Rep. Joe Hamm

Maddy summaryHB 1461 establishes the Career and Technical Education Investment Incentive Program within the Public School Code of 1949. This program allows business firms to make contributions - including cash, property, or services - to support career and technical education. These contributions can go to non-profit partnership organizations or directly to participating public and charter schools. Funds are intended to cover program-related costs or expand enrollment for eligible students in these programs, particularly those focused on high-priority occupations.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (not a binding bill), not a law with policy changes. It formally recognizes March 29, 2025, as "National Vietnam War Veterans Day" within Pennsylvania, aligning with the existing federal observance established by the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act (2017). The resolution honors veterans who served between 1955-1975, including Pennsylvania residents who died, were wounded, or are unaccounted for, but does not create new programs, funding, or legal obligations. It serves solely as a ceremonial acknowledgment by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 9-15, 2025, as "Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Week" in Pennsylvania. It symbolically recognizes FBLA, a nonprofit organization that prepares students for business leadership through career-focused education and activities. The resolution does not create new laws, funding, or obligations - it simply honors FBLA’s mission and history in Pennsylvania, including its long-standing presence in schools since 1943. It directly affects Pennsylvania by encouraging public acknowledgment of FBLA’s role in student development.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1366 adds specific rules for transferring elk hunting licenses in Pennsylvania. It allows license holders to transfer their license to another eligible hunter only for reimbursement of the license cost and any applicable transfer fees - not for profit. The bill prohibits monetary gain from transfers and imposes strict penalties, including a $10,000 fine, a five-year suspension of hunting privileges, and a permanent ban on future elk licenses, for violations. These changes apply directly to individuals holding or seeking to transfer elk hunting licenses under Pennsylvania's hunting regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 1370 amends Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law to exempt construction sites building single-family residential homes from requiring a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. This change directly affects residential construction companies and developers building standalone single-family homes. The bill adds a new provision (Section 402(c)(3)) specifying that such sites are exempt from otherwise applicable NPDES permit requirements under the Clean Streams Law. The exemption takes effect 60 days after the bill's enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1356 prohibits Pennsylvania state and local government agencies from requiring REAL ID-compliant identification to access public buildings or receive government services. Instead, it allows standard driver's licenses, non-driver photo IDs, or other similar identification to be accepted as valid alternatives. The bill clarifies that agencies cannot demand identification if it is not otherwise necessary for a service or building access. This directly affects all state and local government services and the residents who use them.

Maddy summaryHB 1362 establishes Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Dividend Program to return a portion of the state's budget surplus to individual taxpayers. The program would pay eligible residents up to $1,000 each, calculated as the lesser of $1,000 or a per-person share of the General Fund surplus (as of June 30, 2025). To qualify, taxpayers must have filed a 2024 individual or joint tax return and paid their taxes on time. The Department of Revenue would identify eligible taxpayers and calculate payments, then forward details to the State Treasurer for disbursement.

Maddy summaryHB 1351 prohibits Pennsylvania public school teacher preparation, induction, and professional development programs from incorporating culturally relevant and sustaining education - teaching methods that reflect students' backgrounds and experiences. The bill directly affects educators and school staff who participate in these training programs. It achieves this by amending the Public School Code to ban such education and repealing related regulations (22 Pa. Code §§ 49.1, 49.13-49.17) that previously addressed the topic. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 1353 clarifies when Pennsylvania Game Commission officers can enter private property for hunting enforcement. It specifies that landowners can prohibit entry by giving actual notice, posting visible signs, fencing, or using purple paint marks (8-inch vertical lines, 3-5 feet high, 100 feet apart). This directly affects hunters and landowners who use these notice methods to restrict officer access. The bill amends existing laws to define enforcement boundaries more precisely, focusing on property access rules rather than new penalties.