Rep. Liz Hanbidge

Maddy summaryHB 645 amends Pennsylvania vehicle laws to allow salvors (businesses handling salvage vehicles) to reconstruct nonrepairable vehicles (vehicles deemed unsafe and valueless except for parts) into safe, roadworthy vehicles. This requires the vehicle to pass an enhanced safety inspection and for the salvor to apply for a special certificate of title through the state. Previously, nonrepairable vehicles could not be rebuilt, but this bill creates a regulated process for reconstruction under strict safety conditions. The bill also updates definitions and procedures for transferring vehicles to salvage dealers or scrap processors, ensuring nonrepairable vehicles cannot be rebuilt without state approval.

Maddy summaryHB 98 creates a licensing system for electrical contractors, electricians, and apprentice electricians in Pennsylvania. It establishes the State Board of Electrical Licensure to set qualifications, require continuing education, mandate liability insurance, and enforce standards. The bill directly affects individuals and businesses performing electrical work in buildings, including installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical systems. Key provisions include setting licensing fees, imposing fines for violations, and creating enforcement mechanisms for the Board to suspend or revoke licenses. The bill also includes an appropriation for the Board's operations.

Maddy summaryHB 665 amends Pennsylvania's Solid Waste Management Act to strengthen testing requirements for residual waste facilities. It requires facilities handling residual waste to test incoming waste and outgoing drainage water (leachate) for specific contaminants: water quality chemicals (chloride, bromide, sulfate, nitrate), hazardous characteristics (toxicity, corrosivity, ignitability), and naturally occurring radionuclides (uranium, radium, radon). Facilities must compare these test results quarterly and report them to the state environmental department and local municipalities. This directly affects waste processing and landfill operators managing residual waste, ensuring more comprehensive monitoring of potential environmental impacts.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation Law to create a process for providing emergency staffing during high-demand periods. It allows the Governor to hire additional workers or reassign existing state employees (including furloughed staff) to unemployment compensation offices when the state enters an extended benefit period or declares a disaster emergency. The Governor must consult with legislative committee chairs before making staffing decisions, and all actions must prioritize employee health and safety. The law takes immediate effect to help ensure unemployed Pennsylvanians can access benefits without delays during crises.

Maddy summaryHB 588 amends Pennsylvania's Professional Nursing Law to require registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to complete one hour of mandatory continuing education focused on older adult abuse recognition and reporting during each biennial license renewal period. This requirement applies to all license renewals (except initial licensure) and includes specific documentation rules, such as retaining certificates for five years and submitting them upon request. Failure to complete this hour may delay license renewal, trigger disciplinary action under existing penalties, or require remediation within six months. The bill directly affects nursing license holders in Pennsylvania seeking renewal, reinstatement, or reactivation of their licenses.

Maddy summaryHR 72 is a procedural resolution amending the House Rules to require members to publish details of certain meetings on their official websites. It mandates that in-person or virtual meetings between a member and nonconstituents discussing state law, regulations, or proposed changes must include the date/time, names, and organizational affiliations of attendees. This rule supplements existing open meetings laws (65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7) and applies only to meetings focused on legislative matters. The bill directly affects House members' disclosure practices, not constituents or the public.

Maddy summaryHB 578 sets a new maximum contaminant level of 10 parts per trillion for specific PFAS chemicals (including PFOA and PFOS) in public drinking water systems across Pennsylvania. This directly affects municipal water providers and the residents who rely on tap water, requiring them to meet this stricter standard. The bill establishes this limit unless federal or state agencies set a higher standard, in which case those standards would take precedence. Water systems must comply with this level, and the Department of Environmental Protection must publish any federal/state standards in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution (HR 76) urges the U.S. Congress to change Medicare reimbursement policies to cover blood transfusions for hospice patients with blood cancer. It highlights that current Medicare pays hospices a fixed daily rate ($34,465.34 annually per patient), which fails to cover the average $2,388 cost per red blood cell unit transfusion - needed twice weekly by most patients. The resolution states this reimbursement gap prevents access to palliative transfusions (used for comfort, not cancer treatment), leading patients to avoid hospice care. It specifically references a 2023 federal bill proposal that aimed to create a separate payment model for transfusions. The resolution has no legal effect but seeks to prompt federal policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 568 establishes county-level "gun violence task forces" in Pennsylvania communities with high and increasing gun violence rates. These task forces, created upon a district attorney's written request to the Attorney General, investigate violations of firearm laws (sections 6105 and 6111 of Title 18) and recommend prosecutions. The task forces include local law enforcement, community stakeholders, faith leaders, and neighborhood representatives, operating under the Attorney General’s authority. The Attorney General gains authority to prosecute certain firearm offenses in these counties, considering factors like the severity of the offense and the offender’s criminal history, while local prosecutors may request prosecution for specific cases involving murder or violent crimes.

Maddy summaryHB 551, the "Support Through Loss Act," requires employers with five or more employees in Pennsylvania to provide 24 hours of paid leave annually for employees experiencing pregnancy loss or related reproductive health events. It covers specific situations like pregnancy loss, failed fertility treatments (including assisted reproductive technology), adoption issues, or fertility-related diagnoses, as well as leave to care for a spouse or domestic partner in these circumstances. Employers must post notices about the policy and are prohibited from retaliating against employees who use this leave or discriminating based on its use. The bill takes effect for all covered employers starting January 1, 2026.