Rep. Barb Gleim

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 115) designates April 2025 as "Faith Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or affect any specific group; instead, it symbolically recognizes the importance of religious liberty and faith in Pennsylvania's history and values. The resolution encourages Pennsylvanians to "celebrate their faiths freely and openly" through public displays, prayer, and thanksgiving during April 2025. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no legal effect or binding requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires most construction and land development projects to obtain an erosion and sediment control permit from Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) before starting earth disturbance work (like clearing land or building). It sets a 45-day deadline for DEP to process permits, or 20 days if a licensed engineer submits the application, and mandates clear written reasons for denials. The DEP must also submit an annual report to the legislature by January 31st, detailing permit applications, approvals, processing times, staff workload, and fees collected by industry sector. This directly affects construction companies, developers, and the DEP, which must manage permits and reporting under new timelines and transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 874 amends Pennsylvania's Safe Drinking Water Act to clarify definitions and update rules for temporary exemptions. It specifically revises the definition of "public water system" to exclude religious facilities (like churches) using private wells for drinking water, while clarifying that systems serving at least 15 connections or 25 daily users qualify as public systems. The bill also modifies how the Department can grant exemptions from water quality standards, requiring proof that exemptions won’t risk health (including no microbial contaminant evidence) and setting federal expiration dates for such exemptions. These changes directly affect public water systems, small communities, and religious organizations relying on private wells, with the law taking effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania counties to develop and update storm water management plans for every watershed within their borders. Counties must create these plans within two years of the environmental department issuing guidelines and review and revise them at least every five years. Municipalities without public water or sewer systems are exempt from participating in the plans. The bill specifies deadlines and regular review intervals for existing county plans under the Storm Water Management Act.

Maddy summaryHB 854 requires school board members to recuse themselves from voting on collective bargaining agreements if their spouse, romantic partner, or household member is part of the bargaining unit covered by that agreement. The bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish this conflict-of-interest rule, directly affecting school board members during contract negotiations. Key provisions mandate automatic recusal for board members with personal ties to the employees covered by the agreement being voted on. The rule takes effect 60 days after enactment, aiming to prevent potential bias in negotiations.

Maddy summaryHB 756 requires Pennsylvania prosecutors to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if they learn during a criminal case that a defendant is not a U.S. citizen or is present in the U.S. illegally under federal immigration law (8 U.S.C. Ch. 12). This affects criminal defendants with non-citizen status or potential immigration violations. The bill mandates that Commonwealth attorneys provide this notification "at any point during the course of a criminal proceeding" when they reasonably obtain such information.

Maddy summaryHB 762 amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to exempt volunteer emergency service organizations from paying state sales and use tax on protective equipment. The bill specifically covers volunteer EMS companies, fire companies, and rescue companies - defined as nonprofit groups providing emergency medical, fire, or rescue services. It excludes purchases like helmets, turnout gear, boots, gloves, and respiratory protection units from taxation when bought for members performing their duties. This tax exemption will apply to sales occurring on or after July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 796 amends Pennsylvania's inheritance tax rate for property transferred to siblings under the Tax Reform Code of 1971. Currently set at 12%, the bill changes this rate (though the new specific percentage is not detailed in the provided text) to apply to estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2025. It directly affects individuals inheriting property from siblings, as this tax rate governs such transfers. The bill modifies the existing tax provision without altering other categories like transfers to spouses or descendants. This change is a substantive policy adjustment to inheritance tax rates, not a procedural matter.

Maddy summaryHB 744 amends Pennsylvania's ethics laws to restrict gifts to public officials. It prohibits public officials, employees, nominees, or candidates from accepting cash gifts or non-cash gifts exceeding $50 in value from a single source in a year (Section 1103.1). Key exceptions include gifts from family members (excluding cash for candidates), lobbyists for major life events like weddings, and election contributions made under state law (Section 1103.2). The bill aims to prevent undue influence by clarifying what constitutes a prohibited gift under the state's financial disclosure framework.

Maddy summaryHB 691 amends Pennsylvania's Public Official Compensation Law to update how annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are calculated and published for state legislators and legislative leaders. The bill maintains that COLA will continue to be based on the Consumer Price Index for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland area, with adjustments calculated using the most recent 12-month data. It specifies that adjusted salaries for legislators must be published within 10 days of determination, while adjustments for legislative leaders (like the Speaker or Majority Leader) must be published 20 days before the change takes effect. This bill directly affects the compensation of all members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and their top leadership.