Rep. Rob Kauffman

Maddy summaryHB 1204 amends Pennsylvania's State Highway Law to require the Department of Highways to fund and maintain all State highways within boroughs and incorporated towns at state expense. The bill specifically mandates that the department improve, reconstruct, and maintain these highways to widths and types determined by the Secretary, and also covers surface and subsurface drainage facilities connected to them. This directly affects Pennsylvania municipalities (boroughs and towns) by shifting responsibility for highway upkeep from local governments to the state. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment, clarifying state funding for infrastructure maintenance in incorporated areas.

Maddy summaryHB 1182 would allow biological mothers to seek court-ordered financial support from biological fathers for an unborn child, starting from the mother's first prenatal medical visit. Courts could order retroactive payments and require fathers to pay based on their financial ability, but paternity establishment would need the mother's consent and couldn't risk harm to the unborn child. The bill excludes cases where a father terminated parental rights solely for sperm donation used in artificial insemination. This amendment to Pennsylvania's domestic relations law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 1170 allows Pennsylvania corrections officers to use electronic control gloves - gloves with electrodes emitting under 500 volts to temporarily immobilize individuals - in specific prison units. It requires these gloves only for officers assigned to units housing inmates who received disciplinary sanctions and are segregated from the general population. The department must create public policies on glove use, training, and maintenance, and officers must complete department-approved training before use. The bill also mandates compliance with existing use-of-force laws (18 Pa.C.S. § 508) and defines the gloves’ technical specifications.

Maddy summaryHB 1184 imposes a temporary pause on new or expanded health insurance coverage requirements (mandated benefits) in Pennsylvania. It directly affects insurers and employers who would otherwise be required to cover new treatments, equipment, or provider-specific services under health insurance policies. The bill requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study existing state-mandated health benefits by December 2026, analyzing their costs, fiscal impact, and effectiveness. The study must also determine if current mandates trigger federal payment obligations. The moratorium takes effect immediately and remains in place until the committee submits its report.

Maddy summaryHB 1158 designates Election Day (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November) as a legal holiday in Pennsylvania, meaning state offices and many businesses would close. It also requires county election boards to prioritize using public buildings like schools and municipal offices for polling places whenever possible, rather than private locations. If public buildings aren't available, the bill allows for portable polling places or selecting adjacent public buildings that are directly accessible. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania voters and election officials managing polling locations.

Maddy summaryHB 1156 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to strengthen eligibility verification for medical assistance and food stamp programs. The bill requires the state department to regularly review data from other agencies, including monthly checks for gambling winnings over $3,000 (via the Gaming Control Board), death records (from the Department of Health), and residency changes (via out-of-state EBT), plus quarterly checks for employment and income changes (from Labor and Revenue). It also prohibits the department from accepting eligibility determinations from health insurance exchanges without verification and bans self-attestation for key factors like income, residency, or household composition without prior verification. These changes update the verification process to align with current data-sharing capabilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1162 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to clarify election procedures, primarily affecting county election boards, election officials, and voters. The bill specifically changes when provisional ballots can be counted (they cannot be counted if an absentee or mail-in ballot was received), updates definitions of "canvass" and "pre-canvass," and sets requirements for election materials handling. It also clarifies that county boards must ensure election materials are delivered on time or face penalties for judges of elections who fail to comply. These procedural changes aim to standardize election administration and prevent duplicate voting across in-person, absentee, and mail-in voting methods. The bill focuses on technical adjustments to election processes rather than substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1160 requires Pennsylvania county election boards to conduct post-election verification of electronic voting systems. Specifically, it mandates a random statistical sample recount of at least 2% of votes cast (or 2,000 votes, whichever is smaller) using different devices than those used in the election. Additionally, county boards must randomly select three precincts per election for a full hand count of all ballots. These requirements apply to all general, primary, and municipal elections in Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates Bridge Key 44210 on State Route 2001 over Kreutz Creek in Windsor Township, York County, as the "Private Myles Ness Memorial Bridge." It commemorates Myles Albert Ness, a York County native who served as a private in the U.S. Army during World War I and died in 1958. The bill requires the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to install and maintain directional signs naming the bridge. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or financial impact.

Maddy summaryHB 1167, titled the Clean Air Preservation Act, bans cloud seeding, solar radiation modification, and other polluting atmospheric interventions within Pennsylvania. It directly affects any person or organization (including government agencies, corporations, or individuals) conducting such activities. The law requires Pennsylvania State Police or sheriffs to issue immediate cease-and-desist orders for suspected violations, treating these orders as court-enforceable. Violators face felony charges with penalties of at least $500,000 fines or two years in prison per violation, plus potential additional penalties under Pennsylvania’s existing Air Pollution Control Act.