Rep. Roni Green

Maddy summaryHB 2176 would require Pennsylvania public and nonpublic schools to integrate social media literacy into their curriculum. The bill mandates that state academic standards include specific lessons on social media's mental, psychological, and physical impacts on students, its effects on learning, safe online behavior (including identifying cyberbullying and predatory activity), and personal device security. The Department of Education must develop educational materials and provide professional development for teachers on these topics. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania schools, including public school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools, by adding concrete requirements to student learning standards.

Maddy summaryHB 344 amends Pennsylvania's Landlord and Tenant Act to require landlords to disclose parking availability and associated fees in rental leases. Landlords must state whether parking is provided, if a fee applies, and the exact amount - prohibiting fee increases during the lease term. Tenants can file complaints with lower courts (e.g., district justice) if landlords fail to comply, and landlords violating the rules must reimburse tenants for parking costs incurred. This directly affects landlords and tenants in Pennsylvania rental agreements involving parking.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania public schools to adopt or update a bullying policy that includes clear disciplinary consequences for bullying incidents and designates a staff member to handle reports. Schools must notify parents within five days of a bullying or cyberbullying incident while following federal privacy laws. The policy may also include prevention and intervention programs, and the bill clarifies that bullying involves repeated, severe acts in a school setting that disrupt education or create a threatening environment. Cyberbullying is specifically defined as bullying occurring via electronic devices during school hours.

Maddy summaryHB 41 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish a process for determining whether interscholastic athletic playoffs and championships should be separated for public schools (boundary schools) versus charter, parochial, or private schools (nonboundary schools). It requires the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) to hold public meetings in each district, accept written testimony and public comments, and document all proceedings before making a decision. The bill mandates that the PIAA board must publicly discuss all relevant testimony, fiscal impacts, and sport-specific considerations before voting on the change or deciding no change is needed. The association must then provide a written decision with justification to the oversight committee within five days of the meeting. This bill affects all Pennsylvania schools participating in PIAA athletics by defining how decisions about playoff structures will be made.

Maddy summaryHB 72 amends Pennsylvania's 1951 Landlord and Tenant Act to create new protections for tenants facing domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking. It defines "eligible tenants" as those who are victims themselves or have an immediate family/household member (living with them or within 1,000 feet) who is a victim of these specific violent acts. The bill requires landlords to provide safety options like changing locks or relocating tenants without penalty upon verification from an "attesting third party" (such as a police officer or victim advocate). This directly affects renters in these situations by ensuring they aren't unfairly evicted or penalized for seeking safety due to violence.

Maddy summaryHB 1104 sets specific fees that must be paid to healthcare providers before they produce medical records in response to a subpoena. The bill establishes a detailed fee structure: $20.62 for searching and retrieving records, plus page-based charges (e.g., $1.39 per page for the first 20 pages of paper copies, with lower rates for additional pages), and a $200 maximum for electronic copies. These fees are adjusted annually using the consumer price index. The law directly affects healthcare providers and parties requesting medical records, requiring payment before records are released.

Maddy summaryHB 2042 amends the existing Safety in Youth Sports Act to update definitions related to concussions and improve prevention measures for traumatic brain injuries in youth sports. It directly affects youth athletes, coaches, and sports organizations by requiring clearer guidelines for identifying and managing head injuries. Key provisions include revising terminology for consistency and strengthening protocols for concussion prevention and response. The bill focuses on concrete policy changes to enhance safety standards under the current law. It was recently referred to the Health committee for further review.

Maddy summaryHB 973 creates a grant program to support municipal police departments in Pennsylvania. It provides funding for police department consolidation, achieving accreditation standards, officer training, and community outreach programs. Grants range from $5,000 to $100,000 per department depending on the purpose, with special provisions for small departments (under 10 officers). The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, is funded through a new Municipal Police Enhancement Consolidation Grant Program Fund. This directly affects cities, boroughs, and townships with their own police departments.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study current diversion programs and recommend improvements or new programs. It requires the commission to examine barriers to existing programs, analyze successful models from other states, and provide a report to the House within one year. Diversion programs - which offer alternatives to incarceration for low-level offenses, mental health crises, or substance use issues - would be the focus of this review. The resolution does not create new law but aims to inform future policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 237 expands Pennsylvania's death benefits for first responders' families to include cases where a firefighter, officer, or emergency worker dies from mental health conditions linked to on-duty trauma. It creates a legal presumption of line-of-duty death if the person died while influenced by a diagnosed psychiatric disorder from traumatic events (like crime scenes or mass casualties) or within 45 days of such exposure with an undiagnosed condition. The bill adds specific definitions for "personal injury sustained in the line of duty" to include PTSD and related disorders, and clarifies that traumatic events cover incidents involving serious injury, minors, or life threats. Benefits apply retroactively to deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2019, regardless of when the trauma happened.