Rep. Joe Hamm

Maddy summaryHB 284 requires Pennsylvania voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote for the first time. Acceptable documents include birth certificates, passports, naturalization papers, driver's licenses showing citizenship verification, or other federal-issued proof as listed in the bill. County election offices must verify this documentation before finalizing voter registrations for federal, state, and local elections. The bill applies to all new registrants and aligns with federal voter registration requirements.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 2025 as "Career and Technical Education Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs through a state-wide observance. The resolution highlights CTE's role in providing students with skills, credentials, and pathways to stable careers, noting that approximately 68,576 students (12% of high school grades) participated in CTE programs in 2024. It directly affects Pennsylvanians by raising public awareness of CTE's value to students, businesses, and the state's economy.

Maddy summaryHB 302 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to provide school districts with additional funds to reduce property taxes for homeowners with farmstead or homestead properties. School districts receive $1,000 for each qualifying property (farmstead or homestead) within their boundaries, which they must use to lower the real estate tax bill for each such property by up to $1,000 or 50% of the tax due, whichever is less. Property owners with farmstead or homestead status directly benefit from this tax reduction, while school districts must report qualifying property counts and tax reduction amounts to the Department of Education for verification. This bill creates a new funding mechanism to provide targeted property tax relief without changing existing tax rates or eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryHB 313 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle registration law to create new exemptions for farm vehicles based on weight. Type A vehicles (under 10,000 lbs) can travel between farms up to 50 miles apart or to businesses within 50 miles for buying/selling agricultural goods or repairs. Type B vehicles (10,000-17,000 lbs) have stricter limits, allowing travel between farms up to 25 miles apart or to businesses within 25 miles for agricultural transactions. All exempt vehicles must operate between sunrise and sunset. This directly affects Pennsylvania farmers using heavy equipment for farm operations, reducing registration requirements for specific on-farm and short-distance agricultural activities.

Maddy summaryHB 311 amends Pennsylvania vehicle laws to expand exemptions for agricultural vehicles. It adds a new exemption (Section 1302(2.3)) allowing commercial farm equipment to operate without registration when transported within 50 miles of the owner's business to a nearby farm. This exemption automatically waives the requirement for an official vehicle inspection certificate under Section 4703(b)(2.2). The bill directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses transporting equipment for farm use within the specified distance. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 297 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle registration law to create new exemptions for all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) used by emergency services. It allows police, fire, and emergency medical agencies to operate ATVs without registration when primarily used off-highway and only incidentally on public roads. The bill specifies different highway travel limits: up to 2 miles in higher-class counties (1st-3rd class) and up to 15 miles in lower-class counties (4th-8th class). These ATVs must still comply with visual/audible signal requirements for emergency vehicles. The change directly affects emergency departments in specific county classifications across Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryHB 216 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to strengthen fraud and abuse controls in the medical assistance program (Medicaid). It adds a definition of "Representation" to clarify communications used for billing or determining reimbursement rates, and updates prohibited acts to explicitly include making false or misleading statements in claims or records. The bill expands specific prohibitions to cover submitting claims for medically unnecessary services, misrepresenting services provided, or billing for non-rendered care. These changes directly affect healthcare providers and practitioners who bill the state's Medicaid program by providing clearer standards for compliance. The amendments aim to improve enforcement of existing penalties without creating new ones.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Pennsylvania municipalities from regulating or enforcing mandates related to employer policies or practices (such as wages, hiring, scheduling, or workplace rules) for private businesses. It directly affects private employers across the state by preventing local governments from imposing such requirements. Key exceptions include mandates for municipal employees, provisions under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and collective bargaining agreements. Violating the prohibition after January 1, 2015, voids the ordinance, and affected businesses can seek court-ordered relief, damages, and reasonable expenses like attorney fees.

Maddy summaryHB 243 requires Pennsylvania's state budget to include a seven-year financial statement covering actual spending from the prior fiscal year, current year estimates, next year's proposed budget, and four years of financial projections for all active Commonwealth funds. The bill amends the 1929 Administrative Code to mandate this comprehensive financial outlook in budget submissions to the General Assembly. This change updates the budget process to provide a longer-term view of state finances without altering existing spending levels or budget amounts. The requirement applies to all active Commonwealth funds, including special, government, proprietary, and fiduciary funds.

Maddy summaryHB 245 amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to streamline complaint procedures and eliminate local human relations commissions. It shortens response deadlines for employers (from 30 to 20 days), adds a provision allowing defendants to seek reimbursement for attorney fees if claims are dismissed, and explicitly prohibits local commissions from operating. The bill directly affects employers, employees filing discrimination complaints, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), which now handles all enforcement. Key changes include replacing local commission authority with centralized PHRC oversight and clarifying that only "disparate treatment" claims - proven by a pattern of discriminatory decisions - can be filed under the law.