Rep. Paul Friel

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 establishes a Net Operating Loss Transfer Program in Pennsylvania to allow certain new or expanding biotechnology and technology businesses to sell their unused tax losses to other companies. The program specifically targets businesses that have been operating in the state for five years or less and employ at least 15% of their U.S. workforce within Pennsylvania. Under the new rules, these "selling taxpayers" can transfer the value of their tax benefits to "purchasing taxpayers," who may then use those benefits to offset their own taxable income. The legislation also updates penalty provisions for tax violations and renumbers existing sections of the Tax Reform Code of 1971 to reflect these changes.

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 summaryHB 2386 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to encourage school districts and intermediate units to form partnerships for sharing administrative tasks and instructional programs, such as professional services and student support. The bill authorizes these entities to jointly conduct feasibility studies to explore merging into a single district or combining individual schools within a district to improve efficiency. To facilitate these efforts, the legislation establishes a new grant program that provides funding for shared services and feasibility studies, while also outlining specific requirements for applications and reporting. Additionally, the bill repeals previous provisions that offered financial incentives specifically for administrative or instructional consolidation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows teachers in Pennsylvania who have voluntarily placed their teaching certificates on inactive status for at least seven years to take college courses for free or at a 50% discount. The State Board of Education will create and update a list of approved colleges offering these specific tuition-reduced credits every three years. To fund this program, the state will reimburse colleges annually for the waived tuition costs, with reports on enrollment numbers submitted to the General Assembly each June.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania fishing and hunting laws to provide financial relief for disabled veterans and former prisoners of war. It establishes that veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating will receive free fishing, hunting, and furtaking licenses, while those with ratings between 60% and 99% will pay a reduced fee of one dollar. To qualify, applicants must be certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and submit proof that their disability was incurred during military service. The changes apply to resident licenses and will take effect 60 days after the bill is enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the existing Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to refine how pharmacy audits and fees are handled. It clarifies that certain insurance supplements are excluded from specific terms and changes the notice period for additional fees from the time of claim adjudication to thirty days before the fees are applied. The legislation also updates definitions to refer to "generic" drugs instead of "general" ones and expands the scope of federal employee benefit protections. Additionally, it adjusts reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers and the state agency overseeing these audits.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the authority of Pennsylvania's intermediate units to acquire and lease property for school facilities and establishes a funding mechanism for these capital projects. It creates a program that allows nonpublic schools to receive grants for safety and security enhancements, which can be used for violence prevention, mental health initiatives, and hiring security personnel. Additionally, the legislation sets a minimum funding level for these targeted grants and clarifies that intermediate units can only use a small percentage of the funds for administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill establishes a new program to manage the collection and recycling of portable batteries, directly affecting manufacturers and retailers who sell these products in the state. It requires producers to create Battery Stewardship Plans that outline how they will collect used batteries, fund recycling efforts, and educate the public on proper disposal methods. The legislation defines specific battery types that must be included in the program, such as small rechargeable and primary batteries, while excluding larger batteries used in electric vehicles or solar power systems. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of Environmental Protection oversee the program, enforce performance standards, and impose penalties on those who fail to comply with the new rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Keystone Fresh Program to increase the amount of locally grown food served in Pennsylvania school meals. It establishes a grant system administered by the Departments of Education and Agriculture to reimburse school districts for purchasing local fruits, vegetables, grains, and other minimally processed foods. The program prioritizes funding for schools that source from veteran farmers, socially disadvantaged groups, new farmers, or those using sustainable agriculture techniques. A separate fund is also created to support the administration of these initiatives, aiming to improve child nutrition and provide economic benefits to local producers.