Rep. Seth Grove

Maddy summaryHB 158, the "Fairness in Women's Sports Act," requires public schools and colleges in Pennsylvania to explicitly designate athletic teams as male, female, or coed based on biological sex. It prohibits teams designated for females from allowing male students to participate and allows students who face denied opportunities or harm due to violations to sue for damages. Schools can also sue entities that punish them for following the law. The bill applies directly to all public school districts, colleges, and athletic programs covered under Pennsylvania's Public School Code.

Maddy summaryHB 2229 amends Pennsylvania's Solid Waste Management Act to clarify and expand the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) authority. It requires the DEP to propose a state fund funded by facility surcharges if federal hazardous waste cleanup funding proves inadequate, targeting abandoned or closed hazardous waste sites. The bill also establishes new regulations for the "beneficial use" of municipal and residual waste, including mandatory monitoring for waste stored longer than one year and requiring facilities to report changes in waste properties. Additionally, it mandates that the DEP forward EPA violation notices to affected municipalities and allows municipalities to opt out of receiving these notices. These changes directly affect waste management facilities, municipalities handling residual waste, and the DEP's enforcement processes.

Maddy summaryHB 910 amends Pennsylvania's criminal code to elevate "dealing in infant children" from a misdemeanor to a first-degree felony. It makes it a crime to trade, buy, sell, or deal with infants under one year old, directly targeting individuals involved in illegal infant trafficking. The bill explicitly excludes legal surrogacy and adoption from this offense. This law takes effect 60 days after enactment, focusing on criminalizing the commercial exchange of very young children.

Maddy summaryHB 2228 prevents courts from enforcing non-disclosure or non-criticism agreements (like those requiring silence or preventing public discussion) in cases involving workplace sexual harassment or assault under Pennsylvania law. It directly affects survivors who may have signed such agreements with employers, service providers, or contractors. The law makes these clauses unenforceable when reporting abuse, but does not prevent companies from protecting trade secrets. This applies to claims filed in Pennsylvania courts after the law takes effect.

Maddy summaryHB 372 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Aging to annually evaluate all area agencies serving older adults through onsite inspections and program reviews. It mandates that each agency be labeled as compliant or noncompliant with state regulations and report on meeting specific performance measures. The Department must share written evaluation results publicly within 30 days on its website and gather feedback from program beneficiaries during assessments. The bill also requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly detailing services provided to older Pennsylvanians.

Maddy summaryHB 1322 requires certain state-appointed fiduciaries (like estate administrators or executors) to complete mandatory training on handling decedents' estates and fiduciary duties. The bill amends Pennsylvania's Title 20 statutes to establish this training requirement, directly affecting individuals managing estates under state supervision. This policy change aims to improve oversight and consistency in estate administration by ensuring fiduciaries meet specific competency standards.

Maddy summaryHB 274 amends Pennsylvania's 1936 Unemployment Compensation Law to change eligibility rules for workers seeking benefits. It specifically expands eligibility for individuals fleeing domestic violence by removing barriers to claiming compensation in such cases. The bill also modifies how unemployment compensation rates and benefit amounts are calculated. These changes directly affect unemployed workers in Pennsylvania who qualify under the updated rules. The bill is currently pending in committee after recent amendments.

Maddy summaryHB 2105 establishes an employer self-audit program in Pennsylvania, allowing businesses to voluntarily correct accidental unpaid wages or minor labor violations before enforcement action. It directly affects employers who unintentionally violated specific labor laws (like the Minimum Wage Act or Wage Payment Law) by requiring them to submit detailed audits, payroll records, and payment calculations for affected employees. Employers must demonstrate they corrected the issue, weren’t under investigation, and reviewed compliance resources before applying. The program focuses only on "negligent" (non-willful) violations, excluding cases involving falsified records or serious harm. This bill aims to foster cooperation between employers and the Department of Labor, not impose penalties for past mistakes.

Maddy summaryHB 2104 establishes Pennsylvania's Office of Information Technology and an Information Technology Fund to centralize and streamline state IT management. It requires all state agencies to submit detailed business cases for major IT projects and sets five-year budget limits to control costs, reduce redundancy, and improve cybersecurity. The bill also creates a Joint Cybersecurity Oversight Committee, mandates improved data protection for personal information, and assigns oversight for the Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network. These changes directly affect all state agencies by requiring standardized IT procurement, budgeting, and security protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 2095 creates a program allowing Pennsylvania school districts to request waivers from specific requirements of the Public School Code, regulations, or standards. School districts must adopt a board resolution to apply, or intermediate units can apply for multiple districts if all member districts approve. The Department of Education must review applications within 60 days (automatic approval if no decision is made), and districts must submit evaluations after five years to renew waivers showing improved student performance or operations. Certain provisions, such as those related to student safety and assessments, are explicitly exempt from waiver requests.