Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler

Maddy summaryHB 715 amends Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage Act of 1968 to increase penalties for employers who pay workers below the required minimum wage. It reclassifies violations based on the number of offenses and the total unpaid wages: under $150 for a first offense is a summary offense, while over $150 for a first or second offense becomes a misdemeanor, and third or subsequent offenses are felonies. The bill also establishes that each week an employee is underpaid and each affected employee counts as a separate offense, making penalties more severe for repeated violations. Employers cannot avoid liability by having employees agree to work for less than the minimum wage.

Maddy summaryHB 718 amends Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law to strengthen wage enforcement, directly affecting employers (including state/local governments, corporations, and contractors) and workers owed unpaid wages. It requires the Department of Labor to collect quarterly data on wage violations, fines, unpaid wages, and complaint resolution, then submit semiannual reports to lawmakers and post them publicly. The bill mandates quarterly investigations of "high-violation industries" (those with 25+ violations in two years) and updates penalties to $2,000 per violation or triple unpaid wages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees. Employers failing to pay within 10 days of notice face these penalties, with each week of underpayment counted as a separate violation.

Maddy summaryHB 717 amends Pennsylvania's procurement law to add wage law violations as a specific reason for barring state contractors from future government contracts. It directly affects state contractors who fail to pay wages owed to workers under the 1961 Wage Payment and Collection Law. The bill adds a new subsection (531(b)(6.1)) to the debarment rules, requiring state agencies to suspend or debar contractors found in violation of wage payment laws. This change creates a direct link between wage compliance and eligibility for state contracts. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 716 amends Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law to require employers to provide employees with specific pay details (including rate, time of payment, and fringe benefits) at hiring and to post a summary of the law in a visible workplace location. Employers who fail to meet these notification or posting requirements face a $500 fine per violation. The bill also extends the time limit for employees to file legal claims for unpaid wages: if an employer didn't provide required notice or post the summary, the deadline becomes the later of three years after wages were due or the day the requirements were satisfied. This affects all employers in Pennsylvania subject to the Wage Payment and Collection Law.

Maddy summaryHB 719 prohibits Pennsylvania insurance companies from denying coverage, limiting benefits, or charging higher rates to applicants or policyholders solely because they use FDA-approved HIV prevention medications (PrEP for pre-exposure or PEP for post-exposure prophylaxis). The bill directly affects individuals seeking or maintaining insurance coverage who are prescribed these medications for HIV prevention. It bans specific "adverse actions" like coverage denial, reduced benefits, or discriminatory pricing based solely on PrEP or PEP use. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment and enforces violations through existing insurance fraud and unfair practice laws.

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 669 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to establish standardized early voting procedures for all county elections. The bill requires counties to offer in-person early voting for 30 days before each election (ending the day before Election Day), with specific operating hours: weekday mornings to mid-afternoon, extended hours on the final weekend, and additional holiday hours. It mandates county boards to set up permanent early voting locations based on population size (e.g., at least one location in each of the three largest municipalities in counties over 250,000 people). This directly affects all registered Pennsylvania voters by expanding access to early voting through structured, location-based provisions.

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.