Rep. Jill Cooper

Maddy summaryHB 1043 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to expand access to emergency allergy and asthma treatments in schools. The bill specifically allows school staff, including bus drivers and crossing guards, to possess, use, and administer epinephrine auto-injectors (like EpiPens) and asthma inhalers for students in medical emergencies. It updates definitions and procedures to ensure authorized personnel can act quickly during allergic reactions or asthma attacks without requiring individual physician orders each time. This directly affects students with life-threatening allergies or asthma and school staff who may need to provide immediate care.

Maddy summaryHB 2032 amends Pennsylvania's retirement system rules for state employees and officers, affecting how they join, contribute to, and receive retirement benefits. It changes membership requirements (making some participation mandatory or optional), adjusts how years of service count toward benefits, and updates rules for ending retirement payments (annuities). The bill directly impacts current and future state workers by altering their retirement eligibility, contribution amounts, and benefit calculations under the state system. It does not change general public benefits but specifically targets state employee retirement program administration. The bill is currently under review by the State Government committee.

Maddy summaryHB 2020 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle registration laws to expand options for specialty license plates. It specifically adds provisions for "personal organization" plates (for groups like nonprofits) and "Gold Star Family" plates (for families of military members killed in service). The bill establishes the process for issuing these plates and outlines eligibility criteria for applicants. This directly affects Pennsylvania residents seeking these specific specialty plates during vehicle registration.

Maddy summaryHB 2000 designates a specific section of highway in Pennsylvania as the "Pennsylvania and National Medal of Honor Highway" to honor Medal of Honor recipients. It directly affects the highway corridor by renaming it, replacing a previous designation. The bill's key provision is the repeal of the prior highway name, formally establishing this new commemorative name through legislative action. This is a ceremonial measure with no funding or policy changes beyond the highway's official designation.

Maddy summaryHB 1406 would amend Pennsylvania's theft laws by changing how theft offenses are classified by severity (grading). It directly affects individuals convicted of theft crimes, as it would alter the legal categories used to determine penalties. The bill's key mechanism involves revising specific sections of the state's criminal code to adjust the grading system for theft offenses. This change would impact sentencing outcomes for theft cases but does not introduce new penalties or expand the scope of theft crimes.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates October 2025 and October 2026 as "Wine, Wineries and Grapes Month" in Pennsylvania. It is a ceremonial resolution honoring the state's wine industry, directly affecting Pennsylvania wineries, grape growers, and related businesses. The resolution has no regulatory or funding provisions - it simply recognizes the industry's contributions through a formal designation. The bill was adopted by the Pennsylvania House on October 28, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1999 would add a Smokey Bear-themed license plate as an option for Pennsylvania vehicle owners during registration. It directly affects residents who choose to display this specialty plate instead of standard license plates. The bill amends vehicle registration rules to include this specific design option under Pennsylvania's license plate program.

Maddy summaryHB 1405 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to create new pathways for veterans to become career and technical teachers in public schools. It allows veterans who served at least 8,000 hours (four years full-time) in an occupation they will teach to qualify for a Career and Technical Intern Certificate or Career and Technical Instructional I Certificate, bypassing some standard certification requirements. The bill specifically defines "veteran" as someone discharged under honorable conditions from U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard or reserves. This directly affects veterans seeking teaching roles in career and technical education programs across Pennsylvania's public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 1955 prohibits local governments and state agencies in Pennsylvania from setting targets for issuing traffic citations (quotas) or spreading citation numbers across police stations (station averaging). It also changes how traffic violations affect driver license points and establishes a pilot program testing radar enforcement systems on roads. The bill directly affects local police departments, state agencies, and drivers by altering citation practices and licensing consequences. It codifies existing restrictions on citation quotas while adding new rules for radar use, without changing traffic laws themselves.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates October 10, 2025, as "National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan)" for observance within Pennsylvania. It is a symbolic gesture by the Pennsylvania state legislature to recognize this date, directly affecting state government and public institutions in Pennsylvania. The bill has no binding legal effect but formally acknowledges the date through a state resolution. It was adopted by the Pennsylvania legislature on October 8, 2025.