Rep. Tarik Khan

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 to establish a Board of Governors for the State System of Higher Education. The board will consist of 22 appointed members, including two new nonvoting positions for a nonfaculty employee and a faculty member from constituent institutions. These nonvoting members will attend regular meetings but will not have voting power, except potentially in specific conflict of interest situations. The legislation also clarifies the board's authority to appoint these student, faculty, and nonfaculty members to its councils. The changes are set to take effect 60 days after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Human Services to create a plan for maternal home visiting programs that are voluntary and subject to available funding. The legislation removes language mandating universal access and eliminates references to impact bonds, instead focusing on assessing the potential to expand these services. It also requires the department to submit an annual report to the General Assembly by December 31 of each year, which must include recommendations for future legislative action.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the authority of Pennsylvania's intermediate units to acquire and lease property for school facilities and establishes a funding mechanism for these capital projects. It creates a program that allows nonpublic schools to receive grants for safety and security enhancements, which can be used for violence prevention, mental health initiatives, and hiring security personnel. Additionally, the legislation sets a minimum funding level for these targeted grants and clarifies that intermediate units can only use a small percentage of the funds for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania law to allow courts to impose a surcharge on certain legal fees related to court facilities and supplies. The change removes an existing exception that previously prevented this surcharge from being applied to cases involving traffic citations classified as summary offenses. As a result, individuals charged with minor traffic violations will now be subject to the same fee surcharges as other defendants in similar proceedings. The amendment takes effect 60 days after the law is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to update definitions of deceptive acts and explicitly ban pyramid schemes. It clarifies that businesses cannot mislead consumers about product origins, quality, or availability, nor can they use false claims to disparage competitors. The legislation specifically targets pyramid promotional schemes by defining them as plans where compensation comes primarily from recruiting others rather than selling actual goods or services. Additionally, the bill strengthens rules against deceptive telemarketing by requiring sellers to clearly state their identity and the purpose of the call before asking for any information. These changes directly affect businesses and consumers by establishing clearer boundaries for lawful marketing and sales practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a School Meal Debt Fund and creates new rules to ensure all students in Pennsylvania public schools can access meals regardless of their ability to pay. It requires schools to provide meals to any student who requests one unless a parent has explicitly asked for them to be withheld, and it mandates that schools help families apply for free or reduced-price meal programs if a student owes money. The legislation strictly prohibits schools from stigmatizing students with debt by using wristbands, denying participation in activities, or threatening legal action, while also banning the use of collections agencies or credit reporting to recover unpaid meal costs. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Revenue to share confidential household income data with schools to better determine eligibility for federal assistance and to identify students who need help paying off meal debts.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania laws to clarify how medical records can be obtained and the fees associated with them. It directly affects patients, their attorneys, and healthcare providers by setting specific prices for copying and retrieving medical charts. Under the new rules, patients and their representatives can access their own records without needing a subpoena, while other parties must pay a set fee for search, retrieval, and copying services. The act also establishes different rates for paper copies versus electronic records and requires these fees to be adjusted annually based on inflation.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill establishes a new program to manage the collection and recycling of portable batteries, directly affecting manufacturers and retailers who sell these products in the state. It requires producers to create Battery Stewardship Plans that outline how they will collect used batteries, fund recycling efforts, and educate the public on proper disposal methods. The legislation defines specific battery types that must be included in the program, such as small rechargeable and primary batteries, while excluding larger batteries used in electric vehicles or solar power systems. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection oversee the program, enforce performance standards, and impose penalties on those who fail to comply with the new rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's domestic relations laws to redefine marriage as a civil contract between two individuals, removing the previous legal requirement that it be between one man and one woman. It directly affects couples by eliminating state barriers to same-sex marriage and repeals the specific provision that declared such unions void within the Commonwealth. The legislation also updates the statutory definition of marriage to reflect this inclusive language while removing the section that stated it was public policy to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's existing law to strengthen legal protections for individuals who donate food to charitable or religious organizations. It clarifies that donors are immune from civil or criminal liability if they donate food in good faith after a reasonable inspection confirms it is safe to eat. However, this immunity does not apply if the donor was negligent, reckless, intentionally harmful, or knew the food was contaminated. The legislation also explicitly covers donations of food that is not easily sold due to appearance, age, or expiration dates, while maintaining the government's right to regulate such food.