Rep. Thomas Kutz

Maddy summaryHB 649 would amend Pennsylvania's vehicle inspection laws to allow police officers and state workers to conduct vehicle inspections. This expands the current process, which typically requires inspections by certified mechanics at designated stations. The bill directly affects vehicle owners who may now face inspections by law enforcement or state personnel during traffic stops or routine patrols. It does not change safety standards but alters who can perform the inspections.

Maddy summaryHB 1858 amends Pennsylvania's Emergency and Law Enforcement Personnel Death Benefits Act to extend death benefits to surviving spouses, children, or parents of corrections officers. Currently, the law provides benefits to families of certain emergency and law enforcement personnel, but corrections officers were excluded from coverage. This bill explicitly adds corrections officers to the eligible group, ensuring their families receive financial support if a corrections officer dies while on duty. The bill also includes minor editorial changes to update the law's language.

Maddy summaryHB 1742 eliminates Pennsylvania's personal income tax for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. It removes the requirement for employers to withhold income tax from wages starting in 2026 and repeals filing obligations for Pennsylvania S corporations for tax years starting after 2025. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania residents, employers, and S corporations by ending income tax liability, withholding, and related return filings for future tax years. Key provisions amend Sections 302(a), 323, 330(a), and 330.1(a) of the Tax Reform Code of 1971 to reflect these changes. The law takes effect immediately, but the tax changes apply only to tax years beginning in 2026 or later.

Maddy summaryHB 1733 adds art therapy to Pennsylvania's regulated health professions by creating specific licensure requirements for "licensed professional art therapists" and "licensed associate art therapists." It defines "art therapy" as a clinical practice using art-based techniques to address mental health needs, requiring therapists to meet education standards from accredited institutions. The bill restricts the use of the title "licensed professional art therapist" to those holding a valid license, while "licensed associate art therapists" must work under supervision and cannot practice independently. This directly affects art therapists seeking to legally use the title or provide services in Pennsylvania, establishing new standards for training, supervision, and scope of practice.

Maddy summaryHB 1679 creates a new process allowing property owners or lessees to report registered voters at their address who do not actually reside there. If reported, election officials must immediately notify the voter and attempt to contact them at any alternative address on file to update their registration. This bill directly affects voters registered at an address where a property owner reports non-residency, aiming to verify voter addresses. It amends Pennsylvania election law to add this verification step under existing voter registration procedures, without changing voting eligibility or removing voters from rolls. The bill is procedural and would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1619 establishes a new regulatory program within the Department of Revenue to oversee "skill gaming" (games where skill determines outcomes, not chance). It requires businesses offering such games to obtain licenses, comply with specific zoning rules for where they can operate, and follow new operational standards. The bill imposes both criminal penalties for serious violations and civil penalties for lesser breaches. This directly affects skill gaming businesses, local governments managing zoning, and the Department of Revenue, which gains authority to issue licenses and enforce rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1601 amends Pennsylvania's Regulatory Review Act to update procedures for reviewing state agency regulations. It requires a concurrent resolution (approval from both legislative chambers) for regulations deemed economically significant and establishes clear processes for reviewing disapproved regulations or those considered "withdrawn." The bill also clarifies definitions and procedures for handling proposed, final, and omitted regulations during the review process. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and the legislature responsible for oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 1598 amends Pennsylvania's Regulatory Review Act to clarify and strengthen oversight of agency rules. It defines "economically significant regulations" as those costing over $1 million annually to the state, local governments, or private sector, requiring agencies to include detailed cost estimates in regulatory proposals. The bill mandates agencies submit these cost analyses (prepared by the Independent Fiscal Office) with all new rules and adds a 14-day review window for committees if they object to economically significant regulations. This ensures greater transparency and legislative input before major rules take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 1513 would amend Pennsylvania's criminal code to establish criminal liability for internet publishers and distributors who knowingly make material harmful to minors available online. The bill targets content such as explicit sexual material deemed harmful to minors, creating a legal framework for prosecution without requiring proof of intent to harm minors. It directly affects online platforms, website operators, and content distributors that host or share such material. The bill is currently pending in the Communications & Technology committee for further review.

Maddy summaryHB 1514 creates a tax credit for Pennsylvania taxpayers who earn tips, allowing them to get back the income tax paid on those tips. The credit equals 100% of the tax paid on "tipped wages" (wages received as voluntary customer tips, not set by employers) and is fully refundable, meaning it can reduce tax bills or generate refunds even if no tax was owed. Taxpayers must claim the credit using their employer's statement of tipped wages (required under 34 Pa. Code § 231.36) when filing their annual tax return on the standard PA 40 form. This change applies to tax returns for years starting after December 31, 2025.