Rep. Jamie Flick

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1462, also known as The Fair Play Broadcasting Act, amends the Public School Code to grant visiting school teams the same rights as home teams to broadcast interscholastic athletic competitions. This allows visiting school entities, including public and nonpublic schools, to provide radio broadcasting, video streaming, or telegraphic play-by-play accounts. These rights apply if the visiting team has an agreement with a media organization or if it has a curricular program for secondary students that typically broadcasts its home games. The provisions of this act will apply to competitions beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

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 1452 amends Pennsylvania's Military Affairs statutes to update provisions for the veterans registry and the PA VETConnect Program. The bill requires the veterans registry forms to include options for requesting information on support resources for military sexual trauma. Additionally, it mandates that the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs coordinate with organizations that provide military sexual trauma support resources as part of the PA VETConnect Program. These changes are intended to improve access to specific support services for veterans.

Maddy summaryHB 1436 amends Pennsylvania's civil procedure law to clarify how damages are assigned in negligence cases when a plaintiff shares fault. It specifies that if a plaintiff is found comparatively negligent, each defendant is only liable for their proportionate share of damages (several liability), not the full amount. However, if the plaintiff is not found at fault, a defendant found liable must pay the full damages (joint and several liability). This change directly affects personal injury and negligence lawsuits involving multiple defendants in Pennsylvania courts.

Maddy summaryHB 1437 creates a temporary sales tax exemption in Pennsylvania for specific personal items during an annual window. It excludes clothing accessories, footwear, school supplies, computers/software, and certain bedding items from sales tax when purchased by individuals for nonbusiness use during the first Friday in August through the following Sunday. The Department of Revenue must post a list of qualifying items online by July 10 each year. This policy change directly affects individual consumers shopping for these items during the defined exclusion period.

Maddy summaryHB 1444 creates new regulations for association health plans (AHPs) under Pennsylvania's insurance code. It defines key terms like "association" (groups of employers in the same industry or profession) and sets requirements for coverage, rates, and insurer filings. The bill directly affects employers forming AHPs, health insurers offering these plans, and individuals enrolled in them. It adds enforcement mechanisms and penalties for non-compliance, while repealing outdated sections of the insurance code.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to clarify how mail-in voters must return their ballots. It requires that completed mail-in ballots be returned by 8:00 PM on election day via one of three methods: U.S. Postal Service to county election offices, in person at county election offices during regular hours, or at designated ballot return locations. Ballot return locations must be on county election premises or courthouses, monitored by election inspectors from both major parties, and equipped with video recording for public review. This bill directly affects mail-in voters and county election boards across Pennsylvania by standardizing ballot return procedures and accessibility requirements.

Maddy summaryHR 97 is a resolution designating the week of May 4-10, 2025, as "Career and Technology Week" and May 7, 2025, as "National Skilled Trades Day" in Pennsylvania. It symbolically recognizes the role of career and technical education programs and skilled trades professions in supporting Pennsylvania's economy and workforce development. The resolution highlights how these fields prepare students for high-demand careers in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, and technology while addressing workforce shortages. This non-binding resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but aims to raise awareness and honor contributions to Pennsylvania's economic growth.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1397 amends Pennsylvania law to allow individuals to use media devices to record, transmit, or broadcast images, video, or audio of judicial proceedings without needing court approval. This change directly affects attendees of court proceedings and the judiciary by altering rules for public access and recording. However, the bill specifies several exceptions where this permission does not apply, including proceedings related to sexual abuse, domestic violence, protection from abuse, sexual violence or intimidation, and testimony from child witnesses or confidential informants.

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.