Rep. Dan Williams

Maddy summaryHB 140 amends Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to add specific definitions related to algorithmic rent-setting software. The bill defines "unfair methods of competition" to include using software that analyzes rental data (like historical prices or occupancy rates) to recommend rent amounts, lease terms, or occupancy levels for residential or commercial properties. Landlords using such software would be directly affected, as its use could now be considered an unfair practice under the law. The definition explicitly excludes aggregated rental reports published monthly and tools used for affordable housing program compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 504, the Community Energy Act, establishes a framework for third-party-owned community energy projects (like solar gardens) in Pennsylvania. It requires electric distribution companies to connect these facilities, provides bill credits to subscribers (homeowners, renters, and businesses) for energy generated, and ensures guaranteed savings by linking subscription payments to bill reductions. Key provisions include setting size limits (max 5,000 kW for most facilities), mandating that at least 50% of subscriptions come from small users or farms, and requiring fair wages for construction workers. The bill directly affects electric companies (with new connection duties), community energy organizations (as owners/operators), and subscribers (who gain access to shared renewable energy).

Maddy summaryHB 433 requires health insurance plans to cover mammograms and breast imaging services without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for policyholders. It directly affects women needing preventive breast cancer screenings and the insurance companies providing health coverage. The bill amends Pennsylvania’s 1921 Insurance Company Law to mandate this coverage for mammographic examinations and breast imaging under casualty insurance policies. This policy change ensures these essential preventive services are fully covered at no additional cost to patients.

Maddy summaryHB 1486 would change bail rules for defendants charged with illegal firearm offenses in Pennsylvania's largest cities (like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). It requires defendants to pay only 10% of the full bail amount for a first offense, 50% for a second offense, and 100% for third or subsequent offenses to be released while awaiting trial. The bill applies specifically to charges under Pennsylvania's firearm laws (18 Pa.C.S. § 61) in cities of the first class. It does not alter the underlying firearm laws but modifies the bail payment structure for these cases. The bill is currently pending in committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1487 requires county boards of elections in first-class counties to establish an additional polling place inside county prisons for individuals who register their residence at the prison. It clarifies that incarcerated people (for misdemeanor or summary offenses) in these counties may choose to register and vote at the prison or use absentee ballots, without changing voting eligibility. The bill does not alter who can vote but adds a new in-person voting option for eligible incarcerated individuals. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1484 increases Pennsylvania jury compensation to a flat $40 per day for all days jurors serve, replacing the previous tiered rate ($9 for first three days, $25 after). It also sets a travel allowance of 17¢ per mile circular (with no allowance in the first judicial district) and allows county commissioners to choose how jurors receive payments (e.g., check, debit card), without changing the compensation amount. The bill directly affects all Pennsylvanians summoned to serve on juries statewide. It makes no changes to eligibility or jury service requirements, only to payment structure and methods.

Maddy summaryHB 820 creates Pennsylvania's "Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit," which provides a state tax credit equal to 30% of a taxpayer's federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for the same year. This credit directly affects low-to-moderate income Pennsylvania residents who qualify for the federal EITC, applying it against their state tax bill. The credit is refundable, meaning taxpayers receive a cash refund if the credit exceeds their state tax liability. The bill takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1469 amends the Health Care Facilities Act to establish requirements for hospital price transparency. It mandates that hospitals publish a comprehensive list of their standard charges for all items and services on their public websites in a readable digital format. This list must include gross charges, discounted cash prices, and various negotiated rates with third-party payors. The bill also provides for a prohibition on debt collection action against patients by hospitals that do not comply with these requirements, aiming to give patients clearer access to pricing information.

Maddy summaryHB 1449 amends Pennsylvania law regarding the expenses paid by the Office of the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania (OCAP). It increases the annual registration fee OCAP pays to the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania from $200 to $400 for each magisterial district judge and Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge position. The bill clarifies that OCAP directly funds a monthly journal for legal updates, while other expenses, such as the registration fee, are covered by the annual appropriation for magisterial district judges.

Maddy summaryHB 1453 establishes a program to create "food desert opportunity zones" in low-income areas with limited access to supermarkets or large grocery stores. Political subdivisions can apply to the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to designate up to 12 such zones statewide. Qualified healthy food retail outlets operating within these designated zones may receive food desert opportunity tax credits for up to five years, starting January 1, 2026. The bill outlines the criteria for zone designation and for businesses to qualify for these tax credits.