Rep. David Rowe

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution designates the week of May 6 through 12, 2024, as "Women's Lung Health Week" to raise awareness about lung cancer risks specific to women. The measure does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to encourage residents to learn more about early detection and treatment options. By highlighting statistics on lung cancer mortality and disparities among women, the bill aims to draw public attention to the importance of screening and research during this designated week.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific bridge in Bigler Township, Clearfield County, as the Sergeant John Harold Branic Memorial Bridge to honor a local Marine who died in World War II. It requires the Department of Transportation to install and maintain signs displaying the new name for traffic in both directions. The legislation recognizes Sergeant Branic, the first Madera resident killed in the war, whose remains were identified decades after he was declared missing in action. The act takes effect 60 days after being passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania's tax laws to exempt first-time home buyers from state realty transfer taxes and grants local governments the authority to impose their own real estate transfer taxes. Under the new state provision, individuals who have never owned a single-family home in any state can avoid the transfer tax when purchasing such a property, provided that all buyers listed on the deed are first-time purchasers. Conversely, the bill allows specific local entities, such as cities, boroughs, and school districts, to vote on whether to levy a local transfer tax on property transactions within their boundaries. If a local government chooses to enact this tax, the exemption for first-time home buyers will not apply to that local levy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Milk Sanitation Law to explicitly permit permit holders to sell and manufacture dairy products labeled as containing raw milk. It achieves this by adding a new provision to the existing statute that overrides previous restrictions on such sales, while simultaneously removing a conflicting administrative regulation. The law applies directly to dairy producers and sellers who currently hold valid permits to sell milk in the state. The changes become effective 60 days after the bill is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to explicitly prohibit businesses from failing to honor guarantees or warranties provided by consumer-facing artificial intelligence systems. It establishes a specific legal definition for artificial intelligence, covering systems that learn from data, operate with minimal human oversight, or perform tasks requiring human-like reasoning and action. By adding these provisions to the state's existing consumer protection statutes, the legislation ensures that AI-generated promises are treated with the same legal weight as traditional human-made warranties. The changes apply broadly to trade and commerce but include standard exemptions for media outlets and internet service providers acting in good faith.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to update operating hours and permit requirements for alcohol manufacturers and distributors. Specifically, it allows manufacturers to operate until 2 a.m. on January 1st following December 31st and replaces the term "special occasion permit" with "manufacturer extended hours permit." The legislation also removes the phrase "on-premise" from several sections, broadening the scope of where these entities can conduct business. These changes directly affect liquor manufacturers, importing distributors, and bonded warehouses by clarifying their legal operating times and terminology.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Pennsylvania law to allow stormwater management authorities to set reasonable and uniform rates based on property characteristics. These rates can include fees for installing and maintaining best management practices that are approved and inspected by the authority. Additionally, the bill permits agricultural operations to use best management practices approved by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or the State Conservation Commission when calculating these fees. The changes apply specifically to municipal authorities responsible for stormwater planning, management, and implementation. The legislation will take effect 60 days after it is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Pennsylvania second-class townships to charge fees to fund the construction, maintenance, and operation of storm water management systems. The fees can be based on the properties that benefit from these facilities but must not exceed the minimum amounts required by federal and state environmental laws. Townships are required to offer exemptions or credits to property owners who install and maintain approved storm water facilities, including those following best management practices for normal agricultural operations. The legislation takes effect 60 days after being signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Taxpayer Dividend Program in Pennsylvania to refund a portion of state budget surpluses to resident individual taxpayers. The program would distribute funds from the General Fund and the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund to individuals who filed and paid taxes for the 2023 tax year. Money taken from the General Fund is limited to the existing surplus, while withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund require a two-thirds legislative vote and must leave at least 6% of the fund's value intact. The Department of Revenue is tasked with identifying eligible recipients and processing payments, with the goal of returning accumulated surplus money rather than using it for expanded government spending.