Rep. Liz Hanbidge

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution urges Congress to expand Medicare to cover hearing aids. Currently, Medicare does not cover hearing aids or their fittings - only limited diagnostic exams under Part B. It specifically targets the gap affecting over 48 million Americans with hearing loss who rely on Medicare. The resolution requests Congressional action to amend Medicare policy but has no legal force.

Maddy summaryHB 506 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to establish a state-funded Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program. It directly affects licensed child care providers and their staff by creating a new program to address staffing shortages. The key mechanism provides state funding for recruitment incentives and retention support, such as signing bonuses or professional development, for child care workers. The bill passed final passage on June 25, 2025, and was referred to the Health & Human Services committee.

Maddy summaryHB 27 amends the Health Care Facilities Act to require hospitals and surgical clinics to install systems that remove smoke generated during certain medical procedures. This directly affects healthcare facilities performing surgeries where smoke is produced, such as those using lasers or electrosurgery. The bill mandates these evacuation systems as part of facility licensing standards under the existing 1979 law. The change focuses on improving air quality and safety for both patients and medical staff during operations.

Maddy summaryHB 1654 requires Pennsylvania school districts to set identical starting salaries for teachers holding the same grade span State instructional certification and salary step, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. This applies uniformly across all districts, ensuring teachers with identical qualifications (certification type and experience level) receive the same initial pay regardless of where they are hired. The bill mandates this consistency in new-hire compensation without altering existing salary structures for current employees. It takes effect 60 days after enactment, with the first application for the 2026-2027 school term.

Maddy summaryHB 1653 creates competitive grants to help nonprofit early childhood organizations and public school districts establish or expand child-care centers in rural Pennsylvania counties with low population density (under 291 people per square mile). The grants fund facility costs like construction or renovation, and provide two years of salary supplements to ensure child-care staff earn comparable pay to public school teachers. Recipients must partner with local businesses to cover some child-care fees for employees, aiming to maintain staffing levels after the grant period ends. This bill directly supports rural communities facing childcare shortages by making it financially feasible to open or grow quality early childhood programs.

Maddy summaryHB 350 updates Pennsylvania's laws on inheritance, parentage, and court procedures. It establishes the Uniform Parentage Act, creating new rules for establishing parent-child relationships through assisted reproduction, surrogacy agreements, and genetic testing, while repealing outdated paternity acknowledgment provisions. The bill modifies hearing requirements for adoption and parental rights termination, requiring specific notice to putative fathers and clarifying when parental rights may be terminated without their presence. It also adds protections for executors who fail to notify estates about assisted reproduction births that could affect inheritance. These changes directly affect families navigating adoption, surrogacy, inheritance disputes, and court cases involving parentage.

Maddy summaryHB 1498 creates a new legal process for dividing "heirs property" in Pennsylvania - real estate owned by multiple family members through inheritance without clear ownership agreements. It directly affects families holding such property (often rural or minority-owned land), requiring courts to apply specific rules when dividing it, including a right of first refusal for relatives if a cotenant receives an outside purchase offer. Key mechanisms include mandatory settlement conferences before court decisions, defined valuation procedures, and prioritizing family members over outsiders for buying shares. The law replaces older rules for partitioning property and applies automatically to eligible cases unless all owners agree otherwise.

Maddy summaryHR 199 is a ceremonial resolution designating October 2025 as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" and October 17, 2025, as "National Mammography Day" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or impose requirements on any individuals or entities; it solely serves to recognize these observances. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about breast cancer prevention and early detection through mammography. As a procedural resolution, it affects no specific group or policy and has no binding effect. The bill was referred to the Health Committee but was later laid on the table (stalled) on June 23, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 188) symbolically recognizes May 6, 2025, as "World Asthma Day" within Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or affect any specific groups or policies; it is a formal acknowledgment by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The resolution was referred to the Health committee, reported as committed, and ultimately laid on the table (stalled) on June 23, 2025, under House Rule 71. As a commemorative resolution, it has no binding effect or direct impact on legislation or constituents.

Maddy summaryHB 1624 would require companies and service providers (like apps or websites) to obtain explicit permission before collecting or using people's location data. It directly affects digital services that track user movements, such as navigation apps or location-based advertisers. The law establishes penalties for violations, allows individuals to sue companies that break the rule, and gives the Attorney General authority to enforce it. Violations could result in fines, with the bill specifying these enforcement mechanisms.