Rep. Ben Waxman

Maddy summaryHB 614 establishes Pennsylvania's Shared Housing and Resource Exchange Program, designed to help residents aged 60 or older who need housing find shared living arrangements with approved hosts. The Department of Aging will operate the program, requiring hosts to have at least two bedrooms (with one exclusively for the participant), charge no more than 30% of the participant's gross monthly income in rent, and sign a home-sharing agreement. The department will match participants with hosts based on location, lifestyle, and preferences, then facilitate the agreements. The program will be funded by state appropriations and take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to jointly conduct a statewide study of school cafeteria services across all school districts. The study would establish meal quality standards (including portion sizes and vegetarian/vegan options by grade level), compare current meals to those standards, analyze preparation and student meal costs, and recommend legislative actions to improve nutrition. It requires the departments to issue a public report with findings and recommendations within one year. The resolution directly affects all Pennsylvania public school districts by initiating a formal review of meal services and costs.

Maddy summaryHB 682 requires all Pennsylvania public school entities (including districts, charter schools, and career schools) to install functioning air conditioning in every student-occupied area - like classrooms, cafeterias, and libraries - by the start of the 2028-2029 school year. Schools unable to meet this deadline must submit a compliance plan to the Department of Education by August 1, 2028. Until AC is installed, schools must implement a temperature control plan ensuring indoor temperatures stay between 72°F and 79°F when heating isn't needed, and close areas if temperatures exceed 88°F. This plan must be updated annually and submitted to the Department of Education until installation is complete. The bill directly affects all public schools in Pennsylvania, aiming to improve student comfort and safety during hot weather.

Maddy summaryHB 671 requires oil and gas companies and land brokers to use plain language in contracts with landowners for property leases or sales. It mandates contracts be written with short sentences, active verbs, clear definitions of industry terms, and easy-to-read formatting (like bold section headings and clear fonts). Landowners who sign non-compliant contracts can seek $10,000 in statutory damages, actual losses, attorney fees, and other remedies. The law applies to all new contracts or modifications signed on or after its effective date (one year after enactment) and excludes cases where landowners drafted the contract or companies made good-faith compliance efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 665 amends Pennsylvania's Solid Waste Management Act to strengthen testing requirements for residual waste facilities. It requires facilities handling residual waste to test incoming waste and outgoing drainage water (leachate) for specific contaminants: water quality chemicals (chloride, bromide, sulfate, nitrate), hazardous characteristics (toxicity, corrosivity, ignitability), and naturally occurring radionuclides (uranium, radium, radon). Facilities must compare these test results quarterly and report them to the state environmental department and local municipalities. This directly affects waste processing and landfill operators managing residual waste, ensuring more comprehensive monitoring of potential environmental impacts.

Maddy summaryHB 619 requires Pennsylvania employers to provide employees with up to two hours of paid time off to vote in elections, affecting all public and private sector workers in the state. The bill mandates that employees give employers at least two working days' notice before an election and prohibits employers from asking about voting preferences or party affiliation. Employers must post a uniform notice about this policy (available from the Secretary of the Commonwealth) at least 10 days before an election and face fines of $100-$500 for violations. The law aims to ensure voting access without penalty, with employees required to verify voting attendance to retain paid time off.

Maddy summaryHB 675 bans the sale or distribution of firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals in Pennsylvania starting January 1, 2028, directly affecting manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of such gear. The law includes an exception if the State Fire Commissioner determines PFAS use is unavoidable and issues official guidance. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $5,000 for first offenses and $10,000 for repeat offenses, with fines split equally between the Fire Company Grant Program and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program. This bill aims to reduce exposure to harmful PFAS chemicals while maintaining safety standards for firefighters.

Maddy summaryHB 674 establishes a new grant program to provide operating assistance for public transportation in Pennsylvania counties experiencing growth in either population or employment. Eligible applicants include public transit entities already receiving certain existing transportation grants (under Sections 1513 or 1516) that serve counties meeting specific growth criteria based on five-year data. Funding is split equally between counties growing in employment (using Labor Department data) and population (using Census Bureau data), with each county’s grant amount determined by its percentage growth over that period. This program operates in addition to existing transportation funding and cannot require a higher local match than current rules.

Maddy summaryHB 638 prohibits "confession of judgment" clauses in Pennsylvania contracts, which are terms allowing one party to automatically admit a debt and obtain a court judgment without a trial. This affects businesses and consumers by making such clauses void and unenforceable in new agreements. Exceptions apply to contracts signed before the law's effective date or government contracts entered under existing statutes. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 639 amends Pennsylvania's 1974 Loan Interest and Protection Law to require lenders to provide clear, upfront disclosures to small businesses about commercial loan terms. It defines "small business" as a company with fewer than 500 employees and "provider" as lenders or nondepository institutions arranging loans via online platforms. The bill mandates that providers disclose six specific details before finalizing a loan, including total funds, total cost, payment schedule, prepayment policies, and the annualized interest rate. These disclosures must be signed by the small business's agent. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.