Rep. Liz Hanbidge

Maddy summaryHR 257 is a non-binding resolution designating November 2025 as "Diabetes Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. It formally recognizes the need for public education about diabetes prevention, management, and support services during that month. This resolution does not create new laws, allocate funding, or directly affect any specific individuals or programs - it serves solely as a symbolic designation to encourage awareness efforts.

Maddy summaryHB 1652 adds Gaucher disease to Pennsylvania's mandatory newborn screening program under the Newborn Child Testing Act. The bill expands the existing program to require screening for this genetic disorder in newborns, directly affecting all infants born in Pennsylvania. Key provisions include updating the list of covered conditions under Section 3(a)(1) of the 1965 Act, ensuring healthcare providers screen for Gaucher disease to identify it early. This change aims to enable timely treatment to prevent intellectual or physical disabilities, aligning with the program's existing purpose. The bill does not alter funding or implementation processes, only adding one specific condition to the screening list.

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 1908 amends Pennsylvania's domestic relations law to strengthen enforcement of protection orders in abuse cases. The bill requires law enforcement to make an arrest when someone violates a protection order, rather than allowing discretion. It also specifies that violating a protection order or a related agreement (like a custody agreement) can be treated as contempt of court. This directly affects victims of domestic abuse, law enforcement officers, and individuals subject to protection orders by changing how violations are handled under the law.

Maddy summaryHB 804 expands Pennsylvania's existing Automobile Lemon Law (originally enacted in 1984) to cover recreational vehicles (RVs), including campers and motorhomes. It requires dealers to repair persistent defects in new RVs after a specified number of attempts, aligning RV repair obligations with those for automobiles. The bill updates definitions and repair procedures within the law to apply directly to RV buyers and dealerships selling new recreational vehicles. This change ensures RV purchasers have similar protections as car buyers when facing repeated, unresolved defects.

Maddy summaryHB 1385 amends Pennsylvania's juvenile justice laws to clarify definitions and update how courts handle cases involving young people who commit offenses. It directly affects juvenile offenders, courts, and child welfare agencies by standardizing terms like "delinquent child" and specifying court procedures for dispositions. Key provisions include revising legal definitions to reduce ambiguity and establishing clearer guidelines for court decisions on supervision, treatment, or other outcomes for minors. The bill aims to create more consistent and transparent processes within the juvenile justice system. (Note: The bill is currently "laid on the table" and not actively moving forward in the legislative process.)

Maddy summaryHB 2041 amends Pennsylvania's Childhood Blood Lead Test Act to require health care practitioners to ensure children receive at least one blood lead test by 12 months of age and a second test by 24 months of age, with additional testing mandated between 24 and 72 months if not tested by age 2. The bill also requires blood lead testing for pregnant women who have at least one identified lead exposure risk factor. It clarifies that health insurance must cover these tests without cost-sharing, as defined in the bill. This law directly affects children under 72 months, pregnant women, and health care providers in Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 416 establishes a new Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program to support early childhood educators and creates a Rural Health Transformation Program to improve healthcare access in underserved areas. It also streamlines permit processes for economic development projects through the Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development Program. These provisions are integrated into the 2025 state budget implementation, alongside administrative updates to tax collection procedures, state fund management, and reporting requirements for agencies like the Department of Revenue and Treasury. The bill does not alter existing tax rates or create new funding streams but modifies how current state financial systems operate.

Maddy summaryHB 2022 amends the Insurance Company Law of 1921 to require casualty insurance policies to cover scalp cooling systems. The bill directly affects insurance companies and policyholders by mandating coverage for this specific medical technology. However, the provided context does not specify the exact mechanisms for implementation, affected insurance types, or patient eligibility details. The bill was referred to the Insurance committee on November 12, 2025, but no further provisions or impacts are described in the available information. The context lacks sufficient detail to describe key mechanisms or concrete policy changes beyond the title.

Maddy summaryHB 2008 would create a pilot program allowing schools to establish youth courts to handle minor disciplinary issues involving students, directly affecting participating schools and youth who might otherwise face traditional disciplinary actions. The bill provides grants to schools for implementing these courts, establishes a dedicated Youth Court Program Account to manage funding, and transfers existing state funds into this account to support the initiative. This program aims to offer restorative alternatives to suspensions or referrals to juvenile justice systems for low-level offenses. The bill is currently in the Judiciary committee for review.