislature after the pilot ends, without creating a permanent statewide program. It affects local governments and job seekers in participating communities, focusing on testing a temporary work model.

Maddy summaryHB 604 modifies Pennsylvania's firearms laws to clarify procedures for handling confiscated guns. It requires law enforcement to make "reasonable efforts" to return seized firearms to their lawful owners within 120 days, failing which the guns must be destroyed. If the owner is identified but prohibited from owning firearms, or if the owner cannot be found, destruction is mandatory under new rules. The bill also establishes a detailed registry for confiscated firearms (tracking serial numbers, make/model, and date seized) and specifies that guns can only be melted at state smelters after completing this process. This directly affects Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement agencies managing seized firearms.

Maddy summaryHB 588 amends Pennsylvania's Professional Nursing Law to require registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to complete one hour of mandatory continuing education focused on older adult abuse recognition and reporting during each biennial license renewal period. This requirement applies to all license renewals (except initial licensure) and includes specific documentation rules, such as retaining certificates for five years and submitting them upon request. Failure to complete this hour may delay license renewal, trigger disciplinary action under existing penalties, or require remediation within six months. The bill directly affects nursing license holders in Pennsylvania seeking renewal, reinstatement, or reactivation of their licenses.

Maddy summaryHB 560 amends Pennsylvania's Equal Pay Law to require employers with 15 or more employees to disclose pay ranges for job postings and internal transfer or promotion opportunities. Specifically, employers must provide the pay range to job applicants when a position is advertised and to current employees considered for internal moves. The bill also mandates that employers give new hires and update annually in writing the pay range for the employee's job title and for substantially similar positions within the company. This amendment, which would take effect 60 days after enactment, aims to increase pay transparency under the existing Equal Pay Law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new limits for lead in soil at playgrounds and adjacent areas in Pennsylvania. It requires that bare soil on playgrounds must not exceed 200 parts per million (ppm) of lead, and soil in the surrounding yard must not exceed 1,200 ppm. The Department of Environmental Protection will enforce these limits and can issue compliance orders or penalties for violations involving owners or operators of playgrounds, schools, child care centers, and other entities maintaining such areas. These requirements directly affect public and private facilities where children play, aiming to reduce lead exposure risks.