Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to update the list of protected characteristics, explicitly adding sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, handicap, disability, and the use of support animals to existing categories like race and age. The legislation directly affects employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, and providers of housing and public accommodations by clarifying that discrimination based on these new and existing traits is unlawful. It reinforces the state's policy of ensuring equal opportunity and mandates that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission enforce these protections through established procedures and penalties. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to protect religious exercise while maintaining the commission's powers and duties to prevent prejudice and handle complaints.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill expands Pennsylvania's existing rules on firearm possession by clarifying the responsibilities of individuals who are legally prohibited from owning guns. It mandates that people facing certain disabilities must surrender their firearms, ammunition, and licenses to law enforcement or transfer them to eligible buyers within a specific timeframe, with stricter requirements for those subject to abuse protection orders. The legislation also introduces new penalties for failing to comply with these surrender orders and for knowingly accepting or returning weapons to prohibited individuals before a court order allows it. Additionally, the bill outlines duties for the Office of Attorney General and establishes procedures for handling firearms in community and municipal courts.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act to update definitions regarding construction work. Specifically, it adds "rebar system assembly" to the list of covered activities while removing the phrase "or smaller prefabricated components" from the definition of prefabricated components. These changes clarify which specific tasks and materials are subject to prevailing wage requirements for public projects. The bill also outlines updated duties for the Secretary of Labor and Industry in enforcing these provisions.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to clarify which entities must maintain county property contact information lists. It specifically defines "business" and "limited liability company" to ensure these groups, along with individuals, are subject to the same duties as other property owners. The legislation imposes penalties on those who fail to comply with these new reporting requirements, aiming to streamline how property data is managed across the state.
Maddy summaryThis bill restricts public access to eviction records in Pennsylvania by automatically placing such files under limited access seven years after the case is filed or once a judgment is satisfied. It prohibits courts, landlords, and consumer reporting agencies from sharing these records with the public or using them in tenant screening reports, while still allowing access to the parties involved, their attorneys, and specific entities like nonprofit researchers. Landlords are required to notify the court within 30 days if a tenant pays a money judgment in full or vacates the property by the agreed date. The legislation also creates a private right of action for tenants, allowing them to seek damages of up to two months' rent or $5,000, whichever is greater, along with attorney fees, if their eviction records are improperly disclosed.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's personal income tax code to exclude specific student loan forgiveness amounts from taxation. It directly affects borrowers who receive loan discharge through federally qualified programs and employers providing educational assistance. The legislation defines eligible loans as those issued under federal student assistance laws and limits tax-free forgiveness to programs established by the federal Department of Education. These tax exemptions will apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code to improve how large land developments are reviewed and approved. It requires developers of significant projects to notify neighboring towns early, allowing those towns to request impact studies if they believe the project will affect them. The legislation also sets a strict 90-day deadline for local governments to decide on plat applications, while permitting extensions if an impact study or mitigation plan is needed. Finally, it mandates that final plat approval cannot occur until streets and essential infrastructure are completed or a financial guarantee is posted to cover future costs.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Online Safety Protection Act, requires businesses that provide online services likely to be used by children to prioritize the privacy, safety, and well-being of minors over commercial interests. Companies covered by the law must conduct data protection impact assessments to ensure their products do not cause foreseeable physical, financial, or psychological harm, nor engage in discriminatory practices or use deceptive design tricks called dark patterns. The legislation also defines specific rules for how personal information can be collected and sold, while excluding deidentified data and publicly available information from these restrictions. Penalties are imposed on entities that fail to comply with these duties to protect children's best interests.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania zoning laws to allow municipalities with over 5,000 residents in growing counties to create rules for multiple-unit housing. It directly affects local governments in these specific areas by expanding their authority to regulate apartment and condominium developments. The key provision adds new eligibility criteria based on population size and recent growth, removing previous restrictions that limited these zoning options. This change aims to provide a clearer legal framework for communities seeking to increase housing density in response to population increases.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania zoning laws to allow municipalities with over 5,000 residents in growing counties to permit multi-family housing, specifically duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes, on lots where single-family homes are allowed. The legislation requires that rules for these smaller multi-unit buildings cannot be more restrictive than those for single-family homes, while also defining specific criteria for what constitutes each housing type. Localities can petition a county or regional planning agency to review proposed developments to ensure existing infrastructure can support them, potentially requiring developers to make necessary improvements. The act applies only to municipalities meeting specific population and growth thresholds and takes effect 180 days after passage.