Rep. Brad Roae

Maddy summaryHB 418 amends Pennsylvania's County Pension Law to replace the traditional pension system with a "County Employees' Defined Contribution Plan" for county workers. It requires county employees to make mandatory payroll deductions into individual retirement accounts, with counties "picking up" these contributions by reducing employee pay (instead of the county paying them directly). The bill establishes separate tracking for employee and employer contributions, mandates employer-defined contributions to employee accounts, and requires all funds to be held in trust for employees' retirement, subject to IRS limits. This change directly affects all county employees participating in the new plan and shifts retirement funding responsibility to individual accounts rather than guaranteed pension benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 398 amends Pennsylvania's transportation law to regulate the use of state-owned aircraft by Commonwealth agencies and the General Assembly. It requires officials to sign a declaration confirming flights are for exclusive official business (prohibiting political activities or sporting events), bans lobbyists from using these aircraft, and mandates a publicly accessible monthly flight log detailing trip purposes, event names, sponsors, and attendees. All costs for aircraft use must be paid into a special Aviation Restricted Account. The bill also restricts out-of-state flights to emergencies, as verified by the emergency management agency.

Maddy summaryHB 277 allows victims of sex trafficking to sue individuals or entities that recruit, profit from, or advertise for sex trade activities. The bill amends Pennsylvania's criminal code to create a civil legal pathway for victims to seek remedies in court, specifically targeting those who recruit victims, maintain them in sex trade acts, or cause bodily harm during such acts. It directly affects victims of sex trafficking and those who exploit them through recruitment, advertising, or financial gain. The law does not change criminal penalties but adds a civil remedy for victims to pursue compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 330 requires Pennsylvania state agencies that use federal funds to join the federal "Do-Not-Pay Initiative" by verifying payments through an online system and reviewing payment data to prevent errors. Agencies must submit annual reports detailing improper payments identified or prevented, associated savings, and weaknesses in financial controls. The law mandates participation within two years of the bill's effective date and requires reports to be shared with state oversight bodies and the legislature. It directly affects all Commonwealth agencies managing federal funds by adding new verification and reporting obligations to reduce payment errors.

Maddy summaryHB 298 (Pennsylvania, 2025) requests federal approval for a waiver to change how medical assistance eligibility is managed for certain adults. It would allow Pennsylvania to deny eligibility for up to six months if nondisabled, nonpregnant adults aged 19-64 fail to report changes affecting their benefits, require biannual eligibility reviews (instead of annual), and eliminate automatic renewal requirements. The bill directly affects adults in this age group who don’t report income or other changes impacting their medical assistance. If approved, the state must report the waiver to state officials and publish it in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. This focuses on administrative process changes, not eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 236 amends Pennsylvania's obscenity law to explicitly exempt public libraries, school/university libraries, and state or municipal archives from the offense of displaying obscene materials. The bill updates Section 5903(j) of Title 18 to clarify that recognized historical societies, museums, public libraries, and educational institution libraries are not subject to these restrictions. This change directly affects libraries and archives operating under educational or governmental supervision by removing ambiguity about their legal protections. The amendment does not create new offenses but ensures these institutions can legally display materials as part of their public service.

Maddy summaryHB 256 exempts transfers of funds from qualified tuition programs (like 529 college savings plans) from Pennsylvania's inheritance tax when moved to the designated beneficiary or their parent/guardian if the beneficiary is under 18. It uses federal definitions from the Internal Revenue Code (Section 529) to define "qualified tuition program" and "designated beneficiary." The change applies to estates of people who died after November 6, 2023. This policy directly affects families using these education savings programs by removing an inheritance tax burden on transferred funds.

Maddy summaryHB 164 requires health care facilities in Pennsylvania to handle fetal remains (from a fetal death) through cremation or burial per existing vital records rules, without needing a name on permits. Parents must cover costs if they choose a disposal location outside the facility’s usual practice, but facilities must provide disposition services if parents don’t claim remains. The bill ensures parent information remains confidential and clarifies that facilities aren’t required to issue stillbirth certificates. It does not change the definition of fetal death or mandate cremation/burial unless requested by the parent.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the requirement for non-motorized boats (like kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards) to obtain permits or register when used in Pennsylvania state parks, forests, or public waters. It specifically prohibits state agencies from creating new rules for these vessels, affecting all owners of non-motorized watercraft using state-managed areas. The change modifies existing boating regulations under Pennsylvania's Fish Code to eliminate administrative burdens for non-motorized boaters. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 153 amends Pennsylvania's 1887 time law to automatically adopt year-round daylight saving time if Congress authorizes it. Currently, Pennsylvania observes daylight saving time from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. The bill would change this to year-round daylight saving time without further state action if federal law permits it. This affects all Pennsylvanians, businesses, and public institutions that rely on standardized time for daily operations, schedules, and legal compliance. The change would take effect 60 days after the bill is signed, but only if Congress passes legislation allowing year-round daylight saving time.