Rep. Jill Cooper

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's criminal law by establishing a five-year statute of limitations for prosecuting specific serious offenses. It directly affects prosecutors and defendants by setting a deadline within which these cases must be filed after the alleged crime occurs. The law covers a wide range of crimes including murder-related attempts and conspiracies, violent offenses like kidnapping and robbery, financial crimes such as fraud and bribery, and other serious violations like arson and drug delivery resulting in death. The changes apply to all listed offenses regardless of whether the crime was completed or attempted, ensuring that serious allegations can still be pursued within a defined timeframe.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week of April 12 through 18, 2026, as "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week" in Pennsylvania. It directly honors 911 dispatchers and public safety telecommunicators who coordinate emergency responses for medical, fire, and police services. The resolution acknowledges the critical role these professionals play as the first point of contact for residents during emergencies. This is a commemorative measure that recognizes the diligence and professionalism of these workers without changing any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates the week of May 10 through 16, 2026, as "National Police Week" and May 15, 2026, as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" within the state. The measure formally acknowledges the service and sacrifice of police officers who have died in the line of duty and aligns Pennsylvania with the federal observance dates established by Congress. It does not create new laws, funding, or operational requirements but serves as a symbolic recognition of law enforcement contributions.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 421) designates April 2026 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or programs but formally recognizes the month to raise awareness about child abuse prevention. The resolution highlights Pennsylvania's 2024 statistics (4,756 substantiated abuse cases, 60 child fatalities) and acknowledges community efforts to support victims. It urges Pennsylvanians to participate in prevention efforts and commends organizations working on this issue. The designation is symbolic, aiming to foster community engagement without altering existing policies.

Maddy summaryHB 2248 designates May 20 as "Jimmy Stewart Day" in Pennsylvania to honor the late actor, who was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and starred in iconic films like *It's a Wonderful Life* and *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington*. The bill is purely commemorative, with no requirement for employers to grant paid leave or treat the day as a legal holiday. It includes legislative findings about Stewart's life, career, military service, and legacy, including his 1985 Presidential Medal of Freedom. The designation applies annually without imposing new obligations on individuals or organizations.

Maddy summaryHB 1935 requires individuals convicted of terroristic threats to pay restitution for costs incurred during evacuations, including emergency response, transportation, and employee wages for first responders. It also mandates a sentencing enhancement for threats targeting schools or institutions of higher education, which the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing must consider. The bill defines "school entity" to include public, charter, private, and cyber charter schools, and "institution of higher education" to cover specific universities like Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and others. These changes directly affect offenders who make terroristic threats in educational settings, holding them financially accountable for the costs their actions trigger.

Maddy summaryHB 2217 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide specific minimum recess and lunch periods for students. It mandates at least 30 minutes of recess daily for full-day kindergarten through fifth grade, 15 minutes for half-day kindergarten, and 30 consecutive minutes of lunch for all full-day kindergarten through twelfth grade. The bill prohibits withholding lunch for discipline or make-up work, ensures students can opt out of cafeteria lunch for religious reasons, and prevents schools from reducing non-tested subject instruction time to provide recess without balancing with tested subjects. This applies to all school entities (including districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) and takes effect July 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 2211 ends automatic annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Pennsylvania public officials after specific dates. It stops future COLAs for judges (effective January 1, 2026), the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Treasurer, Auditor General, Attorney General, department heads, and General Assembly members (effective November 30, 2025). The bill amends existing law to replace the current CPI-U-based COLA mechanism with a fixed end date for these adjustments. This change applies to all affected officials whose compensation was previously tied to the Consumer Price Index for the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware-Maryland area.

Maddy summaryHB 2209 requires all state-funded institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania to implement a mandatory one-credit course on "the dangers and realities of communism and socialism" starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The course must cover specific topics including definitions of capitalism, communism, and socialism; historical examples like China, Cuba, and the Soviet Union; comparisons between free markets and communist systems; and the impact on civil liberties. It applies to all public universities, community colleges, and state-funded private institutions as defined in the bill. The law mandates this curriculum for all students at these institutions, with no exemption for existing courses. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 710 updates Pennsylvania's vehicle financial responsibility rules by requiring drivers to prove they can cover accident costs. It directly affects Pennsylvania drivers who need to show proof of financial responsibility (like insurance) when registering vehicles or after incidents. The key change is creating an online verification system to replace paper documents, allowing real-time checks by law enforcement and state agencies. This simplifies the process for drivers and officials while ensuring compliance with existing financial responsibility standards.