Rep. Brad Roae

Maddy summaryHB 1679 creates a new process allowing property owners or lessees to report registered voters at their address who do not actually reside there. If reported, election officials must immediately notify the voter and attempt to contact them at any alternative address on file to update their registration. This bill directly affects voters registered at an address where a property owner reports non-residency, aiming to verify voter addresses. It amends Pennsylvania election law to add this verification step under existing voter registration procedures, without changing voting eligibility or removing voters from rolls. The bill is procedural and would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1649 eliminates school district property taxes on residential and commercial properties in Pennsylvania. It replaces these taxes with two new revenue sources: a 2% increase to county-level sales, use, and occupancy taxes (with some exclusions like clothing and candy removed), and a local income tax of up to 1.88% on resident taxpayers' earned income and retirement benefits (excluding Social Security). The bill establishes two funds - the School District Property Tax Elimination Fund (to distribute sales tax revenue to school districts) and the School District Emergency Fund - and requires landlords to reduce rents for tenants by the amount of eliminated property taxes. This directly affects property owners, school districts, and landlords/tenants, shifting funding responsibility from property taxes to broader consumption and income-based taxes.

Maddy summaryHB 1586 creates a refundable tax credit for Pennsylvania taxpayers who earn overtime wages. It allows eligible workers to reduce their state income tax bill by 100% of taxes paid on overtime wages, calculated using employer-provided documentation (as required by 34 Pa. Code § 231.36). The credit applies to tax returns filed for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, and will be integrated into the standard PA 40 tax form. This directly affects Pennsylvania workers receiving overtime pay under the Minimum Wage Act of 1968.

Maddy summaryHB 1544 amends Pennsylvania's state employee retirement system rules, primarily affecting new House of Representatives members starting after December 1, 2026. It requires these new representatives to choose within 30 days of taking office whether to join the retirement system (as a member) or participate solely in the retirement plan (as a "plan participant"). If they fail to make this election, their service as a representative will not count toward future retirement benefits. The bill also clarifies that certain state employees (classified under subsections (a)(12)-(15)) cannot elect system membership.

Maddy summaryHB 1514 creates a tax credit for Pennsylvania taxpayers who earn tips, allowing them to get back the income tax paid on those tips. The credit equals 100% of the tax paid on "tipped wages" (wages received as voluntary customer tips, not set by employers) and is fully refundable, meaning it can reduce tax bills or generate refunds even if no tax was owed. Taxpayers must claim the credit using their employer's statement of tipped wages (required under 34 Pa. Code § 231.36) when filing their annual tax return on the standard PA 40 form. This change applies to tax returns for years starting after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1499 updates Pennsylvania's child custody laws under Title 23. It clarifies definitions, establishes clearer rules for awarding primary physical custody, and requires courts to consider criminal convictions when making custody decisions. The bill also mandates parenting plans and specifies factors judges must evaluate, directly affecting parents, judges, and child welfare agencies involved in custody cases. The legislation was recently referred to the Judiciary Committee on May 28, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1495 repeals Pennsylvania’s 1921 law imposing a tax on anthracite coal (P.L.479, No.225). This 104-year-old statute, which set declining tax rates (1.5% to 0.5%) and required annual reporting for coal mined or processed in the state, expired in 1931 and has not been enforced since. The bill formally removes this obsolete law from the state’s statutes, as it no longer affects any current tax obligations or regulations. No entities or individuals are directly impacted by this repeal, as the original tax was already inactive for over nine decades.

Maddy summaryHB 1408 amends Pennsylvania's 1929 Administrative Code to require all Commonwealth government materials and services - such as printed documents, websites, and public services - to be exclusively in English. This applies to state agencies and local political subdivisions, mandating English as the sole language unless federal law specifically requires otherwise. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment, establishing a clear policy that eliminates the use of non-English materials in official government communications.

Maddy summaryHB 1394 proposes to repeal the inheritance tax in Pennsylvania, directly affecting estates and beneficiaries who would no longer be subject to this tax on inherited assets. The bill also modifies procedures for taxpayers to petition for a reassessment of taxes. Additionally, it updates existing provisions related to how government-issued obligations are treated for tax purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 1370 amends Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law to exempt construction sites building single-family residential homes from requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This change directly affects residential construction companies and developers building standalone single-family homes. The bill adds a new provision (Section 402(c)(3)) specifying that such sites are exempt from otherwise applicable NPDES permit requirements under the Clean Streams Law. The exemption takes effect 60 days after the bill's enactment.