Rep. Donna Bullock

Maddy summaryThis bill expands medical assistance coverage to include doula services for eligible recipients during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and for up to one year after childbirth. To oversee this expansion, the legislation requires the creation of a Doula Advisory Board composed of government officials, doula representatives, and community members to advise on best practices and address disparities in maternal health. The state must also seek federal approval or a waiver to implement these changes, with the new coverage provisions taking effect once approved. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for third-party liability and data matching to help prevent fraud and abuse within the program.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Cosmetology Law to explicitly include natural hair braiders in its licensing requirements. It mandates that individuals performing natural hair braiding must obtain a cosmetology license and work only in licensed salons, while also prohibiting the rental of booths within those establishments. The legislation clarifies that these rules apply solely to those whose business is dedicated to braiding and does not affect emergency services, medical professionals, or licensed barbers. Additionally, the bill establishes specific eligibility criteria for taking the required examination and outlines the fees and renewal processes for these new licenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare providers, including physicians and midwives, to offer pregnant and postpartum patients a standardized screening tool for mood and anxiety disorders in their primary language. It mandates that providers share information about available support resources with patients and, with consent, with their accompanying individuals or designated contacts. The legislation also directs the Department of Health to create a public awareness campaign about perinatal mental health and to maintain an updated list of counseling and assistance services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to update the list of protected characteristics, explicitly adding sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, handicap, disability, and the use of support animals to existing categories like race and age. The legislation directly affects employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, and providers of housing and public accommodations by clarifying that discrimination based on these new and existing traits is unlawful. It reinforces the state's policy of ensuring equal opportunity and mandates that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission enforce these protections through established procedures and penalties. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to protect religious exercise while maintaining the commission's powers and duties to prevent prejudice and handle complaints.

Maddy summaryThis bill restricts public access to eviction records in Pennsylvania by automatically placing such files under limited access seven years after the case is filed or once a judgment is satisfied. It prohibits courts, landlords, and consumer reporting agencies from sharing these records with the public or using them in tenant screening reports, while still allowing access to the parties involved, their attorneys, and specific entities like nonprofit researchers. Landlords are required to notify the court within 30 days if a tenant pays a money judgment in full or vacates the property by the agreed date. The legislation also creates a private right of action for tenants, allowing them to seek damages of up to two months' rent or $5,000, whichever is greater, along with attorney fees, if their eviction records are improperly disclosed.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Online Safety Protection Act, requires businesses that provide online services likely to be used by children to prioritize the privacy, safety, and well-being of minors over commercial interests. Companies covered by the law must conduct data protection impact assessments to ensure their products do not cause foreseeable physical, financial, or psychological harm, nor engage in discriminatory practices or use deceptive design tricks called dark patterns. The legislation also defines specific rules for how personal information can be collected and sold, while excluding deidentified data and publicly available information from these restrictions. Penalties are imposed on entities that fail to comply with these duties to protect children's best interests.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the scope of practice for pharmacists in Pennsylvania by allowing them to administer injectable medications, biologicals, and immunizations to patients aged three and older. It establishes new requirements for training, parental consent for minors, and reporting procedures while also permitting pharmacists to delegate these tasks to specific healthcare professionals and qualified pharmacy technicians under strict supervision. Additionally, the legislation grants pharmacies with existing federal waivers the ability to perform certain laboratory tests for common illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu without adhering to some state clinical laboratory regulations.