Rep. Keith Harris

Maddy summaryHB 823 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to replace annual fire drills with "school security drills" in all public school buildings. It requires schools to conduct one security drill per year (after the first 90 days of school), with specific rules: drills must be age-appropriate, avoid violent simulations (like fake weapons or injuries), include mental health professionals, and require 7 days' advance notice to parents. Schools must also hold a debriefing period with mental health support immediately after each drill. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania public schools and their students, shifting focus from fire safety to comprehensive security planning.

Maddy summaryHB 805 amends Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act to strengthen oversight of child labor enforcement. It requires the Department of Labor and Industry to submit an annual report to the General Assembly by April 1, detailing complaints, violations (including by industry and county), and specific data on cases involving unaccompanied alien minors released by federal authorities. The bill also clarifies that knowingly employing minors without proper care is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $5,000 or up to two years in jail per violation. Additionally, it mandates cross-reporting to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for suspected immigration violations and to Human Services for child abuse concerns during investigations.

Maddy summaryHB 803 requires Pennsylvania high schools (grades 9-12) to maintain opioid antagonists like naloxone (Narcan) on-site and train staff to use them during suspected overdose emergencies. Schools must develop a policy within 60 days with the Department of Education, detailing safe storage, administration procedures, and mandatory hospital transport after use. Trained staff, including nurses or teachers, can administer the medication in good faith without facing legal liability, criminal charges, or professional penalties. This law directly affects all public, charter, private, and nonpublic high schools in Pennsylvania, aiming to improve emergency response to opioid overdoses among students and staff.

Maddy summaryHB 747 increases the debt limit for Pennsylvania's Business in Our Sites Program from $300 million to $375 million under the Commonwealth Financing Authority. This change directly affects the program, which supports business development on underutilized sites across the state. The bill amends Section 1543(b)(1) of Title 64 to allow the authority to incur higher aggregate indebtedness for this specific program. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 791 adds a religious exemption to Pennsylvania's firefighter certification requirements. It allows individuals whose religion prohibits shaving or trimming beards to receive an exemption from beard-related training standards, provided they pass a fit test for self-contained breathing apparatus masks. The exemption applies only to certification standards under existing rules and requires meeting the State Fire Commissioner's mask seal standards. This directly affects individuals seeking firefighter certification who have religious objections to beard removal. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 752 amends Pennsylvania law to strengthen sex offender registration requirements for individuals classified as "sexually violent predators" under 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.55(b)(3). It creates a new felony offense (second degree) for knowingly violating registration rules, and adds strict residency restrictions requiring these individuals to live at least 2,500 feet from schools or day-care centers. The bill mandates relocation within six months if they currently live too close to such facilities, or if new schools open nearby, with exceptions for lease expiration. This directly affects individuals subject to lifetime registration under Pennsylvania's sex offender laws.

Maddy summaryHB 723 amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to require state departments to check if applicants for tax credits or benefits have engaged in anti-union activities within the past decade. It directly affects businesses or individuals seeking tax benefits by blocking eligibility if they have: - Faced federal or state unfair labor practice complaints (e.g., under NLRB rules or Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act), - Settled union-related charges without formal complaints, or - Violated court orders or state labor board decisions. The bill adds specific screening steps to the tax credit application process, defining "anti-union activity" through clear legal references. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 715 amends Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage Act of 1968 to increase penalties for employers who pay workers below the required minimum wage. It reclassifies violations based on the number of offenses and the total unpaid wages: under $150 for a first offense is a summary offense, while over $150 for a first or second offense becomes a misdemeanor, and third or subsequent offenses are felonies. The bill also establishes that each week an employee is underpaid and each affected employee counts as a separate offense, making penalties more severe for repeated violations. Employers cannot avoid liability by having employees agree to work for less than the minimum wage.

Maddy summaryHB 718 amends Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law to strengthen wage enforcement, directly affecting employers (including state/local governments, corporations, and contractors) and workers owed unpaid wages. It requires the Department of Labor to collect quarterly data on wage violations, fines, unpaid wages, and complaint resolution, then submit semiannual reports to lawmakers and post them publicly. The bill mandates quarterly investigations of "high-violation industries" (those with 25+ violations in two years) and updates penalties to $2,000 per violation or triple unpaid wages, whichever is greater, plus attorney fees. Employers failing to pay within 10 days of notice face these penalties, with each week of underpayment counted as a separate violation.

Maddy summaryHB 717 amends Pennsylvania's procurement law to add wage law violations as a specific reason for barring state contractors from future government contracts. It directly affects state contractors who fail to pay wages owed to workers under the 1961 Wage Payment and Collection Law. The bill adds a new subsection (531(b)(6.1)) to the debarment rules, requiring state agencies to suspend or debar contractors found in violation of wage payment laws. This change creates a direct link between wage compliance and eligibility for state contracts. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.