Rep. La'Tasha Mayes

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes price caps for bottled water sold at entertainment venues in Pennsylvania that require a ticket for entry. Starting in 2025, the law limits prices based on bottle size, ranging from $2 for 16 ounces or less to $4 for 24 ounces or more. The prices are set to automatically adjust every five years based on regional inflation data, and venues that violate these limits face fines of up to 10% of the event's total ticket sales.

Maddy summaryThis bill introduces restorative justice as a formal sentencing option in Pennsylvania courts, allowing judges to order it either as the sole punishment or alongside traditional penalties like probation or confinement. The legislation defines restorative justice as a participatory process involving victims, offenders, community members, and trained facilitators to address harm, resolve conflicts, and repair relationships through methods such as conferences or circles. By adding specific definitions and procedures to state law, the bill ensures that courts consider this approach when determining sentences, provided all participants voluntarily agree to take part.

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 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, known as the Paid Rest Period for Workers Act, requires employers in Pennsylvania to give employees at least 30 consecutive minutes for a meal break or rest period after working five or more consecutive hours. These breaks must be paid and counted as work time, though the law allows for exceptions during workplace emergencies or if a union contract already offers equal or better protections. The Secretary of Labor and Industry is authorized to investigate violations by inspecting worksites and reviewing records, and employers who fail to comply face fines of up to $500 per affected employee per missed break. Additionally, the law provides a mechanism for the state to recover lost wages on behalf of employees who were denied these required paid breaks.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Pennsylvania's existing Freedom to Breastfeed Act by requiring all state-owned buildings to provide dedicated nursing rooms for employees and the public. Under the new rules, the Department of General Services must ensure these rooms meet specific standards, including a minimum size of 80 square feet, a lockable door, privacy features, and amenities like a sink, electrical outlet, and refrigerator where possible. The department is also tasked with creating a publicly available online list of these room locations and posting signage to guide visitors to them. These changes apply to any building under the control of the Department of General Services or administered by other executive agencies. The legislation will take effect one year after it is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to update the legal definitions of "compensation" and "domestic abuse" for personal income tax purposes. It clarifies that compensation includes various forms of payment like salaries, bonuses, and specific deferred income, while explicitly excluding items such as retirement benefits, unemployment aid, and reimbursements for actual expenses. The legislation also provides a new definition for "domestic abuse" that covers physical, psychological, sexual, emotional, and economic harm, including efforts to control or isolate a victim. These updated definitions will allow individuals who have experienced domestic abuse to access certain tax provisions, such as early withdrawal from retirement accounts, without facing standard penalties. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Microfiber Filtration Protection Act to require all washing machines sold or installed in Pennsylvania to include a built-in or in-line filter capable of capturing microfibers. The Environmental Quality Board must create regulations mandating these filters have a mesh size of 100 micrometers or smaller and display a consumer notice about checking and disposing of captured lint. Starting in 2030, manufacturers cannot sell non-compliant machines, and by 2031, installers cannot fit them unless they meet the new standards. The Department of Environmental Protection will enforce these rules through testing, inspections, and complaints, while charging manufacturers for any testing costs related to non-compliance.

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 designates Allegheny River Boulevard in western Pennsylvania as an official scenic byway to recognize its scenic, historic, and recreational value. The primary mechanism of the law restricts the placement of outdoor advertising signs near the road to preserve the visual quality of the route, with specific distance limits and exceptions for official signs, real estate listings, and directional markers. Additionally, the legislation requires state travel maps to highlight this route and explain the reasons for its designation. The changes directly affect property owners along the corridor and state agencies responsible for transportation and tourism mapping.