Rep. Andrew Kuzma

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to expand Pennsylvania's property tax exemption for veterans. It would extend the exemption to veterans with a 100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or equivalent federal program), including those unable to work due to service-connected disabilities. The exemption would also cover unmarried surviving spouses of eligible veterans, including those whose spouses died in action, as POWs, or were declared missing in action. Local governments could choose to offer partial tax exemptions to veterans with lower disability ratings. The amendment requires voter approval after legislative passage.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes January 27, 2026, as "International Holocaust Remembrance Day" within Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups; it is a ceremonial observance acknowledging the historical significance of the Holocaust and the UN-established date. The resolution cites the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945, and the UN's 2005 designation of this date for global remembrance. Pennsylvania's recognition aligns with the UN resolution's purpose of honoring Holocaust victims and promoting human rights education.

Maddy summaryHB 1375 requires Pennsylvania's Public School Employees' Retirement Board and State Employees' Retirement Board to livestream all public meetings and post unedited video and written records online for at least three years. The bill clarifies that certain sensitive investment details - like confidential financial information from alternative investments - can be withheld from public access under the Right-to-Know Law if disclosure would cause competitive harm or breach fiduciary duties. However, specific investment data must remain public, including the name, manager, and funding amounts for alternative investment vehicles. This bill directly affects how retirement boards manage transparency and public access to their investment decisions. It focuses on procedural transparency rather than changing benefit amounts or eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 238 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle code to establish requirements for obtaining REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses. It directly affects Pennsylvania residents applying for or renewing driver's licenses by mandating specific identity and residency documentation during the application process. The bill formalizes the state's process for verifying these documents to meet federal REAL ID standards, ensuring licenses are accepted for federal purposes like air travel and accessing government facilities. This policy change updates existing licensing procedures without altering federal requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 348 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to require the state human services department to notify medical assistance applicants about their right to legal representation during application or eligibility reviews. This change directly affects individuals applying for medical assistance programs (like Medicaid) and the department responsible for processing these applications. The key provision mandates that applicants receive written notice detailing their option to seek legal help, which the department must provide before finalizing eligibility decisions. The bill focuses on improving transparency in the application process without altering eligibility criteria or benefit amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 2165 amends Pennsylvania's definition of "delinquent act" in juvenile court proceedings. It specifically excludes certain serious crimes from being classified as delinquent acts when committed by minors aged 15 or older, including murder, rape, robbery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. The bill also excludes repeat offenses where a minor was previously adjudicated delinquent for similar violent crimes, summary offenses, and crimes already handled in criminal court. This change directly affects minors aged 15+ accused of these excluded offenses, shifting their cases to criminal court instead of juvenile court. The policy change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 172 amends Pennsylvania's utility billing rules to require public utilities to provide customers with clear payment deadlines: 20 days for residential customers and 15 days for nonresidential customers without late fees. It mandates itemized bills showing separate charges for basic service, taxes, and fuel adjustments, and specifies how fuel adjustment costs must be calculated for bimonthly or quarterly billing cycles. The bill also prohibits utilities from billing for service older than 12 months, except in cases of fraud, meter tampering, or pending commission proceedings. These changes directly affect residential and commercial utility customers across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 2157 requires career and technical education schools in Pennsylvania to transfer governance to a new board within three years of the law's effective date. These boards, composed of at least five members approved by the Department of Education, must include representation from local workforce sectors, school staff, and parents, while excluding school board members, teachers' unions, district employees, and public officials. The Department must establish a public approval process with 60-day timelines, public hearings, and clear qualifications for board members. The governance boards will hold full operational authority over these schools and must comply with Pennsylvania's open meetings and right-to-know laws.

Maddy summaryHB 2158 amends Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance Act by adding specific kratom-related compounds to Schedule I, the most restrictive category for controlled substances. The bill prohibits possession, sale, or distribution of any product containing 7-hydroxymitragynine at 2% or more of total alkaloids, or synthetic versions of kratom alkaloids like mitragynine. This change directly affects businesses selling kratom products and individuals who use such substances, making them illegal without medical authorization. The policy change aligns with existing Schedule I criteria of high abuse potential and no accepted medical use.

Maddy summaryHB 2138 creates a new legal standard for lawsuits alleging "negligent marketing" of firearms by manufacturers or sellers. It requires plaintiffs to prove four specific conditions before a lawsuit can proceed: (1) marketing directly targeted legally prohibited firearm owners, (2) encouraged unlawful firearm use, (3) showed a direct causal link to harm, and (4) demonstrated the manufacturer violated a specific regulatory statute. If these conditions aren't met, courts must dismiss the case and award fees to the defending manufacturer or seller. The bill directly affects plaintiffs seeking to sue firearm companies and provides stronger legal protections for those companies.