Rep. Danilo Burgos

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local taxing authorities in Pennsylvania to offer property tax exemptions to developers who redevelop old churches, hospitals, and schools. To oversee these efforts, it creates a new advisory committee within the State Planning Board and gives the Department of Community and Economic Development new powers and responsibilities. The law defines redevelopment as major repairs or construction that improve safety and utility, rather than simple maintenance, and requires developers to sign agreements outlining the terms of the tax breaks.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's eminent domain laws to clarify definitions, streamline condemnation procedures, and expand protections for property owners. It introduces new terms such as "blighted property" and "marginalized community" to ensure consistent legal interpretation and requires that replacement housing for displaced residents be affordable and located in areas with similar school districts and amenities. The legislation also mandates that title transfer only occurs after a court makes a final determination, while simultaneously allowing owners to recover limited costs for appraisals, legal fees, and engineering services. Additionally, the bill provides for compensation for the loss of business goodwill and ensures that mortgages and liens are addressed during the condemnation process.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution urges the U.S. Congress to pass federal legislation that would raise the asset limits for Supplemental Security Income eligibility. Currently, individuals can only hold $2,000 in resources and couples can hold $3,000 without losing benefits, a limit that has not been adjusted for inflation since 1989. The proposed federal bill seeks to increase these limits to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for couples to help recipients save money and maintain financial stability. The resolution specifically calls for Congress to enact this change, noting that the current strict limits often force people to spend down their assets or face benefit termination.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's Barbers' License Law to update language regarding who can be licensed as a manager-barber or barber-teacher. The changes remove specific references to cosmetology and adjust the text to clarify that these roles apply to licensed barbers. By deleting certain lines and inserting new wording, the legislation streamlines the rules for professional licensing in barbering.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania law creates a new legal mechanism to protect individuals and organizations when they are sued over their public speech, news reporting, or artistic work. It allows people who are wrongly sued to recover their legal fees and, in cases of malicious harassment, potentially punitive damages. The legislation grants immunity from lawsuits to those exercising free speech rights on matters of public concern, provided they can prove the lawsuit lacks merit. However, the law does not apply to government officials acting in their official capacity, businesses selling goods or services, or claims involving bodily injury, trade secrets, or internal corporate disputes. Additionally, it requires state court and legislative offices to update their resources to reflect these new protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the existing Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to refine how pharmacy audits and fees are handled. It clarifies that certain insurance supplements are excluded from specific terms and changes the notice period for additional fees from the time of claim adjudication to thirty days before the fees are applied. The legislation also updates definitions to refer to "generic" drugs instead of "general" ones and expands the scope of federal employee benefit protections. Additionally, it adjusts reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers and the state agency overseeing these audits.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania vehicle registration laws to create special license plates for specific groups, including recipients of the Expeditionary Forces Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal. It also establishes new motorcycle plates for veterans, women veterans, and individuals honoring veterans, while updating the requirements for a Distracted Driving Awareness plate. To obtain these plates, eligible individuals must apply and pay an additional fee ranging from $20 to $41, with some funds designated for the Veterans' Trust Fund. The legislation applies to passenger vehicles under 14,000 pounds for the medal recipients and is restricted to motorcycles for the veteran-related plate designs.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's driver licensing laws to better support minors and homeless youth. For minors, it requires a signed certification from a parent or guardian confirming that the driver has completed 65 hours of supervised practice, including specific amounts of night and bad weather driving, before taking their license test. The legislation also allows homeless children and youth to use temporary addresses like schools or shelters when applying for licenses and exempts them from paying the associated fees. Additionally, it clarifies that the adults who sign these certifications are not legally liable for the minor's driving behavior.

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 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.