Rep. Tarik Khan

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill expands stalking laws and introduces a new crime called unauthorized location tracking to address privacy concerns regarding digital surveillance. The stalking provisions clarify that repeated acts intended to cause fear or emotional distress are criminal offenses, with penalties increasing to a felony for repeat offenders or those with prior violent convictions. Additionally, the bill makes it a misdemeanor to use technology to monitor another person's location without permission, though it includes specific exceptions for law enforcement investigations, court-ordered supervision, and parents tracking their own children. These changes aim to provide clearer legal tools for protecting individuals from harassment and invasive tracking while allowing for legitimate uses like parental monitoring and fleet management.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania laws to improve how electric utilities manage energy efficiency programs and streamline the approval process for their plans. It requires the state commission to decide on utility plans within 120 days and allows companies 60 days to revise rejected plans, while also protecting the inclusion of mechanical insulation unless proven cost-ineffective. The legislation clarifies definitions for key terms like "energy efficiency measures," which now explicitly include solar panels, efficient windows, and various heating and cooling technologies, and establishes standards for quality assurance and cost-benefit testing.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a consumer data privacy framework that defines the responsibilities of data controllers and processors while setting penalties for non-compliance. It clarifies that controllers are entities that determine how personal information is used and requires them to implement reasonable safeguards to protect collected data. The legislation specifies that publicly available information and certain mathematical representations of data are excluded from the definition of personal information, and it includes exemptions for financial institutions. Additionally, the bill outlines procedures for consumers to opt out of data processing and grants them a 60-day window to correct errors in their data requests.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution designates June 23, 2024, as "Widows' and Widowers' Day" to acknowledge the approximately 681,800 widowed individuals in the state. The measure expresses condolences to those who have lost a spouse and encourages them to seek support from family, friends, and counselors. It does not create any new laws or change existing programs but serves as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness about the challenges faced by widowed residents.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill requires school districts to print a 24/7 accessible suicide prevention hotline number on student identification cards for grades six through twelve. It also mandates that school safety coordinators ensure the same hotline number is prominently displayed on school websites and in the offices of counselors, principals, and administrators. These changes aim to make mental health resources more visible and accessible to students and staff within the school environment.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Pennsylvania Small Business Innovation Grant and Small Business Technology Transfer Matching Funds Program to offer financial support to local small businesses participating in federal research initiatives. Administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development, the program provides matching grants of up to $50,000 to businesses that have received Phase I awards from the Small Business Administration for federal research projects. To qualify, companies must be headquartered in Pennsylvania, commit to keeping at least 51% of their research work within the state, and submit specific reports demonstrating their ability to advance the project to Phase II. The legislation also sets limits on funding, allowing each business to receive only one grant per year and a maximum of five total awards, with funds released in installments tied to project milestones.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania government agencies to prioritize using insecticide-free native plants over non-native options when landscaping state facilities. It mandates that these agencies consider the environmental benefits of such plants, including habitat creation for pollinators and reduced water usage, during construction and maintenance projects. Additionally, the law directs the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to create specific pollinator meadows on unused turfgrass areas at Commonwealth facilities. The legislation defines specific terms like "pollinator meadow" and lists various state departments and entities that must follow these new planting guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Pennsylvania's existing Wild Resource Conservation Act to specifically include wild native terrestrial invertebrates, such as land-dwelling insects and other non-aquatic animals without backbones, under state protection. It directs the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to investigate these species' populations and habitats, classify them as endangered, threatened, or vulnerable, and establish a formal management system. Once classified, the department will create regulations within two years that limit activities like taking, selling, or transporting these invertebrates to ensure their survival. The law also officially defines these creatures as "wild resources" and sets the bill into effect 60 days after it is signed.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania laws regarding inheritance to prevent individuals who kill others or commit elder abuse from profiting from their crimes. It specifically bars people convicted of murdering a victim or abusing an elderly person from receiving any property, benefits, or inheritance that would normally pass to them. The legislation treats these individuals as if they died before the victim for the purpose of distributing assets, while also defining specific rules for how shared property like joint accounts or tenancies are handled in these cases. By amending the state's decedents, estates, and fiduciaries statutes, the law ensures that assets left by victims go to their rightful heirs rather than to those who harmed them.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires private health insurers and state-managed health plans to cover biomarker testing when it is used to diagnose, treat, or monitor a specific disease or condition. The legislation defines biomarker testing as the analysis of tissue, blood, or other biological samples to identify indicators of biological processes, while explicitly excluding coverage for general screening purposes. Coverage for these tests must follow the same rules as other medical services, including standard cost-sharing and medical necessity reviews, and the changes will take effect 180 days after the bill is signed.