Rep. Dan Frankel

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a five-year pilot program to provide funding for restoring school libraries in Pennsylvania's low-achieving schools. Eligible schools can receive grants of up to $170,000 to purchase books, digital resources, and technology, as well as to hire or train certified school librarians. The Department of Education will select at least 12 schools representing diverse student demographics to participate, and the program requires annual reporting and an independent evaluation to assess its impact on student performance.

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 updates the membership rules for Pennsylvania's State Veterans' Commission to ensure broader representation of different veteran groups. It mandates that the commission include representatives from sixteen specific national veterans' organizations, such as the American Legion and VFW, along with four members appointed by the Governor who must be female or Vietnam-era veterans. The legislation also clarifies the roles of state-level leaders from the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars as nonvoting members. These changes aim to modernize the commission's composition while maintaining its existing structure under Pennsylvania law.

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.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill prohibits the intentional addition of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, to a wide range of consumer products including cookware, cosmetics, food packaging, and artificial turf. While the law generally bans these chemicals, it allows for their use in specific items if the Department of Environmental Protection determines that no safer alternative exists and the chemical is critical for the product's function. The Department of Environmental Protection is tasked with enforcing these restrictions, managing a public database of PFAS information, and imposing penalties for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends an existing law to expand eligibility for grants that help pay off student loans for healthcare workers serving in rural areas or medically underserved communities. The primary change broadens the definition of eligible recipients from just physicians and nurses to include all types of medical practitioners, such as midwives, and adds rural health clinics as qualifying employers. Additionally, the bill adjusts the grant award structure to allow payments in increments of up to $10,000 and extends the repayment period for recipients from 60 to 90 months. These modifications aim to increase the pool of eligible professionals and improve the financial terms of the loan repayment assistance program.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act to update how benefits are calculated and distributed, particularly for cases involving death or long-term injuries. It clarifies that pre-injury settlement agreements are generally invalid and ensures that workers can still sue for damages even if they receive certain other benefits, while also adjusting how unemployment and Social Security payments offset workers' compensation awards. The legislation establishes a new schedule for paying death benefits to dependents and creates a minimum weekly compensation floor of $100 for injuries occurring before 1993, with state funding to cover the difference. Additionally, it updates definitions and procedures for self-insured employers and the Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund to improve administrative clarity.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania public schools to teach about the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The instruction must total at least seven hours annually and be included within existing social studies and language arts classes. Additionally, the State Board of Education will study how schools are implementing this curriculum and create regulations to ensure compliance if most schools are not currently meeting the requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits employers in Pennsylvania from punishing, disciplining, or retaliating against employees for refusing to attend meetings or listen to communications about religious or political topics. It defines "voluntary" participation as attendance that is not incentivized by benefits or threatened with negative employment consequences, ensuring employees can opt out without fear of reprisal. To enforce these protections, the law allows aggrieved workers to sue for remedies like reinstatement and back pay, while also requiring employers to post a notice explaining these rights. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of Labor and Industry investigate complaints and provides a framework for interested parties to report violations.