Rep. Roni Green

Maddy summaryThis resolution officially recognizes August 9, 2024, as Smokey Bear's 80th birthday within the state of Pennsylvania. It serves as a commemorative gesture to honor the iconic character, who is widely known for his long-running public service campaign on wildfire prevention. The document highlights Smokey Bear's cultural significance and his role in educating the public about fire safety, while also noting the importance of Pennsylvania's forests for the economy and environment.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates the week of June 17 through 23, 2024, as "Sanitation Workers Week" to honor the state's waste and recycling employees. The measure does not alter laws or budgets but serves as a formal gesture of appreciation from the legislature to the approximately 6,000 residents employed in the sanitation industry. It highlights the physically demanding nature of the job, which involves collecting and disposing of refuse, and acknowledges the workers' essential role in keeping communities clean, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maddy summaryHB 1490 modifies the Acupuncture Licensure Act to require licensed acupuncturists to complete specific continuing education hours. This mandate aligns with existing requirements for physicians and osteopathic doctors under separate medical practice laws. The bill ensures that acupuncture professionals maintain updated knowledge through standardized training similar to other licensed healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryHB 350 updates Pennsylvania's domestic relations laws to modernize how parentage is established and how parental rights are handled in adoption and support cases. The bill enacts the Uniform Parentage Act, which introduces new procedures for voluntary acknowledgment of parentage, genetic testing, and legal processes for assisted reproduction and surrogacy. It also repeals older sections regarding paternity acknowledgment and clarifies the rules for terminating parental rights when a father does not contest an adoption hearing. Additionally, the legislation expands the legal grounds for courts to exercise jurisdiction over nonresident parents and ensures clearer notice requirements for all parties involved in these proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands tenant protections under the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 to provide stronger rights when tenants or their immediate family members are victims of violence. It broadens the definition of who qualifies as an immediate family or household member to include a wider range of relatives and partners, and it extends coverage to victims who live within 1,000 feet of the tenant's home or who were killed in a violent act. The legislation also allows tenants to request a temporary relocation from their rental unit if they have suffered physical or mental injury due to a violent crime, provided they submit specific documentation such as a restraining order, a police report, or a medical letter. Additionally, the bill reduces the time a landlord has to respond to such requests from 180 days to 120 days and clarifies the types of evidence tenants must provide to support their claims.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's Public School Code to update funding rules for two specific programs: the Keystone Telepresence Education Grant Program and a disability-inclusive curriculum pilot. It allows the state education department to use up to $300,000 annually from existing, unspent funds to award grants to eligible schools and districts. The legislation also clarifies that these funds must be moved to a restricted account by the Secretary of the Budget before they can be used. These changes aim to provide more flexibility in utilizing available money to support virtual learning tools and inclusive educational materials without requiring new budget allocations.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's game laws to protect the privacy of law enforcement officers. It directly affects game wardens and other officers who issue citations by prohibiting them from listing their home addresses on official documents like tickets or special permits. The key provision adds a specific rule to the statute that bans the inclusion of personal residential information on any business issued by an officer. This change aims to mitigate potential safety risks for officers without altering their general enforcement duties or hunter registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes how the director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is appointed, shifting the power from the commission itself to the Governor. Under the new rules, the Governor would select the director for a two-year term with the approval of the state Senate, while current or recent commission members would be ineligible for the role. The changes take effect on January 1, 2025, and are part of a broader legislative effort to reorganize and increase accountability within the commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's hunting laws by creating a specific exception that allows unarmed individuals to enter posted or marked private property solely to retrieve a hunting dog. The exception does not apply if the land is fenced to exclude trespassers, designated as a biosecurity area, or if the person fails to contact the landowner before entering. Additionally, the legislation clarifies penalties for trespassing on private land while hunting or trapping and outlines rules for training dogs on small game.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Pennsylvania Poet Laureate position and a dedicated nomination committee to oversee the selection process. The Governor will appoint the poet laureate from a shortlist of candidates provided by the committee, which includes representatives from state arts and education agencies. The appointed poet will serve a two-year term without pay but will receive reimbursement for travel expenses while performing official duties such as reading poems at the governor's inauguration and legislative sessions. The legislation also establishes a specific committee structure to determine candidate qualifications and submit up to three finalists for the Governor's consideration.