Rep. Andrew Kuzma

Maddy summaryHB 686 amends Pennsylvania's 1970 law to give parents or legal guardians full access to their minor child's medical, dental, and mental health records until the child turns 18, subject to federal law. This new provision (Section 1.3) overrides a prior rule allowing minors to control their mental health records, directly affecting minors under 18 and their parents/guardians. The bill changes how healthcare providers handle record access requests, requiring disclosure to parents unless federal law prohibits it. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill is signed.

Maddy summaryHB 613 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require a public comparison tool for higher education institutions to include each school's endowment data. This change directly affects students, families, and researchers who use the tool to compare colleges, as it adds financial transparency about institutional resources. The bill mandates that the existing comparison tool must allow users to identify and compare institutions based on endowment size, alongside other metrics. It does not alter college operations or funding but expands available data for informed decision-making. The requirement becomes effective 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 655 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Education to create and annually update a model data security plan for all public and private schools (including charter and cyber charter schools) to protect student information. The plan must include guidelines for data access, privacy standards, breach response procedures, and data retention policies. School entities must follow this model, and the department will designate a chief data security officer to assist schools with implementation. The bill also mandates a working group to develop initial security measures and report on implementation costs by December 2026. (Based on Section 135 of the Public School Code amendment in HB 655.)

Maddy summaryHB 647 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to require county election boards to enter agreements with the judicial system. Specifically, it directs boards to receive records about county residents claiming juror ineligibility due to citizenship status and investigate the voter registration of those individuals. This provision directly affects county election boards by adding a new administrative duty to verify voter eligibility through jury qualification records. The bill does not change voting rights or election procedures, but creates a formal process for cross-checking voter registration with jury eligibility claims. The change takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 622 amends Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance Act to impose stricter penalties for violations involving fentanyl. It creates a new felony offense for knowingly violating specific drug provisions related to fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, or any substance containing trace amounts of fentanyl. Individuals convicted face up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, or both. The bill directly affects those distributing, selling, or possessing fentanyl-related substances in violation of existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 641 requires individuals convicted of a "crime of violence" (as defined in the bill) and sentenced under Pennsylvania's second or subsequent offense provisions to serve 70% of their maximum sentence before becoming eligible for parole. This applies to serious offenses including murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, and drug-related crimes resulting in death. The bill does not change the actual sentence length but modifies parole eligibility for repeat offenders in these categories. It affects only those convicted of specific violent crimes under the defined second or subsequent offense rules.

Maddy summaryHB 656 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to allow trained school staff to administer emergency anti-seizure medication during seizures when a nurse is unavailable. It directly affects students with epilepsy in public schools who have been prescribed such medication, requiring parental request and adherence to approved training guidelines. The bill establishes that non-nurse staff may provide emergency assistance only after completing designated training and following protocols approved by the Department of Education. It specifies that nasal spray or similar FDA-approved treatments may be used, while ensuring students' rights under disability laws like IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act are upheld. The policy change is voluntary for staff and requires schools to notify parents about potential accommodations under 504 plans or IEPs.

Maddy summaryHB 648 creates a new first-degree felony offense for intentionally delivering a controlled substance (in violation of Pennsylvania's drug laws) that results in another person's death. The bill explicitly removes defenses that the victim voluntarily used the drug or used it with other substances, such as alcohol or additional drugs. This law directly affects drug sellers, distributors, or those who illegally provide controlled substances leading to a fatal overdose. It changes the legal standard by making such deaths prosecutable without the previous defenses that could have been raised in court.

Maddy summaryHB 77 updates Pennsylvania's food protection laws to align with the 2022 FDA Food Code. It requires retail food facilities (like restaurants and grocery stores) to prominently display employee allergy awareness posters detailing major allergens and symptoms, and to include allergen information on menus or written materials for customers. The bill also revises definitions of "potentially hazardous food" and mandates that the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture adopt the FDA Food Code standards, with updates published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 165 amends Pennsylvania's abortion law to require pain relief medication for fetuses over 15 weeks' gestation during abortion procedures, directly affecting abortion providers performing such procedures. The bill adds a new provision (Section 3204(b.1)) stating that pain relief medication must be administered prior to the procedure unless the physician knows the pregnant person has an adverse reaction to it or a medical emergency prevents timely administration. This change applies specifically to abortions at or beyond 15 weeks' gestation. The law would take effect 60 days after enactment. It focuses on procedural requirements for medical care during abortion, not on restricting access.