Rep. Jared Solomon

Maddy summaryHB 785 creates a new electronic voter registration system in Pennsylvania. It requires the state to establish a secure online portal within 180 days where voters can submit registration applications or updates, verify identity using the last four digits of their Social Security number or driver's license, and provide digital signatures. The bill mandates accessibility features for voters with disabilities and specifies that applications must be processed through existing systems. This directly affects all Pennsylvania voters seeking to register or update their registration online, streamlining the process while maintaining verification requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 792 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require the State Board of Education to collect data on how schools teach Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations. Starting after the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board must annually request schools to report on whether they offer such instruction, the curriculum used, teacher training participation, and details like grade levels and instructional hours. Every five years, the State Board must issue a report to the Governor, Education Secretary, and legislative education committee chairs, including statistics on school participation and recommendations for improvement. The bill does not mandate specific curriculum content but establishes a reporting system to track existing educational practices.

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 735 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to change how candidate names are ordered on primary ballots for multi-county offices. It requires counties to list candidate order based on a rotation system: the top county by registered voters determines the initial order, and subsequent counties rotate the sequence (e.g., the first name in County A becomes last in County B). This aims to reduce potential bias from ballot position. The bill also directs the Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board to study ballot order randomization. It directly affects candidates running for statewide or multi-county offices and election boards implementing ballot design.

Maddy summaryHB 709 creates a tax credit for businesses that provide free, publicly accessible parking spaces for trucks (motor carriers) on eligible property. To qualify, businesses must create at least five designated parking spaces (each 10 feet wide by 80 feet long, with concrete or asphalt) on property that is at least three acres, zoned commercial or industrial, within one mile of a designated highway corridor (Tier 1 or Tier 2). The property must also include adequate lighting and a public bathroom. Businesses must maintain these parking spaces and their operations in Pennsylvania for five years to receive the credit. The credit can be applied against certain tax liabilities under Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code.

Maddy summaryHB 658 allows first-class cities and townships in Pennsylvania to temporarily hire retired police officers back for up to five years to address staffing shortages. Police departments must establish a program where retired officers complete an eight-week training course and agree not to have disciplinary records. Retired officers must choose between keeping their full retirement benefits or temporarily pausing them during participation, with credited service for retirement benefits applied upon return. The program expires six years after implementation and only applies to officers retiring before the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 568 establishes county-level "gun violence task forces" in Pennsylvania communities with high and increasing gun violence rates. These task forces, created upon a district attorney's written request to the Attorney General, investigate violations of firearm laws (sections 6105 and 6111 of Title 18) and recommend prosecutions. The task forces include local law enforcement, community stakeholders, faith leaders, and neighborhood representatives, operating under the Attorney General’s authority. The Attorney General gains authority to prosecute certain firearm offenses in these counties, considering factors like the severity of the offense and the offender’s criminal history, while local prosecutors may request prosecution for specific cases involving murder or violent crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds music therapy to Pennsylvania's existing licensing framework for mental health professionals. It creates a new "licensed professional music therapist" category and defines "practice of music therapy" to include clinically proven techniques like music improvisation, songwriting, and music-based assessments. The State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Professional Music Therapists will regulate this new license. It directly affects individuals who provide music therapy services independently, requiring them to hold this specific license while clarifying that existing healthcare providers (like hospitals or schools) aren't required to obtain it for their employment.

Maddy summaryHB 525 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Pennsylvania counties to create local ordinances allowing the removal of elected municipal officials (like mayors or council members) only for specific reasons. The bill defines "cause" as absenteeism from meetings or failing to perform duties, and clarifies that this does not replace existing removal processes. As a constitutional amendment, it must pass both legislative chambers and be approved by voters in the next general election. This change would directly affect municipal officials and county governments, but it does not alter current state-level removal procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 527 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Health and Department of Human Services to share information about abuse allegations involving adults or older adults with the appropriate local agencies. Specifically, if abuse is reported in a facility (like nursing homes or assisted living), the receiving department must refer the case to local aging agencies for older adults (60+) or adult protective services for adults (18-59), while sharing all relevant details to aid investigations. The bill establishes ongoing communication between the departments to streamline this process but does not change existing mandatory reporting laws. It directly affects state agencies, local protective services providers, and residents in long-term care facilities.