Rep. Jill Cooper

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to require the Secretary of the Commonwealth to create a public website for reporting election results. The site must display data for each race showing how many precincts have reported their votes and how many remain unreported, with this information available from the election day until all results are certified. The change directly affects the Secretary of the Commonwealth's duties and provides voters with real-time visibility into election progress. The law is set to take effect 60 days after being signed.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution establishes a select committee to investigate the security failures at the July 13, 2024, rally in Butler where a gunman targeted former President Trump. The committee will examine how federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies coordinated their response and will propose best practices for protecting public figures at future events. Authorized to subpoena witnesses and documents, the six-member panel must submit its findings and recommendations to the House by November 30, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the existing Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to refine how pharmacy audits and fees are handled. It clarifies that certain insurance supplements are excluded from specific terms and changes the notice period for additional fees from the time of claim adjudication to thirty days before the fees are applied. The legislation also updates definitions to refer to "generic" drugs instead of "general" ones and expands the scope of federal employee benefit protections. Additionally, it adjusts reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers and the state agency overseeing these audits.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates Passover and Yom Kippur as official days of religious observance within Pennsylvania. It formally recognizes the First Day of Passover and Yom Kippur in state statutes to acknowledge their significance to the Jewish community, which includes over 400,000 residents. However, the legislation explicitly states that these designations do not require employers or the state government to treat these days as legal holidays or to provide paid time off. The changes serve to officially record the dates of these observances without mandating any specific accommodations for workers.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 1684 updates state laws regarding child custody by establishing clearer definitions for terms like "equal parenting time" and "supervised physical custody." The bill introduces a rebuttable presumption that shared physical custody and equal parenting time are in a child's best interest during temporary custody orders, requiring courts to maximize time with each parent unless specific factors suggest otherwise. It also outlines new procedures for obtaining temporary custody orders based on affidavits and agreements, while expanding the list of factors judges must consider, including any criminal convictions of the parents. These changes aim to standardize how courts evaluate custody arrangements and ensure that parenting plans are explicitly detailed in legal orders.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Pennsylvania municipalities to create and enforce a registration system for vacant and blighted properties within their borders. Under the new rules, property owners of such sites would be required to pay a fee to the local government, which can also hire outside companies to manage the registry and collect payments. The legislation includes exemptions for properties owned by federal, state, or local governments and outlines a process for owners to have their properties removed from the registry once they meet specific improvement standards. Municipalities that choose to adopt this program must clearly inform owners of the listing requirements and the steps needed to resolve the status of their property.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's tax laws by adjusting personal income tax rates and eliminating a specific tax on the gross receipts from the sale of electric energy. It requires electric utilities to pass the savings from these tax changes directly to consumers through reductions in state tax surcharges, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 for companies that fail to do so. Additionally, the legislation mandates that $6 million annually be transferred to the Alternative Fuels Incentive Fund starting in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The bill also establishes a revenue-neutral reconciliation rule that will remain in effect until the end of 2024.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution officially recognizes March 8, 2024, as International Women's Day within the state. The measure aims to honor the diverse accomplishments and aspirations of women by encouraging residents to participate in related events and activities. It highlights the significant contributions of women in various fields, including government, science, and the arts, while specifically noting the increased number of women in Pennsylvania's legislative leadership roles.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Taxpayer Dividend Program in Pennsylvania to refund a portion of state budget surpluses to resident individual taxpayers. The program would distribute funds from the General Fund and the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund to individuals who filed and paid taxes for the 2023 tax year. Money taken from the General Fund is limited to the existing surplus, while withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund require a two-thirds legislative vote and must leave at least 6% of the fund's value intact. The Department of Revenue is tasked with identifying eligible recipients and processing payments, with the goal of returning accumulated surplus money rather than using it for expanded government spending.