Rep. Jason Ortitay

Maddy summaryHB 926 requires healthcare facilities to establish violence prevention committees to address workplace violence. These committees must develop safety plans, and facilities must report violent incidents to the Department of Labor and Industry. The Department gains authority to enforce compliance, impose fines, and issue administrative penalties for violations. This bill directly affects hospitals, clinics, and all healthcare workplaces covered under state labor regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1448 amends the Public School Code to establish a financial transparency data and reporting system, to be developed by the Department of Education. This system will collect and analyze at least ten years of basic education funding, revenue, and expenditure data, broken down by individual school entities. It will provide data visualization dashboards for state agencies and the General Assembly to simulate funding formula changes, and offer public-facing dashboards with aggregate financial information. The bill aims to provide greater transparency and analytical tools for understanding public school funding for the general public, state agencies, and various school entities.

Maddy summaryHB 1444 creates new regulations for association health plans (AHPs) under Pennsylvania's insurance code. It defines key terms like "association" (groups of employers in the same industry or profession) and sets requirements for coverage, rates, and insurer filings. The bill directly affects employers forming AHPs, health insurers offering these plans, and individuals enrolled in them. It adds enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance, while repealing outdated sections of the insurance code.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 40 designates October 2025 as "Dyslexia Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania to promote public understanding of dyslexia, a neurological learning disability affecting word recognition and spelling that impacts approximately one in five people. The resolution emphasizes the need for early diagnosis, support resources, and advocacy for individuals with dyslexia, educators, and families. As a non-binding symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws but serves to raise awareness and encourage community efforts around dyslexia support.

Maddy summaryHB 684 requires Pennsylvania public schools to adopt evidence-based reading curricula and implement annual reading screenings for kindergarten through third-grade students starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Schools must identify reading deficiencies using approved screeners, notify parents in writing about deficiencies, and provide individualized reading intervention plans for affected students. The bill mandates that educators complete approved professional development training by the 2028-2029 school year to support these requirements. It directly affects K-3 students, their families, and school staff, with specific deadlines for curriculum adoption, screening, and educator training. The law also establishes reporting and accountability measures for school entities to ensure compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 1309 adds new rules to Pennsylvania's Human Services Code for electronic monitoring in homes where in-home supportive care is provided under the LIFE program. It requires care recipients or their guardians to notify caregivers in writing about any video-only monitoring device before care begins, including its location and function, while prohibiting audio recording or placement in bathrooms. The bill mandates that devices be visible, timestamp recordings, and allows caregivers to consent to visual monitoring, with costs borne by the care recipient or guardian. It also prohibits denying care or retaliating against individuals who use such devices, ensuring privacy protections for care recipients.

Maddy summaryHB 1273 repeals Pennsylvania's requirement that taxpayers make payments of $15,000 or more electronically for personal income tax, along with related penalties for non-compliance. It replaces these rules by adding a new provision requiring the Department of Revenue to accept all payment methods without penalties for taxpayers. This bill directly affects individuals and businesses paying Pennsylvania personal income tax, removing a specific electronic payment mandate and associated fines. The changes take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, making all payment methods equally acceptable without penalty.

Maddy summaryHB 1310 amends the Human Services Code to modify how medical assistance payments are determined for institutional care in nursing facilities. The bill specifically adjusts the application of a "revenue adjustment neutrality factor" to payment rates for county and nonpublic nursing facilities. Beginning July 1, 2025, the factor for nonpublic facilities must be equal to or greater than 0.90, while for county facilities, it will be 1.00 plus the percentage rate of change applied to nonpublic facilities. This change directly affects these nursing facilities and the eligible individuals receiving care within them.

Maddy summaryHB 1238 requires Pennsylvania public schools (including charter and cyber charter schools) to adopt policies restricting student mobile device use during instructional time. School boards must create written policies specifying secure storage options (like lockboxes), retrieval procedures, and parent-communication methods during class. Exceptions allow device use for medical needs, disability accommodations, language learning, volunteer emergency duties, or teacher-approved educational purposes. The bill defines "instructional time" as class periods, excluding breaks or lunch, and prohibits school-owned devices from being covered under this restriction. This policy applies to all students in school buildings during instructional hours.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends House Rule 45(a) to establish a Pennsylvania House Election Observer Program (PA HEOP) under the Government Oversight Committee. It allows current House members or candidates to request bipartisan election observers for House election districts 30 days before an election, with observers granted full access to all election processes (voting, counting, etc.) at polling locations and election offices. The committee must develop observer guidelines, notify election officials of observer assignments, and submit post-election reports assessing ballot security and vote totals. The program directly affects House members/candidates making requests, county election offices, and election workers, while maintaining strict rules prohibiting observers from handling ballots or interfering with voting procedures.